Apr 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center center Taj Gibson (67) warms up before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Taj Gibson reaches 1,000 career games on Wednesday night

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Owen O'Connor | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 8:24 AM ET

It's time to celebrate!

Charlotte Hornets veteran center Taj Gibson played in his 1,000th career game tonight against the Toronto Raptors.

Gibson, the 16th-year center out of USC, is now the 159th player in league history to reach this mark. The veteran big man has averaged 8.4 points with seven different franchises throughout his career. The 39-year-old center has appeared in 34 games for the Hornets this season, averaging 2.9 points in 11.0 minutes during those nights.

"Well, this is being professional. I grew up with the mindset of coming into the NBA and try to play every game possible," Gibson said when asked about playing in his 1,000th career game. "Try to lead by example, and don't take anything for granted, and that's what I try to tell the young guys everyday."

️ Taj Gibson on reaching the 1000 games milestone:

"Well, this is being professional. I grew up with the mindset of coming into the NBA and try to play every game possible, try to lead by example, and don't take anything for granted..."@TajGibson Pregame Interview ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/8fFpA316Na
— r/CharlotteHornets on Reddit (@HornetsReddit) April 9, 2025

The big man that Tre Mann dubbed "unc" earlier in the season joins three other former Hornets who played in their 1,000th game with the Buzz: Eddie Johnson, Marvin Williams, and newly-inducted Hall of Famer Dwight Howard.

It's been a fantastic career for Taj, and hopefully there is more to come after this season.