In a league that’s often measured by rings, we look at the 30 best players in NBA history that never won a championship in their career
Though it may feel like eons ago, the narrative around LeBron James was all about winning an NBA Championship. Sure, he was arguably the most physically gifted basketball player to grace the hardwood, but how many rings was he wearing? After two titles with the Miami Heat and then finally bringing a championship to the Cleveland Cavaliers after returning home, that narrative no longer exists.
While that may not take the pressure off of James on a yearly basis, it does change the scope through which we now view his legacy. For better or worse, titles matter when it comes to the legacies of NBA players.
It’s a team game, without question. Winning a championship requires five guys that all buy in and perform cohesively. But at the same time, not having a ring is detrimental to an individual’s legacy in the league. There’s something to be said for a player being able to lead his team to the pinnacle of the NBA. It’s similar to the argument that team success is a factor in deciding the MVP for a given season.
While important, though, it’s not the definitive measure for greatness. Not having a championship listed among a player’s accomplishments will keep them out of the conversation as the greatest NBA player ever, surely. However, there are numerous great players in the history of the league that are ringless. These are the 30 best that fall into that category.
Note: All stats used are per Basketball-Reference.com
30. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony begins this list and fittingly so. He’s one of the most infuriating and complex players that the NBA has ever seen. In terms of simply looking at his talent, he’s been an absolute force ever since entering the league after one year at Syracuse. Over his career, he’s developed a fantastic ability to both knock down outside shots with consistency while still being a wrecking ball in the post, with the strength and skill set to succeed in that regard.
Looking at the stats alone, it’s hard not to be impressed with the the consistency and proficiency that Anthony has displayed throughout. Averaging 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game on 45.2 percent shooting and 34.6 percent 3-point shooting over 14 seasons is nothing to scoff at — not even close in fact. When it comes to Melo, whether it was with the Denver Nuggets or New York Knicks, it’s never the statistical output that’s held him back.
Unfortunately, the perception that Anthony isn’t consumed by winning has largely proven to be accurate. He’s a player who seems perfectly content with playing out his days in big cities and cashing big paychecks. If any normal human being were to choose that life, no one could blame them. With that said, more is expected from a generational-type talent like Anthony. His disinterest in titles has landed him on this list. What’s more, he’s the most likely current player on this list to not disqualify himself.
29. Tim Hardaway
Most famous for his time spent with the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, Tim Hardaway is a guy that often doesn’t get his just due when looking back over what he was able to accomplish in this league. Of course, much of that does have to do with the fact that he was never able to win a title. Another part of that might be the fact that he didn’t have an exceptional amount of longevity in the league. Ultimately, though, it’s hard to discredit him.
To better get a grasp of what Hardaway did throughout his career, it’s better to look at what his numbers looked like during those 11 seasons with the Heat and Warriors, before his final years in the league where he was a shell of himself and ultimately hurt his career numbers. Over the course of those 11 years, Hardaway averaged 18.6 points, 8.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest. While his 43.5 percent shooting and 35.6 percent on 3-point attempts isn’t going to wow anyone, they were solid marks for that era.
What people also fail to remember when it comes to Hardaway is how particularly iconic he was at times. Whether it was as part of Run-TMC for that brief run in Golden State or him making his own name for himself on behalf of his vicious crossover with the Heat. He was simply a beast and people recognized it then. They should probably do a better job nowadays.
28. Amar’e Stoudemire
There are a number of guys featured throughout this list that it’s hard not to wonder what might have been had they been able to stay healthy. Chief among those players might be Amar’e Stoudemire. There may be some fans that only remember him for his injury problems and for taking an obscene amount of money from the New York Knicks. While both of those things are inescapably part of his career, Stoudemire was so much more than that when he was at his best.
During his eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Stoudemire really only had one season (maybe two) that were truly marred due to injuries. What’s more, his first season with the Knicks was wildly productive. Thus, to get the best picture of how much of a force the big man was right out of high school, we’ll look at those years.
Stoudemire averaged 21.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 53.7 percent from the floor during those seasons. Undoubtedly his best season came in the 2007-08 campaign when the big fella put up 25.2 points. 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game with incredibly efficient 59 percent shooting from the field.
