NBA Players With The Most Games Played in Regular Season

NBA players can ramp it up in the regular season by playing games and scoring points. Basketball stars in the NCAA and other sports organizations strive to be drafted into the NBA. Based on their talents, athletes can perform ground-breaking feats in the NBA throughout the regular season to qualify their teams for the playoffs.  

The training routine and eating habits play a critical role in helping NBA players appear in hundreds of matches. A handful of basketball superstars have been fortunate, being able to turn up to more than 1000 NBA games in their career. NBA players like LeBron James and Robert Parish have proved that they can maintain their focus on the ball for multiple seasons without losing momentum.

Have a look at the NBA players with the most games played in the regular season.

Robert Parish

Robert Parish has appeared in a total of 1,611 matches in the NBA. He has played 21 NBA seasons for various basketball clubs like Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls. The center position basketball athlete stands at a height of 7 feet and 1 inch. Robert Parish has scored 23,334 points, 14,715 rebounds, and 2,361 blocks from his NBA matches.

Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish were a Boston Celtics trio known for their frontline offense. Robert Parish along with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale won 3 NBA championships together within 14 years.

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Robert Parish began playing basketball in junior high school. The basketball coach of his educational institution, Coleman Kidd, encouraged Robert Parish to play the sport at his home and practice basketball at his school. He had to take special care to pass the criteria assessed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to continue playing basketball in college.

The Golden State Warriors drafted Robert Parish in 1976. He played over 300 matches for the Golden State Warriors and scored an average of 13.8 points per game (ppg), 9.5 rebounds per game (rpg), and 1.8 blocks per game (bpg).

Regular seasons that Robert Parish played with the Boston Celtics were quite memorable. He won 3 NBA championships with Boston Celtics between 1980-1994. Robert Parish was also included in the NBA’s 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team. He holds the record for scoring the most blocked shots, offensive rebounds, and defensive rebounds in the history of Boston Celtics.

He won the 4^th NBA championship title with the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 season. Robert Parish played with the top athletes in the NBA at that time, including Michael Jordon and Dennis Rodman. After winning the 1997 NBA Finals, Robert Parish retired from the NBA.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award 6 times in his career. He has played for the NBA teams Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Born in Harlem, New York City, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could dunk a basketball in his teenage years. Coach Jack Donohue recognized Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skills on the basketball court, assisting him to play more games for his high school.

NBA statistics of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar include 38,387 points, 17,440 rebounds, and 5,660 assists. He was announced as the Rookie of the Year after joining the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969. In his first year with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar managed to win 56 matches for his NBA team. He would score above 20 points in most games in the regular season for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Within a year of joining the Milwaukee Bucks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won his first NBA championship title in 1970. With the help of teammates like Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had achieved a record of 20 consecutive wins for his team. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was also announced as the NBA MVP for his performance at the end of the season.

The Los Angeles Lakers absorbed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975, In his debut season for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a 27.7 ppg and played for a total of 3,379 minutes on the basketball court. He was the first athlete in the history of Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA MVP award. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has played 1,560 matches throughout his career in the NBA. The basketball superstar has also appeared in multiple movies and TV series like the Game of Death and Everybody Loves Raymond, making Kareem Abdul-Jabbar famous around the globe.

LeBron James

LeBron James has played 1,492 matches in the regular season of the NBA. Born in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James has acquired various titles such as the NBA champion and the NBA Rookie of the Year. He has won the NBA MVP title 4 times. The international magazine, Sports Illustrated, named LeBron James as the Sportsperson of the Year in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

Cleveland Cavaliers drafted LeBron James in 2003. At the end of his rookie year, he had an average of 20.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 5.9 apg. He frequently plays the small forward position for his team. He is the youngest NBA player to score 30,000 points. His speed and size were pivotal in helping LeBron James become an international sports icon. Many of his scoring shots have been captured through highlight reels for his fans to enjoy.

Defenders from top teams in the NBA try to avoid having LeBron James grab the ball. His jump shots have increased accuracy, posing a threat to defenders from the 3-pointer mark. LeBron James is a team player, often passing the ball to his allies to divert the attention of his rivals.