Only 10 NBA Players Played in All 82 Games This Season -- Can You Name Who They Are?

Only 10 NBA Players Played in All 82 Games This Season — Can You Name Who They Are?

In a day and age where injuries are common and load management is a real thing, it’s no surprise that some NBA players are calling for a shorter season. Not only would it theoretically limit the amount of injuries we see, but it would allow the players to be fresh each game – making for better basketball.

From a statistical perspective, there were only 20 NBA players who averaged at least 25 points per game this past season. Of those 20 top scorers in the league, only one of them played in at least 75 games – Julius Randle averaged 25.1 points in 77 games – and only four of them played in at least 70 games. 

Considering fans want to see the best of the best square off against one another on a nightly basis, it’s no secret that they’re not getting what they want when the best players in the league are missing 10+ games per season. To make matters worse, most players aren’t showing any interest in playing a full season. 

RELATED: NBA Sets Several Attendance Records During the 2022-23 Regular Season — Which NBA Teams Had the Highest Average Attendance This Year?

Which NBA Players Played in All 82 Games in 2022-23?

Only 10 NBA Players Played in All 82 Games This Season -- Can You Name Who They Are?
via Instagram (@hbarnes)

Here’s a statistic that will blow your mind – only 10 NBA players ended up playing in all 82 games during the 2022-23 season. With hundreds of NBA players taking the court every year, it’s a bit shocking and concerning to know that you can count the number of players who played in all 82 games on two hands. 

At the same time, that’s what fans need to expect in today’s NBA. Injuries are going to happen and some of them are non-preventable – it’s just part of the game – but things are starting to get out of hand with the load management and teams are electing to sit players for the sole purpose of keeping them rested. 

For the 10 NBA players that played in all 82 games this season – we appreciate you. They might not get the praise they deserve on a regular basis and it’s something many fans take for granted in the NBA, but we’re going to make sure they get that praise today – they did what most players in the NBA couldn’t!

10. Tari Eason

Tari Eason is a 21-year-old power forward who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 216 pounds. He played one season in Cincinnati and one season in LSU before entering the NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 17 overall pick (1st round) in 2022 and just completed his rookie season. 

Eason played in all 82 games – and started in five games – for the Rockets this season and was the only rookie to do so. He averaged 9.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game – shooting 45% from the field, 34% from long range, and 75% from the charity stripe. 

His season-highs were 21 points (which he achieved twice), 13 rebounds (which he achieved twice), 5 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks. He also finished with seven double-doubles this past season and scored at least 10 points in seven of the Rockets’ final 12 games – showing a lot of promise at season’s end. 

The Rockets had yet another season to forget – finishing the year with a 22-60 record (tied-2nd worst in the NBA). With that said, they have a lot to look forward to as they continue their rebuild and continue their search for young talent, such as Eason. It’ll be interesting to see if he can take another step forward.

9. Kevon Looney

Kevon Looney is a 27-year-old center who stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 222 pounds. He played one season with the UCLA Bruins before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 30 overall (1st round) pick in 2015. He’s currently playing in his eighth season. 

Looney played in all 82 games (70 starts) during the 2022-23 season, marking his second-straight year doing so – he played in 82 and started in 80 games last season. He has been a reliable center for the Warriors for several years, though he’s not the type of player to put up big numbers on a nightly basis. 

He averaged 7.0 points (career-high), 9.3 rebounds (career-high), 2.5 assists (career-high), 0.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game (career-high) this past season – he shot 63% from the field and 61% from the charity stripe. He’s now averaging 5.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in his career. 

He’s also a big-time role player for the Warriors during the playoffs – playing in at least 20 games in three of the past five playoffs. He has won three NBA Championships with the Warriors and started 13 games in last year’s improbable championship run. Oh, and he’s doing it again in this year’s playoffs (thus far). 

8. Isaiah Hartenstein

Isaiah Hartenstein is a 24-year-old center who stands 7-foot-0 and weighs 250 pounds. He played for the Žalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Houston Rockets with the No. 43 overall pick (2nd round) in 2017. He’s currently playing in his fifth season. 