Unfortunately, his knee injuries ultimately robbed him of much of his athleticism late in his career. He was unable to be the same explosive threat that he was before and thus unable to have the same type of success. Much to the chagrin of Knicks fans, he couldn’t to live up to his contract. Yet when you look at Stoudemire at his best, his greatness is unavoidable.
27. Bernard King
Cut from the same cloth as the likes of Carmelo Anthony or even — to a degree — Wilt Chamberlain before him, Bernard King is a player that probably doesn’t get the recognition he’ll ever deserve. By his inclusion on this list, you can tell that he was unable to win a title throughout his career. What that doesn’t tell you, though, is that was probably okay with King. The New York Knicks star (most famously), possessed the same type of mentality as Anthony in that winning a title wasn’t paramount to him.
As stated previously, that often causes fans, the media and the general public alike to view a player differently. Whether or not that’s entirely fair is open to debate, but it’s the reality of the situation. Subsequently, King long has been maligned by basketball historians for not being among the greats of his generation. When you look at what he was able to do on the floor, that’s just absolutely silly to even suggest, though.
In his prime six seasons from 1981-87 (two with the Golden State Warriors and four with the Knicks, with a knee injury erasing his 1985-86 campaign), King was just lethal. He put up 24.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Perhaps his most impressive feat over that span was that, while playing small forward and having a strong inside-out game, he shot 55.6 percent from the field.
He was just simply one of the most dominant scorers of his generation. He proved that late in his career in the 1990-91 season, at 34 years old, when he put up 28.4 points per game on 47.2 percent shooting for the Washington Bullets. King may not have rings, but he deserves more spotlight than he normally receives.
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.
25. Dwight Howard
Though he’s still in the league, it’s hard to not look at Dwight Howard and wonder what might’ve been had he simply been wired differently. We’ve already talked about players like Carmelo Anthony and Bernard King and how winning titles never seemed to be of the utmost importance to them. Howard likely falls into that category as well, but he’s also infinitely more frustrating because of it. Part of that is due simply to his physical gifts and how dominant he could’ve possibly been, but the other factor is that he also sniffed that type of greatness early in his career.
Howard’s career, coming to the NBA out of high school, began with eight seasons with the Orlando Magic and he was a force immediately whose prowess only grew from there. Playing under Stan Van Gundy, he was the centerpiece in the inside-out attack that ultimately led them to the 2009 NBA Finals, though they obviously fell short.
At his most dominant in his final five seasons with the Magic, Howard’s numbers were quite astounding. The big man put up 20.6 points and 13.9 rebounds per game while also notching 1.1 steals and 2.5 blocks per contest. He was an athletic freak that was impossible to contain on pick-and-rolls, but also one of the best defenders in the league.
After the 2011-12 season, though, came the ugly trade to the Los Angeles Lakers where he clashed with Kobe Bryant for a season and things haven’t been the same since. Howard has been more concerned with trying to be a back-to-the-basket player rather than going to his bread and butter in the pick-and-roll, and his stubbornness (along with injuries) has ultimately cost him. Now with his hometown Atlanta Hawks, it’s hard to see him ever being the player he was before again, or to see him ever holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
24. Alex English
The beginnings of Alex English’s career in the NBA will always be one of the most confusing times in any one player’s body of work to me. Taken as a second round pick in the 1976 draft, English played as a role player in his first two seasons in the league, averaging a meager 15.5 minutes per game over 142 played with the Bucks. He then spent a season and a half with the Indiana Pacers before being traded to the Denver Nuggets. That’s when he was finally given the opportunity to shine, and he did so with authority.
English spent 10 full seasons with the Nuggets in his career and, through the first nine in Denver, he put together one of the most unheralded individual runs in the history of the league. The forward produced 26.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game while shooting a cool 51.1 percent from the floor. He was a versatile threat that could take on anyone and do so with great success.
Perhaps as a product of the era in which he played alongside the Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rivalry, English is a player that gets overlooked a great deal. However, it’s hard to fully ignore the success he was able to put together while with the Nuggets. He was an absolute monster when he was in his prime at Denver and, had he come along in a different era, he might’ve both had a better shot at a title and been better recognized for his greatness.
