Tom Brady retires at 45: Here are 5 NBA legends who came closest to playing till 40 feat. Kevin Garnett and Vince Carter

Tom Brady’s 23 seasons in the NFL is more than any player has played in the NBA. Given how significantly more exacting and demanding football is compared to basketball, it’s almost mind-boggling how long “TB12” lasted.

NBA players are no slouches, though. An 82-game schedule in the regular season, plus the playoffs, also takes its toll on the body. Despite that, some of them showed almost unmatched passion and grit to play for more than two decades in the toughest basketball league in the world.

After 23 seasons, Tom Brady is calling it a career 👏 https://t.co/Dn7dEm1SjE

Here are five hoopers who outlasted most of their counterparts who the NBA:

#5 Kevin Willis - 21 seasons

Kevin Willis had his best years in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks. [photo: ExNBA]

Kevin Willis played for nine different teams in 21 seasons. The bruising big man was picked by the Atlanta Hawks as the 11th pick in the loaded 1984 NBA Draft. He outlasted Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, the biggest names in the said draft class.

It was in Atlanta that “Big Smoothie” made his mark in the NBA. He played 10 ½ seasons with the Hawks, making the All-Star team in 1991-92.

Happy 60th to NBA champion Kevin Willis. He played 21 seasons, was a beast in the early 90s and was 44 YEARS OLD in the 2nd pic 💪

7 x 30 PTS, 20 REB
2 x 30 PTS, 25 REB
2 x 20 PTS, 30 REB https://t.co/EboCpDwBpC

Willis helped the Hawks reach the semifinals of the postseason four different times but never managed to appear in the conference finals. He bounced around the league after his prime with the Hawks until he eventually won the championship in 2003 with the San Antonio Spurs.

He retired in 2007 after playing 1,424 regular-season games.

#4 Kevin Garnett - 21 seasons

Kevin Garnett won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

The “Big Ticket” jumped out of high school in 1995 and played 21 seasons for four different teams. Kevin Garnett is considered one of the best power forwards to play the game. His trophy case is bloated with some of the biggest and most coveted awards the NBA can hand out.

KG is a former MVP (2003-04) and Defensive Player of the Year winner (2007-08). He didn’t have much playoff success until he joined forces with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in 2007 with the Boston Celtics.

Kevin Garnett in his 21 seasons:

— 17.8 PPG | 10.0 RPG | 1.4 BPG
— 9x All-NBA
— 12x All-Defense
— 15x All-Star
— DPOY
— MVP
— NBA Champion

One of the best to ever do it. https://t.co/p5Fe9YI8SN

Boston’s legendary trio was responsible for banner #17. Kevin Garnett was undoubtedly the heart and soul of those great Celtics teams.

He retired in 2016 after having played 1,462 games.