Why do basketball players work hard to reach the National Basketball Association (NBA) level? To win the Larry O’Brien Championship. However, not all players achieve this target for several reasons, including playing against extremely good players, representing a team with a small chance of winning, and playing for a winning team but never winning the finals. So, without ado, these are the NBA players without a ring.
1. Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor was one of the most unfortunate basketball players to finish his career without a ring. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, formerly Minneapolis. Despite playing in eight finals games, Baylor won none. However, after he retired, the Lakers won it. He accumulated many awards, including Rookie of the Year and 11 NBA All-Stars, but the biggest one eluded him.
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2. Karl Malone
Karl Malone ranks second in our list of NBA players without a ring. He played in the NBA finals three times, but in two of them, he came up against Michael Jordan. Marlone has multiple awards, such as the NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA All-Star, and NBA Rookie First-Team, and he ranks third among the all-time leading scorers with 36,928.
3. Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley joins the list of NBA players without a ring. He played for good teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and the Houston Rockets. His only finals came in 1993 with the Phoenix Suns, who were up against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. His other accolades include NBA Most Valuable Player, 11 NBA All-Stars, and NBA All-Star Games MVP.
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4. Patrick Ewing
Despite Patrick Ewing’s dominance that turned the New York Knicks into a competitive force in the 1990s, it wasn’t enough to win him an NBA ring. He played in two NBA finals, 1993-94 and 1999-2000, but lost to the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. Like many on this list, Ewing accumulated accolades like the NBA All-Star, NBA Rookie of the Year and All-NBA First Team.
5. Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller had the typical basketball frame and used it to his advantage. He was good at scoring points and finished his career with 25,279 points. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to win him an NBA ring. Miller played in the 2000 finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, but was against Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
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6. Chris Paul
Chris Paul is still active in the NBA, so he might still be within a shout of winning an NBA ring. He has represented several teams, including the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs. In 2021, Chris Paul came close to winning the NBA, except the Milwaukee Bucks stopped him.
7. James Harden
James Harden is one of the NBA’s famous faces but is one of the players without a ring. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. He has only played in the NBA finals once: in 2012, when the Oklahoma City Thunders played against the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, they lost the game, but he won the MVP award.
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8. Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson featured in one NBA final with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he came up against the Los Angeles Lakers and lost. Despite not winning the championship, his brilliance is seen in being named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2001, NBA Rookie of the Year, scoring champion, stats leader and more.
Conclusion
These are the NBA players without a ring. They gave the fans much to look forward to and always delivered when their teams needed it. If it’s any consolation, some got prestigious individual accolades that underscored their greatness.
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