23. Russell Westbrook
The inclusion of Russell Westbrook at this point in his career might be one that rubs some people the wrong way. Not only is he just now entering his prime, but we also don’t know what he’ll become or what the next chapters in his career are going to include. After all, he did just post a season-long triple-double average with the Oklahoma City Thunder in his first season playing without Kevin Durant alongside him. So not only does he have the chance to move up this list, but it’s also hard to think that he won’t be in title contention again at some point in his career.
With that said, Westbrook is simply incredible with what he’s able to do at the point guard position. Yes, it’d be easy to just point to the triple-double average and just leave it at that. However, it’s deeper than that. These weren’t just stat-chasing numbers that he was putting up. In the wake of Durant’s departure, Westbrook was playing with a sub-par supporting cast and having to will his team to victory and put those type of numbers up just to carry his squad to being the No. 6 team in the Western Conference. That’s absurd on a number of levels.
For the past few years, one of the hot-button debates has been about “best point guard” in the league with the likes of Westbrook, Stephen Curry, John Wall and Chris Paul all being in the conversation. No one is denying the greatness of any of these guys. However, if you had to start a franchise with one, my money would be on Westbrook because of how many ways he can affect the game from the position. That speaks a great deal about him as a player and his already-established level of greatness in the league.
22. David Thompson
David Thompson’s start to his professional basketball career is most certainly one of the more interesting in league history. After a dominant career with the North Carolina State Wolfpack in college, the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the top-overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft. Rather than heading to the ATL, though, Thompson instead elected to take his talents to the ABA, where he joined the Denver Nuggets.
After Thompson’s rookie season and the ABA-NBAmerger, he remained a member of the Nuggets and continued to take the league by storm. In his first five NBA seasons (excluding the one year in the ABA where he put up 26 points and 6.3 rebounds per game), Thompson was one of the most prolific scorers in the league.
The 6-foot-4 guard put up 25.2 points per game while shooting a remarkable 50.8 percent from the floor, an impressive clip from a guard. This also included a 73-point performance in the final game of the 1977-78 season to conclude the scoring race between himself and George Gervin, a battle he lost by the narrowest of margins as Gervin posted 63 points on the same day.
Skywalker, as Thompson was colloquially known, was one of the most versatile and dominant scorers of his generation. However, injuries and other factors limited to him only playing until 1984 where he retired at just 29 years old. The lack of longevity of his career ultimately pushes him further down this list. However, what he did while he was playing was far too loud and impressive to go unnoticed.
21. Kevin Johnson
More contemporary NBA fans most likely know Kevin Johnson for his work as the mayor of Sacramento and his efforts to keep the Kings in the city. Before he was donning the duds of a politician, though, he was playing in the desert for the Phoenix Suns and establishing himself as both a terrific all-around player and someone who has since become a somewhat forgotten icon of the era as a point guard.
Originally drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the seventh-overall pick in 1987, Johnson was traded to the Suns during his rookie season and thrust into the starting role in Phoenix. That was an opportunity that he took full advantage of and a decision that the Suns most surely didn’t regret.
Over his first nine full seasons with the Suns, Johnson was productive at a fantastic level. The Cal Golden Bears product put up 19.8 points, 10 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting an impressive (for a point guard, especially) 49.7 percent from the field. Johnson was a force in ways that few players at his position at the time really were.
What’s more, Johnson also made sure to imprint his hand on many iconic moments in league history. Despite being just 6-foot-1, he could fly when he took off toward the rim and did so on numerous occasions. He was the perfect blend of skill and thrill and a player that should get the credit he deserves.
20. Marques Johnson
After being taken with the third pick in the 1977 NBA Draft, Marques Johnson wasted little time making his presence felt in the league with the Milwaukee Bucks. The forward out of UCLA put up 19.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in his rookie season. Though he would never touch that clip for rebounding again, it set the tone for a wildly consistent and productive career that was ultimately cut short due to injury.
Throughout his first nine years in the league (seven with Milwaukee, two with the Los Angeles Clippers), Johnson was the picture of dominance and consistency at the position. Johnson averaged 20.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals over that span. More impressive, though, is the fact that the forward never averaged fewer than 16.4 points per game over that nine-year run, never played fewer than 60 games in a season, and shot below 50 percent from the field just once over that span. That’s a remarkable mark in terms of consistently producing at a high level.
