List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a men's professional basketball league of 30 teams in North America (29 in the United States and one in Canada). The NBA was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York City, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The league adopted the NBA name at the start of the when it merged with the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball, which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as the national governing body for basketball in the country. The league is considered to be one of the four major professional sports leagues of North America.

The NBA operates on a franchise model in a closed system with no promotion or relegation to other leagues and no affiliated academies for amateur athletes. The franchises are governed by their ownership and the NBA Board of Governors, allowing for franchises to change locations, team branding, mascots, staff and player rosters. During the NBA draft, franchises select players who have not previously held a contract in the league and have declared themselves eligible.

In the early years of the league, a player's place on the roster was primarily determined by team ownership and management. In 1970, Hall of Fame player and then-President of the NBA Players Association Oscar Robertson sued the league, putting in motion the establishment of Free Agency in 1976. With player movement now having multiple decision makers and the constraints of the NBA salary cap, a player and franchise ownership would have to agree to a continuous relationship, taking into the account the player's impact, the team's performance goals, and the financial expectations from both sides, decreasing the likelihood a player would spend more than ten years with the same team.

The players listed have spent their entire NBA career, of at least 10 seasons played, with one franchise. Dirk Nowitzki holds the record, having played all of his 21 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. Next is Kobe Bryant, who played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers and Udonis Haslem, who played for the Miami Heat for all of his 20 seasons in the NBA. Hall of Famer John Stockton spent his entire 19 years playing career with the Utah Jazz, while Tim Duncan also played 19 years solely for the San Antonio Spurs and Reggie Miller spent 18 NBA seasons with the Indiana Pacers. Manu Ginobili played his entire 16 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

Stephen Curry is the leader among active players, having played 18 seasons with the Golden State Warriors.

Key Pos.GFCPositionGuardForwardCenter ^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA* Denotes player who has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame considerationA player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.

All-time list +NBA players who have spent their career at one franchiseRankSeasons PlayerPos.TeamCareerNotes 121* FDallas Mavericks– Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998 and traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki played for the German club DJK Würzburg from 1994 to 1998. 220* GLos Angeles Lakers– Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996 and traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.FMiami Heat–Went undrafted in 2002, but signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat a year later 4 19* F/CSan Antonio Spurs– —* GUtah Jazz– — 6 18* GIndiana Pacers– —^GGolden State Warriors–present — 8 16* GSan Antonio Spurs– Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 1999, but did not enter the NBA until 2002* F/GBoston Celtics– — 10 15* FSyracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers– Drafted by the New York Knicks in 1948, but opted to play for the Syracuse Nationals in the NBL before moving to the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals in 1949* GSyracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers– —^ FGolden State Warriors–present 13 14 F/CSeattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder– Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in , however, he missed the due to injury* FMinneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers– Retired in November 1971 due to injury after only playing 9 games in the * GLos Angeles Lakers– —* GDetroit Pistons– —* CSan Antonio Spurs– Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 1987, but did not enter the NBA until 1989 due to his commitment with the Navy 18 13* CBoston Celtics– Drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in 1956 and traded to the Boston Celtics* FBoston Celtics– —* CBaltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets– —* GSan Diego / Houston Rockets– — GSeattle SuperSonics– — CPhoenix Suns– —* FBoston Celtics– Drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1978, but did not enter the NBA until 1979, after his college graduation* GLos Angeles Lakers–, Came out from retirement in January 1996 and played 32 games in the * FBoston Celtics– —* GDetroit Pistons– — CIndiana Pacers– Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1999 and traded to the Indiana Pacers 30 12* GBoston Celtics– —* GLos Angeles Lakers– —* FLos Angeles Lakers– — GSeattle SuperSonics– — CIndiana Pacers– —^ CDenver Nuggets–present Nikola Jokić played for the Serbian club Mega Basket from 2012 to 2015.^ GPhoenix Suns–present 37 11* FMilwaukee / St. Louis Hawks– —* FRochester / Cincinnati Royals– —* GPhiladelphia / San Francisco Warriors– —* FSan Diego / Houston Rockets– —* FPhiladelphia 76ers– Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1972, but opted to play in the ABA before joining the Philadelphia 76ers after the ABA–NBA merger in 1976 CUtah Jazz– —^ CPhiladelphia 76ers–present Missed 2014–15 NBA season and 2015–16 NBA season in the league because of injury.45 10* FMinneapolis Lakers– —* FPhiladelphia Warriors–, – Missed the and due to military service; also played for the Camden Bullets of the minor league Eastern Professional Basketball League after retiring from the NBA GSyracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers– Drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1954 and traded to the Syracuse Nationals, but did not enter the league until 1956 due to military service* FSt. Louis Hawks– Drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1953 and traded to the St. Louis Hawks, but did not enter the league until 1956 due to military service* CNew York Knicks– —* FNew York Knicks– Drafted by the New York Knicks in 1965, but did not enter the NBA until 1967 due to a prior academic commitment in England; also played professional basketball overseas with the Olimpia Milano in Italy for one season before joining the New York Knicks CChicago Bulls– — GHouston Rockets– — GUtah Jazz–, – Missed the due to injury^ GDenver Nuggets–present Missed the entire 2021–22 NBA season due to injury.^ FBoston Celtics–present^ CMiami Heat–present

Future candidates +Active NBA players who have spent their career at one franchise (fewer than 10 years) PlayerPos.TeamYearsDraftSeasonsNotes^ FOrlando Magic 8 2017, 6th–present Missed the 2020–21 NBA season and 2021–22 NBA season due to injury.^ FSan Antonio Spurs 8 2019, 29th–present ^ FNew Orleans Pelicans 7 2019, 1st–present Missed the entire 2021–22 NBA season due to injury.^ GMinnesota Timberwolves 7 2020, 1st–present^ FChicago Bulls 7 2020, 4th–present^ CAtlanta Hawks 7 2020, 6th–present^ GSan Antonio Spurs 7 2020, 11th–present^ GPhiladelphia 76ers 7 2020, 21st–present^ GBoston Celtics 7 2020, 26th–present^ FMinnesota Timberwolves 7 2020, 28th–present^ FHouston Rockets 7 2018, undrafted–present

List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise

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