30 best NBA players to never win a championship

17. Vince Carter

Casual NBA fans will surely see the name Vince Carter and immediately go to thinking about his ability as a dunker. That’s both fair and unfair to the North Carolina Tar Heels product. It’s fair in that Carter might be the greatest dunker that the NBA has ever seen. From his iconic showing in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest to his dunk over a 7-footer in the Olympics, his high-flying abilities may go unmatched for all of eternity. However, it’s also unfair because of how fantastic Carter was as an all-around player.

Drafted fifth-overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, he never donned a Golden State uniform as he was dealt to the Toronto Raptors. Carter then quickly became an icon for the newly former franchise north of the United States border. He had a solid showing as a rookie, but took it to new heights the next season and blew everyone away.

In five full seasons with the Raptors from 1999-2004, Carter averaged 24.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, four assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting a solid 44.7 percent from the floor and a lethal 39.1 percent from 3-point range. His exit from Toronto was unceremonious, unfortunately, though. He basically quit on the team to force a trade to the New Jersey Nets. There, he continued to be a force.

However, what has helped Carter’s legacy even more is his evolution into a veteran role player in recent years with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies. He’s obviously nowhere near the player he once was, but he’s become a valuable presence off of the bench that still has flashes of greatness. More importantly, he’s displayed the necessary veteran maturity that was often lacking (and thus held against him) early in his career.