The legacy of Johnson and his career unfortunately (and perhaps unfairly) take a hit, though, due to a neck injury suffered in the 1986-87 season. He played just 10 games that year and then was forced to miss the next two campaigns as a result also. He attempted a comeback with the Golden State Warriors in the 1989-90 season, but that lasted only another 10 games before he was forced to hang it up.
19. Dikembe Mutombo
No, no, no; not today! (Insert finger wag motion.)
These days, Dikembe Mutombo is most likely more popular for his appearances in commercials than anything that he was able to accomplish on the basketball court. However, while young fans may know the finger wag from his Geico ads, they should also know that it’s even relevant because of Mutombo’s NBA career. More specifically, they should know it’s because the big man is one of the most iconic defensive players and shot blockers that the league has ever seen.
Standing at 7-foot-2, Mutombo played 18 years in the league, not retiring until he was 42 years old as a member of the Houston Rockets. That kind of longevity in itself is impressive for a big man. However, Mutombo also had the production, especially early in his career, to back it up.
Over his five full seasons with the Denver Nuggets and four full seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Mutombo’s production was quite outstanding. Never a huge offensive threat, the big man averaged just 12.7 points per contest over that run. However, it was his 12.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game over that run that truly stood out. He made every opponent afraid to come in his house. Not only were they liable to get swatted, but also fearful of getting the finger-wag.
Though his production never reached those heights again as he made several other stops around the league, he remained a dominant shot-blocker and defensive presence when healthy. He was a player near impossible to replicate and unforgettably great because of that.
18. Adrian Dantley
The Buffalo Braves took Adrian Dantley with the sixth-overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft. Oddly enough, though, the forward bounced around the league to start his career. In his first three seasons in the league, Dantley played with as many teams with stops with the Braves, Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers. In the 1979-80 season, though, he found a more permanent home with the Utah Jazz, which is where he made his greatest mark.
Playing seven (consecutive) seasons with the Jazz, Dantley was a stat-sheet filler and a phenomenal scorer that was equally efficient and prolific when putting the ball through the net. Dantley averaged 29.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game throughout his time in Utah. Meanwhile, he also converted on a remarkable 56.2 percent of his shot attempts throughout his time with the Jazz. He was the lifeblood of those Utah teams and was truly a force that could have success against any matchup in the entire league.
Dantley would later move on from Utah to the Detroit Pistons while making stops with the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks to end his career. Save for the 10 games he played with the Bucks, he remained productive over that run and still impressively efficient for his position as a 20-point scorer every night. Dantley gets lost in the shuffle at times, especially considering that he helped usher in the Malone-Stockton era for Utah. However, you can’t look at his numbers and walk away unimpressed by his prowess.
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.
16. Chris Webber
Coming out of college as the most high-profile member of the Fab Five at Michigan, the hype for Chris Webber was out of control. He was expected to completely revolutionize the power forward position as a player with both the traditional skill-set for the position, but also guard-like instincts and tendencies. Though the position has been further revolutionized, Webber indeed did that throughout his career.
Looking at his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors, four seasons with the Washington Bullets/Wizards and six full years with the Sacramento Kings, Webber was simply superb. He started 617 of the 619 games in which he played while posting averages of 22 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. Webber was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor, and few teams in the league had the ability to reckon with him.
However, Webber’s legacy is complicated for a number of reasons. The first goes back to the hype, which simply put what amounts to unrealistic expectations on him. Even if he changed the game, he was going to have to be a top-10 player all-time to match what people thought he could be. He was great, but he was never that. And when you also factor in his numerous stops throughout his career, Webber’s greatness gets clouded a bit at times. Simply put, though, it shouldn’t ever be put into question.
15. Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief came out of Arkansas as the No. 5 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft and was immediately a leader, what you’d have to describe as an early version of the modern combo-guard. The Milwaukee Bucks were the team lucky enough to land the 6-foot-3 guard’s services and, though it wasn’t immediate, it wasn’t long before he became an unquestioned staple of their squad and an unquestioned All-Star in the league.
During the height of his powers from 1981-86 (when he went to five consecutive All-Star Games), Moncrief really did it all for the Bucks. The guard put up 21 points, 4.7 assists, 5.8 boards and 1.5 steals per contest and was simply the do-it-all type of player that so many teams covet. Perhaps even more impressive than that was his ability as a leader and how his presence simply improved everyone on the floor around him. That’s a strange thing to say for a guy who was putting up the high-caliber stats that Moncrief was at the height of his powers, but it’s the truth.
