Playing all 82 games during the regular season is no mean feat, which is why the vast majority of players throughout NBA history struggle with it. Staying healthy for an entire season hardly ever happens, and even having the energy to play 82 games in a row is an achievement in itself.
When you look at the greatest players to ever play, it's clear that playing all 82 games is a rare feat, even for them. But once again Michael Jordan proves he is in a different class by enduring 9 seasons of 82 games played. That's the number of times the 11 greatest players of all time have played 82 games over the course of their careers.
Michael Jordan
Complete seasons: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003
Michael Jordan once again tops an all-time list. The Bulls legend played in 82 games nine times over his career, an incredible feat unmatched by any other top 10 player of all time. Jordan was known to be a machine and possibly the most dedicated athlete in team sports.
Despite being an explosive athlete who loved to attack the rim, Jordan played only three of his 15 career 78-game seasons. One was a season-ending injury in his sophomore year, the second was his season-ending return from retirement, and the last was in the 2002 season when he was 38 years old. Of course, Jordan would play all 82 games of his final NBA season. There will simply never be another Michael Jordan.
Wilt Chamberlain
Complete seasons: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973
Wilt Chamberlain, the most dominant statistician in NBA history, played nine full seasons during his NBA career, including four 82-game campaigns. When Wilt was healthy, he was a machine because he played full seasons nine times. In his last three seasons between ages 34 and 36, Wilt completed 82 games.
Chamberlain loved the game and found it easy to bounce and hit the ball, which is why he ranks number one on this list. He was one of the best centers in NBA history and arguably the 10th greatest player of all time.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Complete seasons: 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1980
Arguably the greatest and most successful center in college and the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of a kind. The Bucks and Lakers legend played 20 seasons in the NBA, and his patented Skyhook shot is the reason he leads all players in total points scored.
Kareem played 82 games five times in a row in his illustrious career. The big man played well into his 40s and managed to stay relatively healthy, playing over 32mpg for 17 years. We will likely never see a center dominate the game as much as Kareem does, and he is third behind Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain on this list.
Kobe Bryant
Complete seasons: 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011
Kobe Bryant is known for his work ethic and dedication to his body and the game of basketball. As a result, he often played through various injuries and never revealed what he was dealing with. Even with Kobe's willingness to play every game, he's only managed to complete 82-game seasons four times.
Kobe took 6 years to play at least 80 games and played another 9 years under the same total. Bryant took a lot of damage attacking the rim, and at 6'6", he had covered a ton of miles by age 35. A ruptured Achilles tendon was the last straw for Bryant, a legend who would have played any game if he could.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Complete seasons: 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993
Easily one of the top 5 tall men of all time, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon had the best footwork ever. But like most great men, Hakeem has struggled to stay healthy each season. The Nigerian star played all 82 games of his rookie season and finished second to Michael Jordan as Rookie of the Year.
The other seasons in which he played 82 games featured appearances on the All-Star Team, with the 1993 season being the year before he won the NBA title. Olajuwon also had 7 seasons playing less than 70 games, including 5 in a row between ages 35-39, which was to be expected given his age and wear and tear.
Larry Vogel
Complete seasons: 1980, 1981, 1986
Larry Bird, big as he was, could have been bigger. One could only imagine Bird playing these days, as modern medicine and player health education would have given the Celtics legend an even better resume. Despite this, Bird played three full seasons despite struggling with injuries for most of his career.
Bird completed 82 games in his first two seasons, his third in the 1986 season in his 7th season, where he won his third consecutive MVP award. In fact, Larry Bird played over 74 games in his first 9 seasons, but injuries held him back and he missed more games, including a disastrous 1989 season in which he only appeared in 6 games.
Tim Duncan
Complete seasons: 1998, 2001, 2002
Tim Duncan, the greatest forward of all time, played in 82 games three times in his career, matching Larry Bird's tally. Duncan was a force at both ends of the court and the way the Spurs ran their offense through him was pretty impressive.
Tim Duncan played 82 games in his Rookie of the Year campaign and also in his 4th and 5th seasons. He also had a strong support system in San Antonio so he could lose some time for his team. Some lows of 50 games, 58 games and 61 games can be found on Tim Duncan's resume, but he played 19 seasons in total to be fair.
Lebron James
Complete Seasons: 2018
LeBron James has surpassed Larry Bird in many people's eyes as the greatest forward of all time, but he only managed to play 82 games in a season once compared to Bird's three games. King played all 82 games in the 2018 season, the year he lost to the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
In addition to the 2018 season, LeBron played in 81 games in the 2009 season, where he won MVP, and 80 games in his second season. It is known that James did not suffer any major injuries, but he played less than 70 games five times in his career. Extended breaks have always been a strategy for LeBron to play at a high level every year.
