The NBA is a league built on constant turnover. With new draft classes arriving every year, the average NBA career lasts about four to five seasons. For most players, that’s all they get. But a rare group of stars has defied the odds, extending their careers well over a decade.
As of the 2025–26 season, only 14 players drafted before 2009 are still active in the NBA. It’s a testament not only to their talent but also to their ability to adapt, stay healthy, and remain relevant in a league that keeps getting faster and younger.
– LeBron James – 2003 Draft Class
– Chris Paul – 2005 Draft Class
– Kyle Lowry – 2006 Draft Class
– PJ Tucker – 2006 Draft Class
– Kevin Durant – 2007 Draft Class
– Al Horford – 2007 Draft Class
– Mike Conley – 2007 Draft Class
– Jeff Green – 2007 Draft Class
– Russell Westbrook – 2008 Draft Class
– Kevin Love – 2008 Draft Class
– Eric Gordon – 2008 Draft Class
– Brook Lopez – 2008 Draft Class
– Nicolas Batum – 2008 Draft Class
– Deandre Jordan – 2008 Draft Class
What’s remarkable is not just the number itself, but the fact that every other player from those earlier classes is gone. The entire 2004 draft class, for instance, is now fully retired. LeBron James, who entered the league in 2003, has officially outlasted an entire generation of players.
Professional basketball has always been physically demanding, but today’s NBA is a different beast altogether. The pace is faster, possessions are longer, and skill expectations are higher. Guards who once thrived purely on quickness now need reliable jumpers; big men who used to dominate the paint must be able to step out to the three-point line. That makes longevity all the more impressive.
These veterans aren’t just older players hanging on. They represent the final links to a very different NBA. When they entered the league, the mid-range jumper was still king, pace was far slower, and offenses weren’t built around the three-point line. The evolution of the league has been so dramatic that they’ve essentially played in two different eras within one career.
The shrinking of this group is inevitable. A decade ago, the list of active players drafted before 2009 was still several dozen deep. Now it’s only 14. In a few years, it may be single digits, and soon, the number will be zero. The league will be fully handed over to players who grew up idolizing today’s stars rather than competing against them.
It also says something about the economics of the league. Longer careers are possible now because contracts are larger and medical science is better. Teams invest heavily in keeping stars healthy, and players themselves spend millions on their bodies every offseason. That’s why it’s possible for LeBron to still play at 40, or for veterans like Lowry and Horford to continue contributing in their late 30s.
Another striking detail is that Paul George is now the only player left from the 2010 draft class. That means within the next few years, even the names that dominated the mid-2010s could be on their way out. By 2030, the entire pre-2015 era could be a memory, leaving only players drafted in the last decade.
The 14 players drafted before 2009 who remain active today are more than just names on a roster. They are symbols of rare endurance in a league that chews up and spits out talent at a furious pace. Some are still stars, others have transitioned into mentorship roles, but all of them stand as reminders that longevity in the NBA is a feat as impressive as any stat line.
When they’re gone, the bridge to that earlier era will be gone with them. Until then, fans have a chance to appreciate living history every time they take the floor.
