10 NBA Greats Who Never Won A Championship
As the 2008 NBA Finals fast approaches, we stop and think about all those NBA greats who’ve led their teams in just about every aspect of the game, but failed to lead them into the promised land of a championship ring and the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy.
While the likes of Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James still haven’t got that coveted ring, they at least stand a very good chance of getting one. The men below don’t, having already hung up their sneakers. While not having a title doesn’t diminish their greatness, there will always be that hole that will never ever be filled. They now will never know how heavy that trophy is or how those rings would feel on their fingers.
1. Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor’s search for an NBA crown remains one of the most frustrating ever. In a career that lasted from 1958-1971, he helped lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals eight times, but never won. Still, his all-around and flashy play were more than enough to merit him a spot on the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
2. Karl Malone
Karl Malone came so close to leading the Utah Jazz to the title in 1997 and 1998, but smashed head-on into a brick wall called Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls both times. In a desperate move, he moved to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003, hoping Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant would help him get one. They did get to the NBA Finals, but the bloated egos of O’Neal and Bryant got the better of the Lakers, and were shot down by the Detroit Pistons in five games. The Mailman, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, finally gave up the quest, and retired after that season.
3. Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley is unique among NBA players in the sense that at 6 feet 6 inches, he out-muscled and out-rebounded much bigger guys. Still, his powerful play got him no NBA title, although he did get close to getting one in 1993, when he led the Phoenix Suns against the Chicago Bulls, which eventually beat them in six games. He had one last chance with the Houston Rockets, but injuries plagued him in his final year, and eventually retired with the Rockets in 2000. He was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
4. John Stockton
John Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards in NBA history, holder of NBA records for most career assists and steals. His 18-season partnership with Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz remains one of the most formidable ever, but the duo still fell short of winning an NBA title for two consecutive years, courtesy of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. He retired in 2003, and eventually made it to the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
5. Patrick Ewing
The Jamaican-born Ewing almost won an NBA title with the New York Knicks in a grueling best-of seven series against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. The Knicks fell in seven games. That was the only real chance he had, as the latter years of his NBA career were marred by injuries. He ended his career with the Orlando Magic in 2002. He has since been recognized as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of all time.
6. Pete Maravich
Long before Magic Johnson took our breath away with his “magic” passes, there was Pete “Pistol Pete” Maravich. One of the flashiest players to ever play in the NBA, Maravich was known for his creative passing, dazzling ballhandling and accurate shooting. The top NCAA Division I scorer of all time, he went on to average 24.2 points per game in his ten-year NBA career. But despite his showmanship and all his individual achievements, he retired without winning an NBA crown. He died of a heart attack in 1988 at the age of 40. He was named to NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
7. Reggie Miller
Widely considered as one of the deadliest three-point shooters in NBA history, Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers slew many a team with his timely sniping from beyond the three-point arc. His prodigious shooting, however, wasn’t enough to beat the Lakers in the 2000 NBA Finals, the only championship that Miller got to play in in his 18-year NBA career.
8. Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins will always be remembered as one of the best dunkers to ever play the game. He won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest title twice, and went head-to-head with the likes of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan as the Atlanta Hawks’ main man. The only difference is, all those men won championships—lots of ‘em—while Wilkins never even got to play in a single NBA Finals series.
9. George Gervin
The man who popularized the “finger roll” was a prolific scorer. George Gervin, known as “The Iceman”, won four scoring titles with the San Antonio Spurs, but never made an appearance in an NBA championship. Retired in 1986, Gervin has since been named as one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
10. Bernard King
Bernard King is one of the NBA’s most explosive scorers of all time. In 14 seasons with various NBA teams, he averaged 22.5 points per game. But injuries bugged him all throughout his career, and knee problems eventually forced him to retire in 1993, without winning a title.
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Ewing should’ve won one.
thats unfortunate.. although some of them have olympic medals.. i think that should count
Good list, but one thing is wrong:
John Stockton and Patrick Ewing made the list of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of all time well before their career ended, unlike your post might indicate. This particular list was created in honour of the 50 year anniversary of the NBA, which was in 1996 if I remember correctly.
Pistol Pete is not “one of the flashiest players” in NBA history, he is number one without any competition. Just check out some of the U-tube vids on the pistol and have your jaw drop. He couldn’t have guarded your grandmother on defense but he was the most creative offensive player to ever lace up sneakers.