Magic Johnson
Complete Seasons: None
The greatest point guard of all time has not been on the ground in every game of a regular season. Magic played 80 games during the 1987 season, the biggest season of Johnson's career. In 1987, Magic Johnson beat Larry Bird and Michael Jordan for MVP and later won Finals MVP for the Lakers.
But the Magic never saw the need to play a full season, whether it was battling nagging injuries or needing rest. Johnson played 79 games three times in his career and never played fewer than 70 games except twice. The first was 67 games in 1984 and the other was a disappointing second season in which he only played 37 games.
Bill Russel
Complete Seasons: None
The greatest champion in NBA history may have 11 rings, but he didn't even have to play an entire season to get there. Russell played in 81 games once in his career, in the 1967 season, when he was 32 years old. Russell was his usual dominant self this year, averaging 13.3 PPG and 21.0 RPG.
Russell never got close to 82 games and played 78 games 6 different times. The Celtics superstar also had a rocky start to his career, playing just 48 games in his rookie season and missing out on the All-Star team that year (his only 13 seasons).
Shaquille O'Neal
Complete Seasons: None
It's no surprise that Shaquille O'Neal never played 82 games in his career. After all, the player is exceptionally tall, and it's nearly impossible to keep his body intact without injuring himself, as he keeps hitting the paint. Not to mention, O'Neal was famous for not getting his best.
Shaq played in 81 games in each of his first two seasons, including a Rookie of the Year award and 2 All-Star teams. O'Neal played 79 games twice in his career, once with the Magic and once with the Lakers. This won't bother Diesel too much, as he still has 4 championships and 3 Finals MVPs under his Hall of Fame resume.
Next
NBA faces since 1980: From Magic, Bird and Jordan to LeBron, Steph and Durant
Larry Bird after his first game against Michael Jordan: "This guy will be the greatest player of all time"
Kobe Bryant stats against the best defenders of the era: The Black Mamba were unstoppable
Michael Jordan Salary in 1998 Compared to Today's Highest Contracts: GOAT Still Leads
Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant and other NBA stars choose Kobe Bryant over LeBron James: "If you want to have fun, go play with LeBron. If you want to win, you play with Kobe'
FAQs
Who played the most full seasons in NBA history? ›
Vince Carter, who began his career with the Raptors, is the only player in NBA history to have played in 22 seasons.
How many Full seasons has Michael Jordan played? ›He played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan is the principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA and of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
How many Full seasons did Wilt Chamberlain Play? ›He led the NBA in scoring seven years in a row. He was the league's top rebounder in 11 of his 14 seasons. And as if to prove that he was not a selfish player, he had the NBA's highest assist total in 1967-68.
How many full seasons has LeBron James played? ›LeBron James has played 20 seasons in his career.
Who has a 100 point game in the NBA? ›On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain tallied 100 points for the Warriors in a 169-147 win. Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points to set a single-game NBA record.
What NBA player has 9 figures? ›We don't appreciate often enough the fact that Gerald Green has carved out an NBA career despite an awkward deformity on his shooting hand.
Has LeBron James ever played a full season? ›It's Year 15 and LeBron James has played a full season for the first time in his career. Faveur Adjani and 8,269 others like this.
Who played more games MJ or LeBron? ›Out of the 1,371 regular season games that LeBron James has played he won 65.4 percent of them. He has a career record of 899-472. Meanwhile Michael Jordan has won 65.9 percent of his games. He has played 1,072 games and has a career record of 706-366.
Who holds the most NBA records? ›However, the majority of lists published have accepted the fact that Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the top two players in NBA history. Interestingly enough, the general consensus has also fully accepted Michael Jordan as the better basketball player than Wilt Chamberlain.
How many seasons did Michael Jordan played all 82 games? ›
Michael Jordan played 15 years with 82+ games played.
Was Wilt better than Jordan? ›Jordan led the league in scoring 10 times and capitalized on it for 6 titles in six finals with six finals mvp's. Jordan finished right above Wilt as the greatest scorer ever, for an entire career, because Wilt had to stop scoring to win a title, and Jordan didn't have to stop scoring to win a title.
Where does LeBron rank all time stats? ›| # | PLAYER | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38387 |
| 2 | LeBron James | 37559 |
| 3 | Karl Malone | 36928 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | 33643 |
Michael Jordan played in ALL 82 games in 9 of 15 seasons in his career, which leads every top 10-ish player of all-time. Jordan is tied for 4th behind John Stockton (16), AC Green (14), Karl Malone / Randy Smith (10) for the most 82 game seasons played in NBA history.
Has LeBron ever played 82 games in a season? ›LeBron James played all 82 games for the first time in his career. At the same time he became the oldest player ever to lead the NBA in total minutes played! No signs of slowing down. Rod Ervin Abundo and 7,256 others like this.