Hartenstein has bounced around the league his whole career, but he has found himself a key role with the New York Knicks – playing in all 82 games during the 2022-23 regular season and starting in eight of those games. It’s the first time he played a full season and even set a career-high in minutes per game.

He averaged 5.0 points, 6.5 rebounds (career-high), 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 19.8 minutes (career-high) per game – he shot 54% from the field and 68% from the charity stripe. It’s not quite the scoring production he had with the Clippers last season, but he was still effective and much-needed.

Hartenstein has one more year on his contract with the Knicks, so he has a lot to play for if he wants to earn that long-term contract. He has a good opportunity ahead of him as the Knicks look to earn their way to an NBA Finals berth during this year’s playoffs – and Hartenstein can certainly help them get there.  

7. Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams is a 21-year-old power forward who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 215 pounds. He played one season at Florida State University before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 4 overall pick in 2020. He just completed his third season in the league. 

Williams ended up playing in all 82 games during the 2022-23 regular season and started in 65 of those games. It’s nice to see Williams on this list because it comes after a 2021-22 season that saw him play in just 17 games due to a dislocated wrist that required surgery early in the year – he was out five months. 

As for the 2022-23 season, Williams averaged 10.2 points (career-high), 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals (tied career-high), and 0.9 blocks (career-high) per game – he shot 46% from the field, 42% from long range, and 86% from the charity stripe. He’s also one of, if not the Bulls’ best on-ball defenders. 

It’s easy to forget that Williams was once a No. 4 overall pick in the draft – he won’t fill up a stat sheet and rarely puts up big numbers, but he specializes in the aspects of the game that don’t show up on a stat sheet. At 21 years old, he’ll continue to improve his game and prove to be a reliable forward in the NBA.

6. Kenyon Martin Jr.

Kenyon Martin Jr. is a 22-year-old small forward who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds. He played one season at IMG Academy before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 52 overall pick (2nd round) in 2020. He just completed his third season in the league. 

Martin Jr. has emerged as a reliable role player in Houston and is the second Rockets’ player to make this list – playing in all 82 games (49 starts) during the 2022-23 regular season. He set career-highs in most statistical categories and it all comes after an impressive 2021-22 season that saw him play 79 games.

In 2022-23, he averaged 12.7 points (career-high), 5.5 rebounds (career-high), 1.5 assists (career-high), 0.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 28.0 minutes (career-high) per game – he shot 57% (career-high) from the field, 32% from beyond the three-point line, and 68% from the charity stripe. He’s only getting better. 

Being the son of an NBA great (Kenyon Martin), Martin Jr. came into the league with high expectations and is finally starting to live up to them. He still has a lot to learn and a lot to prove, but Martin Jr. took a big step in the right direction this season with a young Rockets’ team that’ in the midst of a big rebuild. 

5. Derrick White

Derrick White is a 28-year-old shooting guard who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds. He played one season at the University of Colorado before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 29 overall pick (first round) in 2017. He’s now in his sixth season. 

White played in all 82 games (70 starts) during the 2022-23 regular season, marking the first time he has done so in his career – he played in 75 games last season, which was split between the Spurs and Boston Celtics. His numbers took a dip this year, but he emerged as a reliable and consistent starter. 

He averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game for the Celtics this past season – he shot 46% from the field, 38% from beyond the three-point line, and 88% from the charity stripe. He’s playing even better in the playoffs, averaging 15.4 points per game. 

White scored a season-high 33 points on February 10 against the Charlotte Hornets – a game that saw him make eight three-point field goals – and scored at least 20 points on 11 occasions in 2022-23. He also finished the year with seven double-doubles and recorded four steals vs. the Thunder in November.

4. Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes is a 30-year-old power forward who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 225 pounds. He played two seasons at the University of North Carolina before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 7 overall pick (1st round) in 2012. He’s now in his 11th season. 

Barnes played in all 82 games during the 2022-23 regular season and is the second-oldest player on this list to do so – he’s also one of just three NBA players this season to start in all 82 games. It’s the second time in his career that he played in all 82 games, doing so in 2014-15 with the Warriors (his third season). 

In 2022-23, Barnes averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game – he shot 47% from the field, 37% from beyond the three-point line, and 85% from the charity stripe. He was a major reason why the Sacramento Kings ended their 16-year playoff drought. 

