In 1985-86, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the previous NBA record of 16 seasons held by Dolph Schayes, John Havlicek, Paul Silas and Elvin Hayes; he ended his own. Combined questions, comments or corrections (regular season and playoffs)? In addition to LeBron, there are two other players who are ready to register their 20th year in the NBA this season. Only ten players in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) have played 20 or more seasons in their respective careers. In 1985-86, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the previous NBA record of 16 seasons held by Dolph Schayes, John Havlicek, Paul Silas and Elvin Hayes; he finished his career in 1988-89 with a record of 20 seasons played.
However, a few have managed to withstand the ravages of time and avoid career-ending injuries in order to remain on the court for 20 years or more. However, a few have managed to withstand the ravages of time and avoid career-ending injuries in order to stay on the court for 20 years.