Who scored 73 points in an NBA game? ›Nuggets 360: David Thompson on scoring 73 points | NBA.com.
Has any NBA player scored 69 points? ›Legendary Moments In NBA History: Michael Jordan scores 69 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers.
Has any NBA team scored 100 points in a half? ›Phoenix scored 107 points in the first half vs. Denver on Nov. 10, 1990.
What NBA player has 15 All-Star appearances? ›Shaquille O'Neal, 15:
It was his final All-Star appearance, to boot. In 1993, he was the first rookie in eight years to make the All-Star team and eventually won three MVPs, sharing with Tim Duncan in 2000.
| Rank | Team | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 32.3 |
| 2 | Boston | 32.2 |
| 3 | Golden State | 31.4 |
| 4 | Minnesota | 31.3 |
Who had 10 steals in a game? ›
| Steals | Player | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Alvin Robertson (4) | November 19, 1990 |
| 10 | Kevin Johnson | December 9, 1993 |
| 10 | Clyde Drexler* (2) | November 1, 1996 |
| 10 | Daron "Mookie" Blaylock | April 14, 1998 |
Zydrunas Ilgauskas holds the record for most seasons (tied with 8) and games played with LeBron James (641). He was the ultimate teammate on and off the court and the chemistry between the two in the pick-and-roll was notable throughout the 8 seasons they played together.
Has LeBron ever had a 0 point game? ›...
Lowest Scoring Games.
LeBron James has 14 games played with 50+ points.
Who has more 50 point games MJ or LeBron? ›Michael Jordan ranks second with 31 50-point games, followed by Kobe Bryant (25), James Harden (23) and Elgin Baylor (17). Among active players, LeBron James is the closest to cracking the top five. He currently ranks sixth all-time with 14 50-point games in his career.
Why is Michael better than LeBron? ›Michael Jordan was always the Finals MVP, averaging 33.6 points per game, and in the 1993 finals, he averaged 41.0 points per game, which is just ridiculous. LeBron James has also been phenomenal in the finals, but he hasn't been able to make as much of an impact as Jordan. MJ conquered the NBA like no one else has.
Who has better stats MJ or LeBron? ›While Jordan scored more overall, LeBron is a more efficient player, shooting better from two and three-point range. LeBron is also a much better passer and rebounder than Jordan ever was. MJ has a much better free throw percentage, which helps to bolster that points per game statistic.
What athlete holds the most records? ›The most world records set by an individual in athletics is 35, by Sergei Bubka (Ukraine) in the pole vault between 1984 and 1994.
Has there ever been a 40 point 20 assist game? ›Cousins became just the fifth player in NBA history to have 40 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a single game, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor.
Who holds the record for most assists in a game? ›Although Scott Skiles' legacy as a coach in Chicago isn't great, he's in the NBA record books for most assists in a single game (30). Skiles completed the feat on Dec. 30, 1990 in a 155-116 victory against the Denver Nuggets at the Orlando Arena.
Who was better than Wilt? ›
Russell won more NBA MVP awards than Chamberlain — five to four. While Russell was always crowned the ultimate team player — and deservedly so — Chamberlain — who once averaged 50 points in a season and scored 100 points in game — was always seen as a great individual.
How many 70 point games does Wilt have? ›Most Career 50-Point Games (118), 60-Point Games (32), 70-Point Games (6)
Did LeBron ever play against Jordan? ›KD went on to emphasize that there really was no need to compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan. The two never played against one another, and never will.
Has any NBA team go 0 82? ›So Has an NBA team ever gone 0-82 or 82-0? No team has ever won or lost all 82 games in a single season. The best record ever was 73 wins and 9 losses by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.
Who played 88 games in a NBA season? ›Due to trades to teams with offset game schedules during the 1968–69 season when he was traded (with Howard Komives) from the Knicks to the Detroit Pistons for Dave DeBusschere, Bellamy set a still-standing record for NBA games played in a single season with 88, playing 35 games with the Knicks and 53 with the Pistons.
Who did Wilt drop 100 points on? ›Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by scoring 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169–147 win over the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962, at Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Who is stronger Wilt or Shaq? ›Wilt was definitely stronger than Shaq (although Shaq is a LOT heavier because he has a lot more fat than Wilt did). Shaq's excess fat has a negative affect on his stamina. Wilt averaged 46 minutes per game over the course of his career, and in 1962, Wilt only sat out EIGHT MINUTES of the ENTIRE SEASON.
Did Wilt score 100 points? ›Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain didn't have the ability to use the "100" emoji on March 2, 1962, so he had to settle for a simple piece of paper to illustrate his level of dominance that night. "The Big Dipper" dropped 100 points in 48 minutes of work as the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the New York Knicks.