Perhaps the biggest drawback when talking about the legacy of Moncrief is the lack of sustained success and the fleeting nature of his dominance. He wasn’t his best his first two years in the league and began to suffer from injuries in just his eighth season in the league. He retired in his early 30s and really wasn’t the same after the 1986-87 season.
14. Reggie Miller
Maybe out of bitterness because of how abhorrent his commentary can be at times or maybe for other reasons I don’t quite understand, there are numerous people that seem to downplay how great Reggie Miller was. And, in fairness to that type of criticism, Miller was a hyped-up version of a specialist because of his 3-point shooting prowess. However, he was the best in that area in the league by most accounts and had the big-time clutch gene to help make him even more of a threat.
Few fans will forget, especially those residing in the Big Apple, his battles with the New York Knicks, the eight points-nine seconds moment, and the choking gesture made to Spike Lee. Those are just a few examples of Miller’s clutch exploits that really bolster his claim as one of the all-time greats that the league has ever seen.
What’s often overlooked, though, is how good Miller was as a shooter and scorer for such a long time. In the 1989-90 season, Miller averaged 24.6 points per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from three. Over the next 11 seasons, Miller never averaged fewer than 18 points per game, shot over 40 percent from long range seven times, and joined the elite 50-40-90 percentage club in the 1993-94 season.
Yes, his assist and rebounding numbers are negligible when you look at his career. What’s more, Miller wasn’t exactly a plus defender in his career. With that said, you can’t discredit his ability as a scorer and what it meant to the success of the Pacers…even if it never led to a championship.
13. Grant Hill
For basketball fans, the career of Grant Hill presents perhaps one of the best (and saddest) what-if scenarios in NBA history. During his first six seasons in the league with the Detroit Pistons, Hill was absolutely dominant and was improving with each passing year. He was undoubtedly on his way to becoming an all-around superstar as he entered his late 20s and his prime. However, that was all cut short for him thanks to injuries.
As he joined the Orlando Magic for the 2000-01 season, Hill’s bout with injuries began as he played just four games for the entire year. The issues persisted as he played just 33 combined games over the next two seasons before not playing at all in the 2003-04 season due to an ankle injury. By that time, the injuries lingered and he was never going to be the player that he could’ve been.
When you look back at his six seasons with the Pistons, though, it’s hard not to be wowed with the forward’s level of performance. Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He could truly do it all on both ends of the floor and do so at an elite level.
Though he never regained that form or anything remotely close, he did manage to stay healthy (thanks, Suns training staff) and become a veteran role player late in his career. However, his early play and the question of what if still give him an air of greatness that fans remember fondly.
12. Tracy McGrady
When Tracy McGrady entered the NBA out of high school and joined the Toronto Raptors, he didn’t see the floor much at all. Playing in 143 games in his first two season (while still a teenager, it should be noted), McGrady barely saw the floor for 20 minutes per night. However, he finally got his opportunity in his third season and started to show his true potential while with the Raptors. He then moved to the Orlando Magic ahead of the 2000-01 season and never looked back.
From 2000-08 with four seasons with the Magic and then four with the Houston Rockets, T-Mac was one of the most dominant forces in the entire league. He was an offensive juggernaut that was feared by everyone. However, what’s often underrated is how he could affect the game in numerous ways outside of just putting points on the board. McGrady averaged 26.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game over those eight seasons and was absolutely electric in doing so. Though his playoff resume left something to be desired, there’s no denying his prowess when he was at the peak of his powers.
McGrady is another guy that was unfortunately hit with the injury bug and saw his career ultimately get derailed as a result. One of the latest inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame, he’s deserving of his place in Springfield and his spot at No. 12 on this list.
11. Dominique Wilkins
Much like the case with Vince Carter, there are some that only know Dominique Wilkins for his ability as a high-flyer. Also like with Carter, that ability is certainly worth noting. Wilkins is iconic in that regard. His exploits in the Slam Dunk Contest are equally as legendary as Carter’s, as were his many highlight-reel dunks in games.
