With the Los Angeles Lakers clinching the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, LeBron James continues to rewrite the record books. As the Lakers punched their ticket to the postseason, LeBron added yet another legendary milestone to his résumé—he tied NBA icons Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the second-most playoff seasons in league history with 18.
The list of players with the most playoff seasons in NBA history is stacked with legends. At the top sit Karl Malone and John Stockton, who both reached the postseason 19 times. Now, LeBron stands just one season away from matching them and potentially surpassing that mark. Here’s how the all-time leaderboard looks:
T-1. Karl Malone: 19 seasons
T-1. John Stockton: 19 seasons
T-3. LeBron James: 18 seasons
T-3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 18 seasons
T-3. Tim Duncan: 18 seasons
T-6. Tony Parker: 17 seasons
T-6. Jason Kidd: 17 seasons
T-6 Shaquille O’Neal: 17 seasons
T-6. Clifford Robinson: 17 seasons
T-10. Derek Fisher: 16 seasons
T-10. Robert Horry: 16 seasons
T-10. Scottie Pippen: 16 seasons
T-10. Terry Porter: 16 seasons
T-10. Robert Parish: 16 seasons
This is yet another testament to LeBron’s incredible longevity and consistency. In his 21st season, the King continues to defy Father Time, playing at an All-NBA level while leading a Lakers team that finished with 50 wins despite a stacked Western Conference.
It’s worth noting that LeBron has missed the playoffs only four times in his career—his first two years with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04 and 2004-05) and two seasons with the Lakers in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
What makes this milestone particularly impressive is not just the number of appearances, but the quality of his performances across those 18 playoff campaigns. LeBron is the NBA’s all-time leader in total playoff points and ranks top five in virtually every other major statistical playoff category—assists, rebounds, steals, and minutes played.
He has made 10 trips to the NBA Finals and has captured four championships along the way.
Now flanked by superstar Luka Doncic and rising star Austin Reaves, the Lakers are poised to make another deep playoff run. The trio has developed excellent chemistry under first-year head coach JJ Redick, and the balance of shot creation, playmaking, and leadership gives Los Angeles legitimate title hopes.
With such a talented roster, it’s highly probable that LeBron will surpass Malone and Stockton in the coming seasons, especially if he stays healthy and continues playing at his current level.
As LeBron enters his 18th postseason, it’s no longer about proving anything—it’s about legacy stacking. Tying Kareem and Duncan for second place on this list is symbolic.
All three are not just Hall of Famers, but pillars of sustained greatness. If LeBron surpasses them next year, he will have yet another bullet point in the GOAT argument—a staggering 19 playoff seasons in what has already been a mythic career.
