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List of NBA players with 500 consecutive games played

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For basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing 500 consecutive regular season games is considered a highly significant achievement. This is often referred to as an "iron man streak".

As of the completion of the 2023–24 NBA season – the 78th regular season of play of the NBA – around 20 players had played at least 500 consecutive regular season games in their NBA career, making it one of the most exclusive 500-clubs in the NBA.

The all-time leader of consecutive games is A.C. Green, who played in 1192 consecutive games during his career. Mikal Bridges is the current active leader, having played exactly 500 games consecutively (as of December 16th, 2024).

Several streaks ended for reasons other than player injury. Could be contract disputes, DNP-CD, suspensions, and other happenings that forced a player to miss a game.

As of the start of the 2024–25 season, there is only one player with active 500 consecutive game streaks: Mikal Bridges, with the closest runner-up, Harrison Barnes, a distant follower with only about 250 straight games played, and no other players coming close to either of them.

500 consecutive games played

This is a list of the NBA players who have played at least 500 consecutive regular season games in their NBA career, updated through games played on December 16th, 2024. *If ABA games are also counted, Ron Boone should have 1041 consecutive games played - although only 379 of those came while he was in the NBA.

Legend

  active streak

  NBA record at the time streak completed

(C) streak is from the start of their career

Rank Name Games Start End Notes
1 A.C. Green 1,192 11-19-1986 04-18-2001 Last game missed was when he was a DNP-CD in his sophomore season. He never missed a game due to injury.
2 Randy Smith 906 02-18-1972 03-13-1983 Missed 6 games in his rookie season for undisclosed reasons (most likely DNP-CD's as they were spread out on random days not connected), with the last one being on February 15th, 1972. In the 1983-84 season, he missed a game while waiting to clear waivers, technically stopping his streak. He then retired following the season. If it had been allowed to continue, he would have had 921 games by the end.
3 Johnny "Red" Kerr 844 (C) 10-31-1954 11-05-1965 First game he ever missed in his entire career was a deliberate DNP-CD by the Baltimore Bullets' first-year coach Paul Seymour, allegedly to "take off the stress" from Kerr, just 10 games into what would become his final season. A game the Bullets coincidentally lost regardless of Kerr's benching, after which Kerr's wife, Betsy, wanted to punch Seymour in the nose.
4 Michael Cage 736 04-23-1989 04-14-1998 Hamstring injury
5 Dolph Schayes 706
6 Bill Laimbeer 685 10-24-1980 01-27-1989 Suspension
7 Harry Gallatin 682
8 Artis Gilmore 670
9 Andre Miller 632 01-26-2003 12-05-2010 Suspension
10 (tie) John Stockton 609 02-13-1990 04-20-1997 Knee injury
10 (tie) Jack Twyman 609
12 James Donaldson 586 02-18-1981 04-06-1988 Suspension
13 B.J. Armstrong 577 02-08-1990 02-16-1997 Knee injury
14 Terry Tyler 574 (C) 10-13-1978 04-14-1985 Free agent at start of 1985-1986 season.
15 (tie) Shandon Anderson 543 01-30-1997 01-21-2004 DNP-CD
15 (tie) Karl Malone 543 12-18-1991 04-08-1998 Suspension
17 Otis Thorpe 542 01-04-1986 04-19-1992 Kidney injury
18 Derek Fisher 538 04-15-2005 03-14-2012 Traded to Houston Rockets , streak ended seeking buyout with team
19 Jim Chones 528 02-02-1975 11-05-1981
20 Hersey Hawkins 527 01-15-1993 12-08-1999 Torn calf muscle
21 Mark West 521 04-09-1988 12-14-1994
22 Bruce Bowen 500 02-28-2002 03-12-2008 Suspension
22 Mikal Bridges 500 (C) 10-17-2018

Honorable Mentions

Tayshaun Prince (496 straight games), Michael Finley (490), Cliff Robinson (461).

Player(s) projected to join the 500 consecutive games played club in the 2024–25 season.

Name Games Start End Notes
Mikal Bridges 474 at the start of current season. October 17, 2018 Active Reached the 500 games plateau on December 15th, 2024.

See also

References

  1. Medina, Mark (22 November 2012). "Former Lakers forward A.C. Green talks about importance of game time". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  2. Bondy, Stefan (16 December 2024). "Knicks' Mikal Bridges plays in his 500th consecutive game". New York Post. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  3. "Bench Bosses". NBA.com Bulls History. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  4. "Cage's consecutive games played streak ends at 736". Greensboro News and Record. 15 April 1998. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  5. "Laimbeer, Daugherty get 1-game suspensions". LA Times. 29 January 1989. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  6. "Andre Miller unhappy with suspension". ESPN. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  7. Hamilton, Linda (14 October 1997). "Knee surgery puts Stockton on sidelines". Deseret News. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  8. "James Donaldson of the Dallas Mavericks and Mark West..." United Press International. 4 April 1988. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  9. "Dallas Mavericks center James Donaldson suffered a serious knee..." United Press International. 10 March 1989. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  10. "Armstrong streak ends". LA Times. 21 February 1997. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  11. Isola, Frank (25 January 2004). "Shandon's sad streak's struck". New York Daily News. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  12. "Pro Basketball; Malone given a suspension". The New York Times. 11 April 1998. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  13. "Sports people: Basketball; Thorpe's streak to end". The New York Times. 30 October 1992. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  14. Trudell, Mike (15 March 2012). "Lakers acquire Jordan Hill". NBA. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  15. Rohde, John (22 March 2012). "Derek Fisher's NBA-leading consecutive games streak ended by buyout". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  16. "Hawkin's streak ends at 527 games". Chicago Tribune. 11 December 1999. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  17. "Suns sign West". CBS News. 19 October 1999. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  18. "Bruce Bowen suspended for kicking Chris Paul, consecutive games streak ends at 500". ESPN. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
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