With that being said, Wilkins was absolutely phenomenal as an overall player and superstar throughout his prime and career with the Atlanta Hawks (and yes, we’ll choose to forget about everything that happened beyond the 1992-93 season). Over 11 full seasons with the Hawks, Wilkins averaged 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor. Even more impressive, his peak three-season run from 1985-88 saw him put up 30 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
Wilkins, to a certain degree, gets overshadowed by the other greats of his era. When you consider that he was playing in the same league as the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and so on, it’s not hard to imagine getting lost in the shuffle amidst that group. However, that shouldn’t belittle what Wilkins was capable of and did throughout his career. He’s a legend as more than just a dunker and deserves to be considered as such.
10. Chris Paul
Earlier when talking about Russell Westbrook, I stated that I’d rather start a team with the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard than the likes of Chris Paul. While that may be the case, Paul might be one of the best pure point guards in the history of the game. He has the ability to score in any way which he pleases, makes every player on the floor around him better and has been a perpetually underrated defender for his entire career.
The New Orleans Hornets drafted Paul fourth-overall in the 2005 NBA Draft and, even as a rookie, Paul made an impact right away. However, he only got better from there and has put together a career of sustained success to this point. Over his 12 seasons in the league (including the 2016-17 campaign), Paul has averaged 18.7 points, 9.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game with 47.3 percent shooting overall and 37 percent 3-point shooting.
Paul has never averaged fewer than 16 points per game in a season throughout his career and has averaged under 18 points in a year just once in the last 10 seasons. What’s more, he’s produced over nine assists in each of the last 10 campaigns. The Wake Forest product’s savvy and instincts as a point guard are exceptional in every regard, and he’s used that to become a sustained force in the league with no real signs of slowing up anytime soon.
9. George Gervin
George Gervin played in the ABA for four seasons before the merger led him and the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA ranks. For however productive he was in the early stages of his professional career in the ABA, though, Gervin turned it up a notch for once he made his way to the NBA ranks. The player known as “Iceman” quickly established himself as an elite scoring force with the length and versatility that few defenders stood a chance at stopping or even containing.
The Iceman spent all but one of his NBA seasons with the Spurs and was fully dominant over the course of those nine seasons. Gervin averaged a stellar 27.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game over that span while shooting a ridiculous 51.4 percent clip from the floor considering how much defenses knew to hone in on him. Over that nine-season span, he averaged over 32 points per game twice, and was an All-Star in each year.
What’s more, it’s impossible to ignore the longevity that Gervin displayed throughout his career. In his first eight NBA seasons, his low scoring average was 23.1 points per game and he averaged fewer than 21 points per contest in just one NBA season. That year just happened to be his final in the league, which he played with the Chicago Bulls. It’s hard to ignore that type of elite production over such a long timeframe.
8. Steve Nash
If you were to watch Steve Nash in his first four years in the NBA after being taken with the 15th pick in the 1996 draft out of Santa Clara, you would’ve never guessed that he would’ve amounted to much. Nash put up only 7.2 points and 3.8 assists per game while shooting a meager 43.8 percent from the floor in those four seasons. However, he finally got his opportunity as the full-time starting point guard for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2000-01 season and greatness was born.
When you look at the production of Nash, it’s certainly impressive from a statistical standpoint. He was successful with the Mavericks, but he didn’t really hit his stride in that regard until re-joining the Phoenix Suns (the team that initially drafted him) ahead of the 2004-05 season. Over eight seasons in Phoenix, Nash averaged a double-double as he posted 16.3 points and 10.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, he was also wonderfully efficient as he converted 51 percent of his field goal attempts and 43.7 percent of his 3-point attempts.
With that said, even that isn’t what mad Nash as great as he was. He was simply one of the most memorable players of all-time in terms of the simple entertainment and joy he brought to the game. Heading the seven-seconds-or-less Suns, he was a ball of fire that made the engine turn, and did so with flair and poise that was unmatched in the league. Nash was simply an icon and a player whose greatness goes far beyond that box score.
7. Patrick Ewing
Before being named the newest head coach of Georgetown, Patrick Ewing was a stud center for the Hoyas. He was so much a star that the New York Knicks deemed him worthy of being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He was undoubtedly the right selection and a pick that the Knicks most surely never regretted for a second.
