30 best NBA players to never win a championship

26. Shawn Kemp

Few players in the history of the NBA have ever been as explosive and exciting as Shawn Kemp was whenever he was at his physical peak. Coming into the league in the 1989-90 season with the Seattle SuperSonics as the No. 17 overall pick out of Trinity Valley Community College, the 6-10 forward/center played sparingly as a rookie. But once he was given the chance the following year, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Over seven seasons in Seattle from 1990-97, Kemp was just a beast on the interior and flying through the air. The big man averaged 17.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game over that span while converting on 52.3 percent of his attempts. He was simply a lethal combination of size, strength and athleticism that few other big men in the league were able to successfully contend with.

What’s more, the Reign Man was also an icon because of his high-flying abilities. For a man his size, the ferocity that he was able to soar and attack the rim with was unparalleled at the time. Every time that he went up to flush it home with a jam, you almost felt bad for the rim.

Following the 1996-97 season, Kemp made his way to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he spent three seasons. And while he was productive in all three, specifically the first two, his athleticism started to dissipate a bit. As such, his effectiveness dwindled a bit. But when he was at his best, Kemp was near unstoppable and an absolute thrill to watch.