I just saw a picture of Antawn Jamison and thought, he’s been in the league for a long time, and so has Vince Carter. They were drafted in '98 (and traded for each other!), so combined, they have been in the NBA for 30 years. After poking around, I see that Juwan Howard just finished his 19th season; combined with Jalen Rose, they’d end up with 33 years, and with Chris Webber, 34 years (I imagine they could be the longest tenured trio, at 47 years combined)
Any other notables? Other sports?
Rick Monday and Reggie Jackson played on 1965 College World Series Champions ASU and about 40 seasons of Major League baseball.
Jerome Bettis and Craig Hentrich played for 30 years combined.
Mark May and Rickey Jackson both played 15 pro seasons and were on same 1980 Pitt football team.
Not on their team, but they played against Grant Hill and he is still in the NBA, which is amazing.
If you count high school, Tommy Agee and Cleon Jones played a combined 25 years in the majors.
Update: Tim Grunhard played for 21 seasons, so Grunhard and Hentrich combined for 38. I’m sure there are other solid football pairings, likely involving kickers and linemen.
Hall of Famers Bruce Matthews (19 NFL seasons), Marcus Allen (16), and Ronnie Lott (14) all played for USC in 1980.
I would imagine Miami would have a lot of combined years from all of those early 2000s teams. The 2001 team alone put 42 players into the NFL (eventually). If they each only lasted one season that’s 42 years right off the top.
My first thought was James Worthy and Michael Jordan, but Worthy only played 12 years and Jordan 15. Hakeem Olajuwon had 18 years and Clyde Drexler 15, which comes to 33.
USC had several successful players in the class of 1981:
- Ronnie Lott played defensive back 15 years, mostly with the 49ers
- Keith Van Horne spent 13 years as an offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears
- Dennis Smith spent 13 years as a safety for the Denver Broncos
Their teammate Jeff Fisher didn’t last long as a player, but has been a coach in the NFL a long time.
Looks like Jeff Feagles (Miami (FL) class of 1988) played 22 years
And Vinnie Testaverde (Miami (FL) class of 1987) played 21 years
Total for those two is 43 years
I assume that they were teammates in 1987
Don Shula and Carl Taseff were teammates at John Carroll University in Cleveland (2 years), with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Colts (6 years), and then Taseff served on Shula’s coaching staff with the Miami Dolphins (24 years). Not quite what the OP was looking for but a long association nevertheless.
Just the 1st rounders:
Andre Johnson (drafted 2003), has played 10 years (so far)
Sean Taylor (2004), 3 years
Kellen Winslow II (2004), 8 years
Bryant McKinnie (2002), 10 years
Antrel Rolle (2005), 8 years
Jonathan Vilma (2004), 8 years
Jeremy Shockey (2002), 9 years
Jerome McDougle (2003), 6 years
Phillip Buchanon (2002), 10 years
DJ Williams (2004), 9 years
Vernon Carey (2004), 7 years
Vince Wilfork (2004) 9 years
Willis McGahee (2003), 8 years
Ed Reed (2002) 11 years
William Joseph (2003), 7 years
Mike Rumph (2002), 5 years
Kelly Jennings (2006), 5 years
That’s 133 years, and there were 25 more players drafted in subsequent rounds who played with these guys.
Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro were teammates at Mississippi State University. Palmeiro spent 20 seasons in the major leagues, and Clark played 15 seasons.
IIRC, Clark batted 3rd and Palmeiro 5th in that team’s lineup.
Grant Hill just finished his 19th season. Laettner played 13.