Who are the five players to have a career longer than GOAT LeBron James?
LeBron James has been dominating the league for what feels like a lifetime, playing against player's fathers and sons in his 20 years in the league.
James has become the oldest player in the league this season, but even going into his 21st year, five players have had longer NBA careers than 'The King.'
Here are the five players that James recited in an interview at media day who have had longer NBA careers than one of the greatest of all time!
Boston Celtics legend Robert Parish was a staple center in the NBA for 21 seasons, playing 1,611 games in the NBA, a record to this day.
In 21 seasons, Parish played his best basketball for the Boston Celtics in their ruthless 80s team led by Larry Bird. In 14 seasons with Boston, Parish won four NBA titles and has his 00 number retired.
Seven-foot power forward/center Kevin Willis started his career in 1984, played 21 seasons until 2005, and then made a comeback in 2007 to play a small number of games for the Dallas Mavericks.
Willis has made the most appearances for a player not in the basketball hall of fame (1,424) and won one NBA Championship, made one all-star appearance, and one All-NBA selection. He spent 11 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks across two stints.
After being one of the first players to be drafted out of high school in 1995, NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett played 21 seasons at the highest level, winning the MVP award and becoming an NBA champion in 2008.
Like Parish, Garnett has his number five jersey retired by the Boston Celtics, and it was deserved, having 15 all-star selections, nine All-NBA selections, and winning the Defensive Player of the Year on his championship-winning team.
Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is the only European player to play 21 seasons in the NBA and is regarded as the greatest European player to ever live.
The Mavericks legend has a statue outside the American Airlines Center after winning them their only NBA title, becoming MVP and Finals MVP, and having his famous 41 jersey retired.
Vince Carter, the NBA's greatest-ever dunker, is the only player to play 22 consecutive seasons in the NBA and play in four different decades (1998-2020).
'Vinsanity' may not have had the championship and MVP success as some of the others, but his outrageous dunks and all-star-level games leave him as one of the most entertaining hall-of-fame players in NBA history.
Lebron James will have to play into 40th birthday year to match with Carter, but after taking the Los Angeles Lakers to the Western Conference Finals, James has shown he has plenty more still left.
James has also signaled his intention to make a return to the Team USA Olympic squad in 2024, showing another reason for his intent to continue to compete at the highest level.
Will James record the most consecutive seasons in NBA history, or will he settle with his GOAT career after the 2023-24 season ends?