List of NBA career minutes played leaders

Last updated November 17, 2024

This article provides two lists:

A list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season leaders in minutes played.

A progressive list of leaders, and records for minutes played showing how the record has increased through the years.^[1]

Minutes played leaders

This is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season leaders in minutes played.^[2]

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Team(s) played for (years)^[b]	Total minutes	Games played	Minutes per game average ^[c]
1	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar *	C	Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975) Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989)	57,446	1,560	36.8
2	LeBron James ^	SF	Cleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010, 2014–2018) Miami Heat (2010–2014) Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present)	57,020	1,504	37.9
3	Karl Malone *	PF	Utah Jazz (1985–2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004)	54,852	1,476	37.2
4	Dirk Nowitzki *	PF	Dallas Mavericks (1998–2019)	51,367	1,522	33.8
5	Kevin Garnett *	PF	Minnesota Timberwolves (1995–2007, 2015–2016) Boston Celtics (2007–2013) Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015)	50,412	1,462	34.5
6	Jason Kidd *	PG	Dallas Mavericks (1994–1996, 2008–2012) Phoenix Suns (1996–2001) New Jersey Nets (2001–2008) New York Knicks (2012–2013)	50,116	1,391	36.0
7	Elvin Hayes *	PF/C	San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968–1972, 1981–1984) Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972–1981)	50,000	1,303	38.4
8	Kobe Bryant *	SG	Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2016)	48,643	1,346	36.1
9	Wilt Chamberlain *	C	Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959–1965) Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968) Los Angeles Lakers (1968–1973)	47,859	1,045	45.8
10	John Stockton *	PG	Utah Jazz (1984–2003)	47,766	1,504	31.8
11	Reggie Miller *	SG	Indiana Pacers (1987–2005)	47,620	1,389	34.3
12	Tim Duncan *	PF/C	San Antonio Spurs (1997–2016)	47,367	1,392	34.0
13	Gary Payton *	PG	Seattle SuperSonics (1990–2003) Milwaukee Bucks (2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004) Boston Celtics (2004–2005) Miami Heat (2005–2007)	47,117	1,335	35.3
14	John Havlicek *	SF/SG	Boston Celtics (1962–1978)	46,471	1,270	36.6
15	Vince Carter *	SG/SF	Toronto Raptors (1998–2004) New Jersey Nets (2004–2009) Orlando Magic (2009–2010) Phoenix Suns (2010–2011) Dallas Mavericks (2011–2014) Memphis Grizzlies (2014–2017) Sacramento Kings (2017–2018) Atlanta Hawks (2018–2020)	46,370	1,541	30.1
16	Ray Allen *	SG	Milwaukee Bucks (1996–2003) Seattle SuperSonics (2003–2007) Boston Celtics (2007–2012) Miami Heat (2012–2014)	46,350	1,300	35.6
17	Paul Pierce *	SF/SG	Boston Celtics (1998–2013) Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014) Washington Wizards (2014–2015) Los Angeles Clippers (2015–2017)	45,879	1,343	34.2
18	Robert Parish *	C	Golden State Warriors (1976–1980) Boston Celtics (1980–1994) Charlotte Hornets (1994–1996) Chicago Bulls (1996–1997)	45,704	1,611	28.4
19	Moses Malone *	C	Buffalo Braves (1976) Houston Rockets (1976–1982) Philadelphia 76ers (1982–1986, 1993–1994) Washington Bullets (1986–1988) Atlanta Hawks (1988–1991) Milwaukee Bucks (1991–1993) San Antonio Spurs (1994–1995)	45,071	1,329	33.9
20	Joe Johnson ^†	SG/SF	Boston Celtics (2001–2002, 2021–2022) Phoenix Suns (2002–2005) Atlanta Hawks (2005–2012) Brooklyn Nets (2012–2016) Miami Heat (2016) Utah Jazz (2016–2018) Houston Rockets (2018)	44,235	1,277	34.6
21	Hakeem Olajuwon *	C	Houston Rockets (1984–2001) Toronto Raptors (2001–2002)	44,218	1,238	35.7
22	Oscar Robertson *	PG	Cincinnati Royals (1960–1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974)	43,886	1,040	42.2
23	Chris Paul ^	PG	New Orleans Hornets (2005–2011) Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2017) Houston Rockets (2017–2019) Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020) Phoenix Suns (2020–2024) Golden State Warriors (2023–2024) San Antonio Spurs (2024–present)	43,687	1,285	34.0
24	Carmelo Anthony ^†	SF	Denver Nuggets (2003–2011) New York Knicks (2011–2017) Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2018) Houston Rockets (2018–2019) Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2021) Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2022)	43,513	1,260	34.5
25	Clifford Robinson	PF/SF	Portland Trail Blazers (1989–1997) Phoenix Suns (1997–2001) Detroit Pistons (2001–2003) Golden State Warriors (2003–2005) New Jersey Nets (2005–2007)	42,560	1,380	30.8
26	Buck Williams	PF	New Jersey Nets (1981–1989) Portland Trail Blazers (1989–1996) New York Knicks (1996–1998)	42,470	1,307	32.5
