NBA: 6 Longest Serving Active Players To Have Represented Only One Team

#1 Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks - 20 years

Dirk Nowitzki

The player with the longest career undoubtedly goes to Dirk “German Jesus” Nowitzki. His twenty-year-long career ties him with the legend Kobe “Black Mamba” Bryant. Nowitzki was drafted 9th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1998 NBA Draft. Now that doesn’t sound, right? That’s because the Bucks traded Nowitzki for Robert Traylor and some other considerations. The Mavericks definitely won this trade.

Nowitzki’s career included: 2006-07 regular season MVP, appearing in thirteen All-Star games, winning, winning one NBA championship, and 2011 Finals MVP. He has averaged 21.5 points and 7.8 rebounds through his career shooting 47.3% from the court and 38.2% from the three-point line for a 7’ power forward.

With two decades of experience under his belt, Nowitzki has been through the highs and lows with his team including this season where the Mavericks are 7-19 placing them 15th in the Western Conference. Though Nowitzki’s best days are behind him, he is still playing very well at 39 years of age. It wouldn’t surprise me if he signed for another year or two so he can make NBA history with the longest NBA career with one team, and maybe even beat Robert Parish and Kevin Garnett for the longest NBA careers at 21 seasons.