Averaging 20 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as a rookie, Ewing’s impact on the Knicks was huge and immediate. He quickly became one of the most dominant big men in the league at the time and carried the Knicks to levels of success they truthfully hadn’t seen in a decade. Obviously that never led to a championship, thanks to the likes of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference, but that shouldn’t dismiss Ewing’s own individual accomplishments and greatness.
Discounting his final two seasons in the league spent with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, respectively, Ewing not only continued his dominance that he displayed as a rookie, but actually improved upon it. During his five-year prime from 1989-94, Ewing posted 25.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.0 blocks and a steal per game while hitting on 51.8 percent of his shot attempts.
Ewing was the rare elite two-way player that could take over games on either end of the floor. Though he never reached the mountaintop in the NBA, his profile from playing in New York made him a legend, but he also has the body of work to back up the hype that came from that.
6. Kevin Durant
Frankly, Kevin Durant might not be on this list for much longer. After joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016 free agency, the former Oklahoma City Thunder forward seems to be on-track for winning his first NBA Championship. However, he hasn’t just yet, which qualifies him for this list. And in that regard, it’s about time that people realize that he’s already on the verge of being one of the all-time greats and deserves to be slotted alongside players of that ilk.
In his 10 seasons spent in the NBA, Durant has never averaged fewer than 20 points per game. What’s more, he’s not put up fewer than 25 points per game in any of the last nine years. However, what’s been the most impressive feat of Durant has been his development into an overall playmaker to complement his elite scoring ability.
Perhaps the best example of this is to compare his 2009-10 season to the 2015-16 campaign, his final with the Thunder. In the former, Durant put up 30.1 points per game, but averaged just 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in addition while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from three. For the 2015-16 season, Durant’s scoring average dropped to 28.2 points per, but he increased both his rebounding and assist numbers (8.2 and 5.0, respectively) while also becoming a more efficient scorer.
Durant’s blend of size and skill makes him a unicorn in the league today and in the overall history of the NBA. He still has plenty of greatness left to put on display and, again, he might not be on this list much longer. However, he’s already put his stamp on the league.
5. Allen Iverson
Several times throughout this list, the word “iconic” has been used. No other player that makes an appearance here, though, embodies that word in the way that Allen Iverson does. The dubiously listed 6-foot guard became an absolute legend for how he played, the levels of success he was able to reach while using that style of play and, of course, for his off-the-court persona as well.
Taken with the first-overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Georgetown, Iverson was a scoring machine right out of the gate, posting 23.5 points per game while getting his first taste of the league. That was just the tip of the iceberg for him, though.
From 2000-06, Iverson played an absurd amount of minutes as he averaged 42.7 per game. He was not an efficient scorer by any metric. And though that might make his numbers look less impressive, they also require some context. Over that span “The Answer” averaged 30.1 points, 6.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Yes, the per-36 minute numbers aren’t as wowing. But when you consider that Iverson was essentially required to play those minutes and do everything for those Sixers teams, it’s much more impressive.
Iverson dragged sub-par 76ers team deep into the playoffs and even to the NBA Finals near single-handedly. Those teams would likely have not made the playoffs if not for Iverson, but he was dominant and clutch enough to take them to those heights. So yes, the analytics community may point out his many flaws with warranted criticism. But when you look at the situation he was playing in, what he was able to accomplish is unmistakably incredible.
4. John Stockton
If you focus solely on the negatives and the shortcomings of John Stockton, it probably seems pretty crazy that he slots in as the No. 4 player on this list. The Gonzaga product averaged only 13.1 points per game for his career. What’s more, his career-high in scoring was a measly 17.2 points per game, which he achieved twice in back-to-back seasons (1989-90, 90-91). What’s more, Stockton was a limited athlete and rarely wowed in any of the traditional ways.
All of that is valid, but it also doesn’t do a bit to discount what Stockton accomplished in his career. Working with Karl Malone on the Utah Jazz, the duo perfected the art of the pick-and-roll. Yes, much of that has be credited to Malone’s ability as a scorer and his overall ability. While that may be the case, Stockton’s vision and ability as a passer was also monumentally important.
Stockton’s passing and quick hands defensively are what ultimately make his case for being this high on this list. From 1987-96, Stockton may have only averaged 15.7 points per game, but he also put up an absurd 13.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game. What’s more, he finished his career as the all-time leader in career assists and steals.