27	Jason Terry	SG/PG	Atlanta Hawks (1999–2004) Dallas Mavericks (2004–2012) Boston Celtics (2012–2013) Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014) Houston Rockets (2014–2016) Milwaukee Bucks (2016–2018)	42,034	1,410	29.8
28	Shaquille O'Neal *	C	Orlando Magic (1992–1996) Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004) Miami Heat (2004–2008) Phoenix Suns (2008–2009) Cleveland Cavaliers (2009–2010) Boston Celtics (2010–2011)	41,917	1,207	34.7
29	Scottie Pippen *	SF	Chicago Bulls (1987–1998, 2003–2004) Houston Rockets (1999) Portland Trail Blazers (1999–2003)	41,068	1,178	34.9
30	Michael Jordan *	SG	Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998) Washington Wizards (2001–2003)	41,010	1,072	38.3
31	Pau Gasol *	PF/C	Memphis Grizzlies (2001–2008) Los Angeles Lakers (2008–2014) Chicago Bulls (2014–2016) San Antonio Spurs (2016–2019) Milwaukee Bucks (2019)	41,001	1,226	33.4
32	Bill Russell *	C	Boston Celtics (1956–1969)	40,726	963	42.3
33	Patrick Ewing *	C	New York Knicks (1985–2000) Seattle SuperSonics (2000–2001) Orlando Magic (2001–2002)	40,594	1,183	34.3
34	Charles Oakley	PF	Chicago Bulls (1985–1988, 2001–2002) New York Knicks (1988–1999) Toronto Raptors (1998–2001) Washington Wizards (2002–2003) Houston Rockets (2004)	40,278	1,282	31.4
35	Andre Miller	PG	Cleveland Cavaliers (1999–2002) Los Angeles Clippers (2002–2003) Denver Nuggets (2003–2006, 2011–2014) Philadelphia 76ers (2006–2009) Portland Trail Blazers (2009–2011) Washington Wizards (2013–2015) Sacramento Kings (2015) Minnesota Timberwolves (2015–2016) San Antonio Spurs (2016)	40,268	1,304	30.9
36	Shawn Marion	SF/PF	Phoenix Suns (1999–2008) Miami Heat (2008–2009) Toronto Raptors (2009) Dallas Mavericks (2009–2014) Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2015)	40,097	1,163	34.5
37	Otis Thorpe	PF	Kansas City/Sacramento Kings (1984–1988, 1998) Houston Rockets (1988–1995) Portland Trail Blazers (1995) Detroit Pistons (1995–1997) Vancouver Grizzlies (1997–1998) Washington Wizards (1998–1999) Miami Heat (1999–2000) Charlotte Hornets (2000–2001)	39,824	1,257	31.7
38	Hal Greer *	SG/PG	Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958–1973)	39,788	1,122	35.5
39	Andre Iguodala ^†	SF/SG	Philadelphia 76ers (2004–2012) Denver Nuggets (2012–2013) Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2021–2023) Miami Heat (2020–2021)	39,509	1,231	32.1
40	Dwight Howard ^†	C	Orlando Magic (2004–2012) Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2013, 2019–2020, 2021–2022) Houston Rockets (2013–2016) Atlanta Hawks (2016–2017) Charlotte Hornets (2017–2018) Washington Wizards (2018–2019) Philadelphia 76ers (2020–2021)	39,458	1,242	31.8
41	Russell Westbrook ^	PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2008–2019) Houston Rockets (2019–2020) Washington Wizards (2020–2021) Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2023) Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2024) Denver Nuggets (2024–present)	39,349	1,173	33.5
42	Charles Barkley *	PF	Philadelphia 76ers (1984–1992) Phoenix Suns (1992–1996) Houston Rockets (1996–2000)	39,331	1,073	36.7
43	Kevin Durant ^	SF/PF	Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007–2016) Golden State Warriors (2016–2019) Brooklyn Nets (2019–2023) Phoenix Suns (2023–present)	39,321	1,070	36.7
44	Mark Jackson	PG	New York Knicks (1987–1992, 2001–2002) Los Angeles Clippers (1992–1994) Indiana Pacers (1994–1996, 1997–2000) Denver Nuggets (1996–1997) Toronto Raptors (2000–2001) Utah Jazz (2002–2003) Houston Rockets (2003–2004)	39,117	1,296	30.2
45	Jamal Crawford	SG	Chicago Bulls (2000–2004) New York Knicks (2004–2008) Golden State Warriors (2008–2009) Atlanta Hawks (2009–2011) Portland Trail Blazers (2011–2012) Los Angeles Clippers (2012–2017) Minnesota Timberwolves (2017–2018) Phoenix Suns (2018–2019) Brooklyn Nets (2020)	38,994	1,327	29.4
46	Walt Bellamy *	C	Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961–1965) New York Knicks (1965–1968) Detroit Pistons (1968–1970) Atlanta Hawks (1970–1974) New Orleans Jazz (1974)	38,940	1,043	37.3
47	DeMar DeRozan ^	SG/SF	Toronto Raptors (2009–2018) San Antonio Spurs (2018–2021) Chicago Bulls (2021–2024) Sacramento Kings (2024–present)	38,898	1,122	34.7
48	Horace Grant	PF	Chicago Bulls (1987–1994) Orlando Magic (1994–1999, 2001–2002) Seattle SuperSonics (1999–2000) Los Angeles Lakers (2000–2001, 2003–2004)	38,625	1,165	33.2
49	Kevin Willis	PF/C	Atlanta Hawks (1984–1994, 2004–2005) Miami Heat (1994–1996) Golden State Warriors (1996) Houston Rockets (1996–1998, 2001–2002) Toronto Raptors (1999–2001) Denver Nuggets (2001) San Antonio Spurs (2002–2004) Dallas Mavericks (2007)	38,360	1,424	26.9
50	Tony Parker *	PG	San Antonio Spurs (2001–2018) Charlotte Hornets (2018–2019)	38,279	1,254	30.5

