List of the greatest NBA basketball players of all time who never won a championship ring. Though winning a championship is the ultimate goal of any team in any league, often circumstances conspire to keep even the most elite athletes from actually making it to that pinnacle of achievement. Thus, it has become a known and accepted truth that there must be other ways to measure the greatness of a basketball icon other than counting up their actual championship record. A number of lesser players whose names have been all but forgotten to history have collected more rings than legends like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Reggie Miller.
But what other measurements can be used to evaluate the dominance of a given player, if not by the rings on their fingers? Perhaps participation in NBA All Star competitions? Their central importance to a particular team or city? It'd be hard to argue against the greatness of six-time NBA All Star Shawn Kemp, nor to deny his integral position on the '90s Seattle Sonics. Yet in may ways because of the dominance of Michael Jordan's Bulls dynasty, Kemp was never part of a championship team.
Below, vote for your favorite players who never managed to clinch a championship victory. And if you think a key player has been left off the list, add them by making your own re-ranked version. Thanks to your votes, we'll create a list of the best NBA players without a ring.
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7,9724,078Allen Iverson
Point guardAge: 45
Birthplace: Hampton, Virginia, United States of America
Number: 1
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons
1 NBA Finals appearance (2001)
Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975), nicknamed "the Answer", is an American former... more2
7,6994,250Charles Barkley
Power forwardAge: 57
Birthplace: Leeds, Alabama, United States of America
Number: 34
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers
1 NBA Finals appearance (1993)
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball... more3
7,2924,037John Stockton
Point guardAge: 58
Birthplace: Spokane, Washington
Teams: Utah Jazz
2 NBA Finals appearances (1997, 1998)
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American retired professional basketball... more4
6,6593,813Karl Malone
Power forwardAge: 56
Birthplace: Summerfield, Louisiana, United States of America
Teams: Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers
3 NBA Finals appearances (1997, 1998, 2004)
Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball... more5
6,1683,749Steve Nash
Point guardAge: 46
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
Number: 10
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns
Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian former professional basketball player... more6
5,2273,527Patrick Ewing
CenterAge: 57
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Number: 33
Teams: New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Seattle Supersonics
2 NBA Finals appearances (1994, 1999)
Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame... more7
5,3183,555Reggie Miller
Shooting guardAge: 54
Birthplace: Riverside, California, United States of America
Teams: Indiana Pacers
1 NBA Finals appearance (2000)
Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965) is an American retired professional basketball... more8
4,1542,935Dominique Wilkins
Small forwardAge: 60
Birthplace: Paris, France
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers
Jacques Dominique Wilkins (born January 12, 1960) is an American retired professional... more9
2,976956Dražen Petrović
Shooting guardAge: Dec. at 29 (1964-1993)
Birthplace: Šibenik, Croatia
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets
Dražen Petrović (pronounced [drǎʒen pětroʋitɕ]; 22 October 1964 – 7 June 1993) was a Croatian... more10
3,4522,431Pete Maravich
Shooting guardAge: Dec. at 41 (1947-1988)
Birthplace: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Number: 44
Teams: Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Jazz
Peter Press Maravich (June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988), known by his nickname Pistol Pete, was... more11
3,8752,735Chris Paul
Point guardAge: 35
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
Number: 3
Teams: Phoenix Suns
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for... more12
3,4462,428Elgin Baylor
Small forwardAge: 85
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
8 NBA Finals appearances (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934) is an American former basketball player, coach, and... more13
4,4373,139Tracy McGrady
Shooting guard, Small forwardAge: 41
Birthplace: Bartow, Florida, United States of America
Teams: Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors
1 NBA Finals appearance (2013)
Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979) is an American former professional basketball... more14
4,3373,067Vince Carter
Shooting guard, Small forwardAge: 43
Birthplace: Daytona Beach, Florida, United States of America
Number: 25
Teams: Atlanta Hawks
Vincent Lamar Carter (born January 26, 1977) is an American professional basketball player for... more15
2,5451,978Dikembe Mutombo
CenterAge: 53
Birthplace: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets
2 NBA Finals appearance (2001, 2003)
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966) is a Congolese... more16
2,0781,616Penny Hardaway
Point guardAge: 48
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
Number: 1
Teams: Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns
1 NBA Finals appearance (1995)
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18, 1971) is an American college basketball coach... more17
2,3541,838James Harden
Shooting guardAge: 31
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Number: 13
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
1 NBA Finals appearance (2012)
James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player... more18
2,7772,201Russell Westbrook
Point guardAge: 32
Birthplace: Long Beach, California
Number: 0
Teams: Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder
1 NBA Finals appearance (2012)
Russell Westbrook III (born November 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player... more19
2,4281,984Chris Webber
Power forward, CenterAge: 46
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
Teams: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons
Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III (born March 1, 1973) is an American former professional... more20
2,1761,794George Gervin
Shooting guardAge: 67
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
Teams: Chicago Bulls
George Gervin (born April 27, 1952), nicknamed "The Iceman", is an American retired... more21
597405Jimmy Butler
Small forwardAge: 31
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
Number: 21
Teams: Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler III (born September 14, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for... more22
217100Chris Mullin
Shooting guard, Small forwardAge: 57
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Teams: Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors
1 NBA Finals appearance (2000)
Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball... more23
2,4081,983Derrick Rose
Point guardAge: 32
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Number: 1
Teams: New York Knicks
Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for... more24
2,2261,832Yao Ming
CenterAge: 39
Birthplace: Shanghai, China
Teams: Houston Rockets
Yao Ming (born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and retired professional... more25
493355Artis Gilmore
CenterAge: 71
Birthplace: Chipley, Florida
Teams: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls
Artis Gilmore (born September 21, 1949) is an American retired basketball player who played in... more
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