Barnes has always been a reliable player – far from being a superstar, but as consistent as they come and a level-headed player on defense. He adds a veteran presence to a Kings’ team overflowing with youth and, despite being the second-oldest player on the team, was the only one to play all 82 games. 

3. Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic is a 32-year-old center who stands 6-foot-10 and weighs 260 pounds. He played three seasons at the University of South Carolina (USC) before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 16 overall pick (1st round) in 2011. He’s now in his 12th season. 

Vucevic played in all 82 games during the 20222-23 regular season, marking the first time he has completed a full season in his career. He’s the oldest player on this list at 32 years old and one of just three NBA players to start in all 82 games. He joins his Bulls’ teammate, Patrick Williams, on this list. 

In 2022-23, Vucevic averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game – he shot 52% from the field, 35% from beyond the three-point line, and 84% from the charity stripe. The Bulls made it to the play-in tournament, but failed to secure a spot in the playoffs.

You can say what you want about Vucevic, but he’s a quality starter who can do a lot on the floor. His defense is questionable at times and he tends to lack effort in some areas, but he scores consistently, is one of the better rebounders in the league, and helps spread the floor by hitting 35% of his three-pointers. 

2. Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole is a 23-year-old combo guard who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 194 pounds. He played two seasons at the University of Michigan before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 28 overall pick (1st round) in 2019. He’s now in his fourth season. 

Poole was the second Warriors’ player to play in all 82 games during the 2022-23 regular season – he joins teammate Kevon Looney on this list. Poole ended up starting in 43 of those games and came off the bench the other half of the season, proving to be a consistent and reliable player in both situations.

He averaged 20.4 points (career-high), 2.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists (career-high), 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 30.0 minutes (tied career-high) per game. He shot 43% from the field, 34% from beyond the three-point line, and 87% from the charity stripe. He has also played in all eight playoff games so far this season. 

Poole emerged as a quality player for the Warriors last season, helping the team win its fourth NBA championship in eight years. He played in 76 games during the 2021-22 regular season and played in another 22 playoff games. He doesn’t take days off unless he needs to, which is all you can ask from him.

1. Mikal Bridges

Mikal Bridges is a 26-year-old small forward who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 209 pounds. He played three seasons at Villanova University before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 10 overall pick (1st round) in 2018. He’s now in his fifth season. 

Bridges not only played in all 82 games this season, but he’s the only player this year to play in 83 games as a result of being traded midway through the season – he played the first 56 games with the Phoenix Suns and then played 27 games with the Brooklyn Nets. Not only that, but he started in all 83 games. 

In 2022-23, Bridges averaged 20.1 points (career-high), 4.4 rebounds (career-high), 3.3 assists (career-high), 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 35.7 minutes (career-high) per game. He managed to shoot 47% from the field, 38% from beyond the three-point line, and 90% (career-high) from the charity stripe. 

Bridges was already having a career year with the Suns before being sent to Brooklyn in a deal that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix. Once in Brooklyn, Bridges became their featured star and averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 27 games. We can’t wait to see what he does in 2023-24.

NBA Players Who Came Close to Playing All 82 Games

The 10 NBA players listed above deserve a high level of praise for their ability to stay healthy and stay committed to the game of basketball throughout an entire 82-game season – or 83 games, if you’re Mikal Bridges. With that said, there were several NBA players who fell just short of that accomplishment. 

Immanuel Quickley of the New York Knicks, Jevon Carter of the Milwaukee Bucks, Malik Beasley of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Terance Mann of the Los Angeles Clippers are the four NBA players who played in 81 games during the 2022-23 season – they were each just one game away from a full season. 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: LeBron James Has Officially Scored 40 Points Against All 30 NBA Teams — Here’s His Most Impressive 40-Point Performance vs. Each Team

All in all, there were 26 NBA players who played in at least 80 games – still a number that should be much higher. Of those 26 NBA players, only 14 of them averaged at least 10.0 points per game and only two of them (Mikal Bridges and Julius Randle) averaged at least 20.0 points per game – isn’t that crazy?

About At The Buzzer

At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. We not only bring you what’s happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. So take a minute and read one of our articles, we promise you won't regret it.