Progressive list of minutes played leaders

This is a progressive list of leaders and records for minutes played showing how the record has increased through the years.^[1]

Statistics accurate as of November 15, 2024.

^	Active NBA player
*	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration^[a]

Team abbreviations
ATL	Atlanta Hawks	DET	Detroit Pistons	NJN	New Jersey Nets	SAC	Sacramento Kings
BOS	Boston Celtics	FTW	Fort Wayne Pistons	NOJ	New Orleans Jazz	SAS	San Antonio Spurs
BKN	Brooklyn Nets	GSW	Golden State Warriors	NYK	New York Knicks	SFW	San Francisco Warriors
BUF	Buffalo Braves	HOU	Houston Rockets	OKC	Oklahoma City Thunder	STL	St. Louis Hawks
CAP	Capital Bullets	IND	Indiana Pacers	ORL	Orlando Magic	SYR	Syracuse Nationals
CHO	Charlotte Hornets	KCO	Kansas City-Omaha Kings	PHI	Philadelphia 76ers	UTA	Utah Jazz
CHI	Chicago Bulls	LAL	Los Angeles Lakers	PHW	Philadelphia Warriors	WAS	Washington Wizards
CLE	Cleveland Cavaliers	MIA	Miami Heat	PHX	Phoenix Suns	WSB	Washington Bullets
DAL	Dallas Mavericks	MIL	Milwaukee Bucks	POR	Portland Trail Blazers
DEN	Denver Nuggets	MIN	Minnesota Timberwolves	SAC	Sacramento Kings