Can LeBron James pass Kareem? ›As it stands, James needs 1,244 points to pass Abdul-Jabbar, who has held the record since April 1984. In his conversation with Sharpe, Johnson acknowledged that the leading scorer record is something that Abdul-Jabbar thought he would have forever. Being eclipsed by James might make matters worse.
Is LeBron James the greatest scorer of all time? ›Abdul-Jabbar has been atop the career points list since April 5, 1984 -- eight months before James was even born -- when he broke the mark previously held by Wilt Chamberlain. Now James has that record within reach, needing 887 points to surpass Abdul-Jabbar's career total of 38,387.
Who is the greatest 3 point shooter of all time? ›
In 2001, this greatest 3 point shooter of all time became the NBA Three-Point Contest Champion. In addition, Ray Allen also broke Reggie Miller's record on the NBA All-time 3-Point Field Goals Made. Currently, Ray Allen is the record holder with 2,973.
Who has scored 80 points in the NBA? ›Kobe Bryant's 81-point game is almost as famous as Chamberlain's 100. It's the only other time in NBA history a player has scored 80 or more points in a game, and only one other player (Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns) has hit 70 points since then.
Which players have played all 82 games? ›According to Basketball-Reference, of the more than 600 players who graced an NBA roster in the 2021-2022 season, you can count those who took the floor for the full 82 games on one hand: Deni Avdija, Saddiq Bey, Mikal Bridges, Kevon Looney, and Dwight Powell.
Who has the most 80 point games in a season? ›Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain were tied for the most games with 80+ points, with 1 game.
Does LeBron have any 60 point games? ›LeBron James played in 1 game with 60+ points.
Who has had 70 point games in the NBA? ›- Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns.
- David Robinson.
- Elgin Baylor.
- David Thompson.
- The late, great Kobe Bryant.
- Wilt.
Vince Carter, who began his career with the Raptors, is the only player in NBA history to have played in 22 seasons.
What NBA players have played 20 seasons? ›-Haslem will also join the group of eight players who have played at least 20 years, including Vince Carter (22), Dirk (21), Kevin Garnett (21), Kevin Willis (21), Robert Parish (21), Jamal Crawford (20), Kobe (20_ and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20).
Who has played 15 seasons in the NBA? ›| NAME | GP | 3PA |
|---|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1560 | 0.0 |
| Adrian Dantley | 955 | 0.1 |
| Alex English | 1193 | 0.1 |
| Moses Malone | 1329 | 0.1 |
Three NBA players who made their league debuts in 2003 are still on active rosters today: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Udonis Haslem each have played 18 seasons in the NBA.
What NBA player has 11 all awards? ›
Havlicek was an 11-time All-NBA selection despite coming off the bench for several seasons, though his career predated the creation of the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1982-83. And Mikan was widely regarded as the league's first superstar, leading the Minneapolis Lakers to five championships in the 1940s and 1950s.
Has anyone ever had a 20 20 20 game in the NBA? ›Russell Westbrook joins Wilt Chamberlain and himself with 20-rebound, 20-assist night. Westbrook's uniquely dominant impact on the box score is leaving most precedents behind. Russell Westbrook wrote history again with 20-assist, 20-rebound game Monday against the Pacers.
Who has the most 60 point games in NBA season? ›Only six players have scored 60 or more points on more than one occasion: Wilt Chamberlain (32 times), Kobe Bryant (6 times), Michael Jordan (5 times), Elgin Baylor (4 times), James Harden (4 times), and Damian Lillard (3 times).
Who has the most points per season? ›Wilt Chamberlain unsurprisingly holds the record for most points scored in a season with 4,029, which he did back in 1961-62 with the Philadelphia Warriors. Michael Jordan is the only other player to score at least 3,000 in a season, a feat Chamberlain accomplished three times.
Who has averaged 30 points in a season? ›Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, and Allen Iverson did it four times. It's such a rare thing it is for a player to actually average 30-plus points per game. These guys somehow did it.
Who has the highest points per game in a season? ›According to Basketball-Reference, of the more than 600 players who graced an NBA roster in the 2021-2022 season, you can count those who took the floor for the full 82 games on one hand: Deni Avdija, Saddiq Bey, Mikal Bridges, Kevon Looney, and Dwight Powell.
Has there ever been an 82 0 team in the NBA? ›Now, each team plays about 3.5 games per week during the regular season which lasts about 165 days. So Has an NBA team ever gone 0-82 or 82-0? No team has ever won or lost all 82 games in a single season. The best record ever was 73 wins and 9 losses by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.
What NBA player has played the most 82 game seasons? ›Michael Jordan played in ALL 82 games in 9 of 15 seasons in his career, which leads every top 10-ish player of all-time. Jordan is tied for 4th behind John Stockton (16), AC Green (14), Karl Malone / Randy Smith (10) for the most 82 game seasons played in NBA history.