The 15 Greatest NBA Players Who Never Won a Title

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Winning a championship in any sport puts an athlete in elite company, as the sole purpose of any player is to, one day, slide a ring onto their finger. And while there have been lesser-known guys to have done it, a few superstars who had accomplished careers were left walking away from the game without one. Unlike other sports where there’s more parity, the NBA has seen a string of teams stay consistent in winning titles, preventing these best 15 players from ever winning an NBA championship.

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Adrian-Dantley

15. Adrian Dantley

A forward who played an exciting style of basketball over the course of his 15 seasons in the NBA, Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley made six All-Star Games and finished with a career scoring average of 24.3 per game—leading the league in scoring twice—but he never completed a season with a championship, with his closest chance coming as a member of the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

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Chris-Mullin

14. Chris Mullin

Smooth yet tenacious, Golden State Warriors great Chris Mullin played with the same personality that he put on display during his playground days in New York. Showing no fear against anyone he went up against, Mullin had a Hall of Fame career that included a gold medal as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team, but he failed to win a title, getting his best chance as a member of the Indiana Pacers in 2000.

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Alex-English

13. Alex English

A late, second-round pick in 1976, Alex English might not have come into the league with great acclaim, but once he got there, he showed his worth. Leading the league in scoring once and making eight-straight All-Star Games from 1982-’89, English could fill up the bucket, but he couldn’t take one of the four teams he played for to the promised land, failing to advance passed the Conference Finals in the playoffs.

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Pete-Maravich

12. Pete Maravich

Better known as Pistol Pete due to his frantic style of play, Pete Maravich embodied everything to like about the game of basketball. Playing with flair and energy, Maravich led the league in scoring once, made five All-Star Games and is considered to be one of the best ever, yet he only made the postseason four times in 10 years, never really getting close to a title.

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Bernard-King

11. Bernard King

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, Bernard King was one of the most exciting players to watch during his era. With a lethal scoring gene which led him to a 22.5 points-per-game average, he made four All-Star teams and led the league in scoring once. However, even as bright of a star as he was, King’s career ended without a trip beyond the Conference Semis, which came during the 1983-84 season with the New York Knicks.

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Allen-Iverson

10. Allen Iverson

One of my personal favorite players, Allen Iverson played with swagger and heart, doing things that should have been difficult for a guy his size in a league known for its size. A one-time league MVP and multiple scoring champion, the former Philadelphia 76er legend was great anytime he stepped on the floor, but walked off of it for good lacking the one thing he ever wanted, a championship ring.

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George-Gervin

9. George Gervin

There might not have been a smoother player than George Gervin, known for his patented finger roll and the nickname Iceman. Playing with a demeanor that might be foreign to many pro athletes, Gervin made the All-Star Game in both the ABA and NBA in all but two of his pro seasons—his first and last—and led the league in scoring four of five seasons. Reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 1979 with the San Antonio Spurs, he was never able to get any further in the playoffs than that.

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Reggie-Miller

8. Reggie Miller

One of the sharpest shooters the NBA has ever had, former Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller was lethal when the ball was in his hands. A trash-talking competitor who loved to show doubters he could lead his Pacers to greatness, Miller might have had some memorable moments and set the record for the most three-pointers made in NBA history by the time he retired—since broken—but he lost his only Finals appearance in 2000 to the L.A. Lakers.

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Patrick-Ewing

7. Patrick Ewing

From 1985 until about 1992, there might not have been a better center in the league than the New York Knicks’ Patrick Ewing. A towering inferno who could shoot from outside and bully his way down low, Ewing was one of the most sought-after players coming into the league, and he lived up to the billing by producing a Hall of Fame career. However, he never won the big one, coming up short in his only trip to the NBA Finals in 1994.

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Dominique-Wilkins

6. Dominique Wilkins

A high-flier who competed against some of the best players ever during the league’s glory years, Dominique Wilkins was a human highlight film on the floor. As exciting as he was, though, Wilkins could never lead a team he played on to a championship, not really getting too close, in fact, even though he had a Hall of Fame career.

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Steve-Nash

5. Steve Nash

A two-time league MVP who was as exciting to watch as any point guard in the past two decades, Steve Nash was the floor leader in a number of high-octane offenses. Enjoying his best years with the Phoenix Suns, Nash could never get by some of his old foes in the playoffs, never even making it to the title round. His career is all but over and he’ll be in the Hall of Fame, but he’ll walk away without a championship ring.

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John-Stockton

4. John Stockton

The all-time assists leader, John Stockton was the ideal point guard for any generation. As the ball-handler and passer in the Stockton-Malone duo, the former Utah Jazz player accomplished a ton during his playing days and set a number of records, but winning a title wasn’t one of them. While a mold of him should be made for all future guards, Stockton lost in his two Finals trips.

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Charles-Barkley

3. Charles Barkley

Sir Charles was, pound-for-pound, one of the toughest players to ever suit up in an NBA game. While he lacked prototypical size for a forward, Charles Barkley made up for it by playing with an edge that others couldn’t match, scoring and rebounding at will. A former league MVP who went to the NBA Finals once, he could never slip on a championship ring even though he’s one of the greatest players ever.

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Elgin-Baylor

2. Elgin Baylor

Reaching the NBA Finals eight times in his career, it really is incredible that longtime forward Elgin Baylor never actually won an NBA championship—though he did receive one from the 1971-’72 team that he played nine games with before retiring. Playing for the Minneapolis and later L.A. Lakers his entire career, Baylor finished each of his 14 years without a ring. Making 11 All-Star Games and finishing with a 27.4 points-per-game average, Baylor failed to do what the franchise he only knew has done 16 times since—walk off the floor as NBA champs.

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karl-malone-flexing

1. Karl Malone

The second-leading scorer in NBA history, Karl Malone may have accomplished a lot as an individual, but winning a ring wasn’t one of them. With three NBA Finals trips during his 19-year career, the Mailman could never get by Michael Jordan while with the Utah Jazz, and then experienced a huge upset as a member of the L.A. Lakers in 2004 by losing to the Detroit Pistons.

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Written by Nick Dimengo

Graduate of the University of Kentucky. Cleveland sports fan. Frustrated respecter of LeBron James. Influencer of bad ideas. In addition to Worthly/Housely, I'm a regular contributor to Bleacher Report, Scout, Esquire and Maxim, and run or bike way too much for my own good when not writing. The day a Cleveland sports team wins a title is the day I can officially say my life is complete.