LeBron James isn't the only high school draftee with a long NBA career. Who else did?
LeBron James isn't the only high school draftee with a long NBA career. Who else did?
Alyce Brown, USA TODAYTue, June 30, 2026 at 7:16 PM UTC
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It's official - LeBron James is leaving the Lakers. The one thing he still isn't leaving, however, is the league.
His record-setting NBA career has already rewritten the history books and redefined longevity, and it all started decades ago in a way that most NBA careers do not: right after high school graduation.
In the elite group of NBA players that have made the jump straight from high school to the NBA, there have been a number of successful careers – and, with James as a prime example, a number of pretty lengthy ones.
Here are the five longest NBA careers by players drafted straight out of high school:
1. Lebron James
Seasons in the NBA: 23 and counting
Of course, the king himself tops this list. Drafted in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers right after graduating from St.Vincent-St. Mary high school in Akron, Ohio, James has become a face of the league. His NBA career has spanned the Cavs, the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers – and now, with his recent announcement, it could be landing him somewhere new yet again.
2. Kevin Garnett
Seasons in the NBA: 21
One of the first players to make the jump directly from high school, Garnett made his mark on the league and on future high school draftees during his two decades of play. After graduating from Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, the 15-time NBA All-Star was taken fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 draft and went on to become MVP in 2004 and a champion in 2008 with the Boston Celtics. He retired in 2016 and recently joined the Timberwolves as a “team ambassador.”
3. Kobe Bryant
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Seasons in the NBA: 20
Always in the GOAT conversation, Bryant’s jump from Lower Merion high school in Pennsylvania to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 proved to be the best decision he could have made. He played his entire 20-year career in LA, becoming a Lakers legend and leading star-studded rosters to five NBA championships – with a couple of statues to boot. He retired in 2016 and remains an international basketball icon.
4. Tyson Chandler
Seasons in the NBA: 19
Drafted straight from Manuel Dominguez High School in California to the Chicago Bulls in 2001, Chandler played for eight different teams throughout his nearly two decades in the league, winning a title with the Mavericks in 2011. He recently retired in 2020 and returned to work as a player development coach for the Mavs.
5. Jermaine O’Neal
Seasons in the NBA: 18
Although a championship ring evaded him, O’Neal’s 18-year career still speaks for itself. After being drafted 17th overall by the Portland Trailblazers in the 1996 NBA draft – just a few picks after Bryant – straight from Eau Claire high school in South Carolina, O’Neal went on to become a six-time All-Star and a franchise cornerstone for the Indiana Pacers. He retired in 2014 and now runs Dynamic Prep, a high school basketball academy in Texas.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From LeBron James to Kobe Bryant, which high school draftees have had the longest NBA careers?
Source: “AOL Sports”
