Ranking the top 5 players who have played the most NBA games

When assessing a player's impact on the court, one of the most important factors is how much time they're able to spend on the floor. Although durability isn't often thought of in the same way other skills are, it plays a tremendous impact on a player's career. Given that, it's no surprise that the players who have played in the most NBA games are also some of the greatest of all time.

With LeBron James in Year 20 (and at 1,376 games), we have decided to take a look at the five who have played the most NBA games.

Players with the most NBA games played

5: John Stockton (1,504)

John Stockton is practically the poster boy for durability. In his 19-year career, the Hall of Famer managed to miss only 22 games. In his first five seasons, Stockton didn't miss a single game. During the 1989-90 season the following year, he missed four games. He then went on a stretch of seven straight seasons without missing a game.

During a two-year stretch from 1997-98 through 1998-99, Stockton missed long stretches. During the 1997-98 season, he played in just 64 games before then playing in 50 the following year. Despite the struggles, Stockton bounced back to post three straight 82-game seasons.

4: Dirk Nowitzki (1,522)

Arguably the greatest NBA player to ever play in Europe, Dirk Nowitzki played 21 straight seasons for the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki had built up quite the reputation during his time with DJK Wurzburg, leading to a ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Over his 21-year stretch with the Mavs, Nowitzki impressed as he evolved his game and improved his efficiency.

He managed to keep his time spent on the sideline to a minimum en route to the record for most seasons spent with one team. Of course, although he only played in 51 games his final season, he did get to play with Luka Doncic, and for that we're all grateful.

3: Vince Carter (1,541)

A man who needs no introduction, Vince Carter is widely believed to be the greatest dunker in the history of the game. In addition to having an entire highlight reel of his own dunks, Carter has played more seasons than any other player in league history. As a result, it's no surprise that he comes in third place for most NBA games played.

An eight-time All-Star, Carter never managed to capture an NBA Finals trophy. As the 1999 Rookie of the Year, he is also known for putting on one of the greatest dunk contest performances the world has ever seen.

2: Kareem Adbul-Jabbar (1,560)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was an absolute unit during his time in the NBA. Over the course of 20 seasons, Abdul-Jabbar managed to play an astounding 1,560 games. Considering most players over 7-feet tall struggle with injuries, the fact Abdul-Jabbar managed to only miss more than 10 games once is amazing.

The lone season he missed more than 10 games took place during the 1974-75 season, when Abdul-Jabbar fractured his hand. To make things worse, the injury came during an exhibition game and forced him to miss a considerable amount of time. Despite that, he still doesn't come close to the first spot.

1: Robert Parish (1,611)

Standing 50 whole games ahead of Abdul-Jabbar in first place is Robert Parish. The legendary 7-foot center racked up a whopping 1,611 games played during his 21-season career. A four-time champion and nine-time All-Star, Parish is one of the greatest centers in league history.

Although he played in an era with players who received more accolades, Parish's longevity saw him surpass many of his peers. During his final season, Parish won a championship with the Chicago Bulls while appearing in just 43 games, the fewest of his career.

You can view some of his highlights below.