Minutes played leader at the end of every season
Season	Year-by-year leader	MP	Active player leader	MP	Career record	MP	Single-season record	MP	Season
1951–52	Paul Arizin*000 PHW	2,939	Paul Arizin*000 PHW	2,939	Paul Arizin*000 PHW	2,939	Paul Arizin*000 PHW	2,939	1951–52
1952–53	Neil Johnston*000 PHW	3,166	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	5,626	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	5,626	Neil Johnston*000 PHW	3,166	1952–53
1953–54	Neil Johnston*000 PHW	3,296	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	8,483	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	8,483		3,296	1953–54
1954–55	Paul Arizin*000 PHW	2,953	Mel Hutchins 000 FTW	11,303	Mel Hutchins 000 FTW	11,303			1954–55
1955–56	Jack George 000 PHW	2,840	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	13,997	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	13,997			1955–56
1956–57	Dolph Schayes*000 SYR	2,851		16,361		16,361			1956–57
1957–58	Dolph Schayes*000 SYR	2,918		18,583		18,583			1957–58
1958–59	Bill Russell*000 BOS	2,979		20,986		20,986			1958–59
1959–60	Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHW Gene Shue 000 DET	3,338		23,574		23,574	Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHW Gene Shue 000 DET	3,338	1959–60
1960–61	Wilt Chamberlain* 000 PHW 1959-62 000 SFW 1962-64	3,773	Dolph Schayes*000 SYR	26,532	Dolph Schayes*000 SYR	26,532	Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHW	3,773	1960–61
1961–62		3,882	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	28,156	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	28,156		3,882	1961–62
1962–63		3,806	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	30,131		30,131			1962–63
1963–64		3,689	Dolph Schayes*000 PHI	29,800		30,131			1963–64
1964–65	Bill Russell*000 BOS	3,466	Bob Pettit*000 STL	30,690	Bob Pettit*000 STL	30,690			1964–65
1965–66	Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHI	3,737	Bill Russell*000 BOS	31,185	Bill Russell*000 BOS	31,185			1965–66
1966–67		3,682		34,482		34,482			1966–67
1967–68		3,836		37,435		37,435			1967–68
1968–69	Elvin Hayes*000 SDR	3,695		40,726		40,726			1968–69
1969–70	Elvin Hayes*000 SDR	3,665	Wilt Chamberlain*000 LAL	37,218		40,726			1969–70
1970–71	John Havlicek*000 BOS	3,678		40,848	Wilt Chamberlain*000 LAL	40,848			1970–71
1971–72	John Havlicek*000 BOS	3,698		44,317		44,317			1971–72
1972–73	Nate Archibald*000 KCO	3,681		47,859		47,859			1972–73
1973–74	Elvin Hayes*000 CAP	3,602	Oscar Robertson*000 MIL	43,886					1973–74
1974–75	Bob McAdoo*000 BUF	3,539	Walt Bellamy*000 NOJ	38,940					1974–75
1975–76	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000 LAL	3,379	John Havlicek*000 BOS	40,761					1975–76
1976–77	Elvin Hayes*000 WSB	3,364		43,674					1976–77
1977–78	Truck Robinson 000 NOJ	3,638		46,471					1977–78
1978–79	Moses Malone*000 HOU	3,390	Elvin Hayes* 000 WSB 1978-81 000 HOU 1981-84	37,558					1978–79
1979–80	Norm Nixon 000 LAL	3,226		40,741					1979–80
1980–81	Adrian Dantley*000 UTA	3,417		43,672					1980–81
1981–82	Moses Malone*000 HOU	3,398		46,704					1981–82
1982–83	Isiah Thomas*000 DET	3,093		49,006	Elvin Hayes*000 HOU	49,006			1982–83
1983–84	Jeff Ruland 000 WSB	3,082		50,000		50,000			1983–84
1984–85	Buck Williams 000 NJN	3,182	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 000 LAL	48,373		50,000			1984–85
1985–86	Maurice Cheeks*000 PHI	3,270		51,002	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000 LAL	51,002			1985–86