Spending his entire career with the Jazz, Stockton was the picture of longevity and the picture of the pass-first point guard. Though he may not fit the athletic bill of what you might stereotype as an all-time great, the physical tools didn’t ultimately matter as he still carved his path to greatness.
3. Elgin Baylor
It’s not entirely unfair to describe the career of Elgin Baylor as one of the unluckiest in NBA history. Baylor joined the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1958-59 season, just four seasons removed from the franchise winning four of five NBA Championships from 1950-54. Baylor then retired midway through the 1971-72 season after playing only nine games (and only two the year prior). As fate would have it, the Lakers would go on to win the title that year. Talk about all-time bad timing.
However, the Lakers’ shortcomings were certainly no fault of Baylor’s when he was helping to lead the way. (Part of that was, of course, due to the dominance of the Bill Russell-Red Auerbach Boston Celtics.) Prior to his final two “seasons” in which he played those 11 games, though, Baylor was simply outstanding and a beast in every sense.
From 1958-70, Baylor averaged an incredible 27.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. That stretch includes a four-year stretch early in his career from 1959-63 where he posted 33.8 points, 17.1 rebounds and 4.5 dimes per game. Those numbers are every bit as ridiculous as they sound.
Without question, the league as a whole was watered down a great deal and unable to deal with a player that had the athleticism that Baylor possessed. Where the big men like Wilt Chamberlain and Russell dominated due to their size, Baylor did so because he was simply more skilled than anyone at small forward or on the outside at the time. It’s always difficult to compare eras, but Baylor’s level of production is simply too impressive to not include him in the top-three of this list.
2. Karl Malone
There’s a good chance that you were expecting to see Karl Malone’s name atop this list, and there are many reasons as to why. The Mailman was certainly an iconic force, especially as the roll-man in the previously mentioned Utah Jazz pick-and-roll combo with John Stockton. However, the list of accolades and accomplishments for Malone don’t stop there at all.
Malone finished his career as the second-leading scorer in NBA history with 36,928 points in his career. He’s also 11th all-time in career steals, eighth all-time in career rebounds, 11th all-time in career points per game average, and even has longevity working in his favor having played the fourth most NBA games of anyone in the history of the league.
Thus, it’s easy to make the case for why Malone could be No. 1. Thus, it’s more prudent to make the case as to why he’s “only” the second greatest player to never win a championship.
First off, there’s the simple fact that Malone earned the reputation of being a bit of a stat-chaser at times. Granted, his Jazz teams were phenomenally successful, but that’s an important factor that was present at various snapshots throughout his career. But perhaps the biggest hindrance to his case is, in fact, playing with Stockton.
The success of Malone is so closely tied to his point guard and pick-and-roll partner. Yes, the Jazz big man would’ve been great independent of him, but he reached the pinnacles and all-time marks he did largely because of the success of Stockton as a point guard. Without him, he wouldn’t have nearly the case he does now.
1. Charles Barkley
Topping Malone for the top spot as the greatest NBA player to never win a championship is none other than Charles Barkley. If you were curious if he changed to become the goofball personality that fans see today on Inside The NBA, the answer is a definitive no. He’s always been a source of comedy who’s unafraid to say just about anything at any time. But once upon a time, he was also one of the most unique and dominant players of a generation.
It’s not every day that you see a 6-foot-6 power forward, especially when you look back in the mid-80s and through the 90s well before the rise of small ball in terms of popularity. However, that was Barkley and he was still able to dominate everyone at the position in the league.
Making three stops throughout his career, Barkley played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets. Though his tenure in Houston was him as a lesser version of himself, he was still a double-double machine and force that was valuable. However, it was nothing compared to him at his best.
Barkley’s best, ranging from the 1986-87 season to the 1995-96 season showcased just how devastating he was to opponents for a long time. Over that span, he averaged 24.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Expanding the scope again, Barkley only averaged fewer than 10 rebounds per game in one season for his entire career, and that was his rookie year. What’s more, he evolved his game over time as he went from being an athletic and physical player to being just a strong and lethal physical force.
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With both the Suns and the Rockets, Barkley came within reach of winning a title, but he was ultimately able to do so. That’s a shame first because it ultimately puts a black mark on his overall body of work, which is undeserved. It’s also a shame, though, because a Charles Barkley interview after winning a ring would’ve been in the top one best moments in the history of the league.