1986–87	Michael Jordan*000 CHI	3,281		53,443		53,443			1986–87
1987–88		3,311		55,751		55,751			1987–88
1988–89		3,255		57,446		57,446			1988–89
1989–90	Rodney McCray 000 SAC	3,238	Moses Malone* 000 ATL 1989-91 000 MIL 1991-93 000 PHI 1993–94 000 SAS 1994–95	39,777					1989–90
1990–91	Chris Mullin*000 GSW	3,315		41,689					1990–91
1991–92	Chris Mullin*000 GSW	3,346		44,200					1991–92
1992–93	Larry Johnson 000 CHO	3,323		44,304					1992–93
1993–94	Latrell Sprewell 000 GSW	3,533		44,922					1993–94
1994–95	Vin Baker 000 MIL	3,361		45,071					1994–95
1995–96	Anthony Mason 000 NYK	3,457	Robert Parish* 000 CHO 1995–96 000 CHI 1996-97	45,298					1995–96
1996–97	Glen Rice 000 CHO	3,362	Robert Parish* 000 CHO 1995–96 000 CHI 1996-97	45,704					1996–97
1997–98	Michael Finley 000 DAL	3,394	Buck Williams 000 NYK	42,464					1997–98
1998–99	Jason Kidd*000 PHX	2,060	Karl Malone* 000 UTA 1998-2003 000 LAL 2003–04	41,661					1998–99
1999–00	Michael Finley 000 DAL	3,464		44,608					1999–00
2000–01	Michael Finley 000 DAL	3,443		47,503					2000–01
2001–02	Antoine Walker 000 BOS	3,406		50,543					2001–02
2002–03	Allen Iverson*000 PHI	3,485		53,479					2002–03
2003–04	Joe Johnson ^†000 PHX	3,331		54,852					2003–04
2004–05	LeBron James^000 CLE	3,388	Reggie Miller*000 IND	47,619					2004–05
2005–06	Gilbert Arenas 000 WAS	3,384	Gary Payton*000 MIA	45,614					2005–06
2006–07	LeBron James^000 CLE	3,190	Gary Payton*000 MIA	47,117					2006–07
2007–08	Allen Iverson*000 DEN	3,424	Jason Kidd* 000 NJN 2007–08 000 DAL 2008–12 000 NYK 2012–13	38,269					2007–08
2008–09	Andre Iguodala ^†000 PHI	3,269		41,155					2008–09
2009–10	Kevin Durant^000 OKC	3,239		44,036					2009–10
2010–11	Monta Ellis 000 GSW	3,227		46,689					2010–11
2011–12	Kevin Durant^000 OKC	2,546		48,068					2011–12
2012–13	Damian Lillard^000 POR	3,167		50,111					2012–13
2013–14	Kevin Durant^000 OKC	3,122	Kevin Garnett* 000 BKN 2013–15 000 MIN 2015–16	48,910					2013–14
2014–15	James Harden^000 HOU	2,981		49,862					2014–15
2015–16	James Harden^000 HOU	3,125		50,418					2015–16
2016–17	Andrew Wiggins^000 MIN	3,048	Dirk Nowitzki*000 DAL	48,673					2016–17
2017–18	LeBron James^000 CLE	3,026		50,573					2017–18
2018–19	Bradley Beal^000 WAS	3,028		51,368					2018–19
2019–20	CJ McCollum^000 POR	2,556	LeBron James^000 LAL	48,551					2019–20
2020–21	Julius Randle^000 NYK	2,667		50,055					2020–21
2021–22	Mikal Bridges^ 000 PHX 2021–23 000 BKN 2023	2,854		52,139					2021–22
2022–23	Mikal Bridges^ 000 PHX 2021–23 000 BKN 2023	2,963		54,092					2022–23
2023–24	DeMar DeRozan^000 CHI	2,989		56,596					2023–24
2024–25	Cade Cunningham^000 DET	514		57,020			2024–25
Season	Year-by-year leader	MP	Active player leader	MP	Career record	MP	Single-season record	MP	Season

Notes

1 2 A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
↑ American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.
↑ Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.

References

1 2 "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
↑ "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2013.

External links

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[elig-3] 1 2 A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.

[4] American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.

[5] Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.

[prog-1] 1 2 "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 6, 2015.

[recorded-2] "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2013.

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