Top 10 Greatest Players to Have Never Won the NBA Championship

Charles Barkley and Karl Malone in frame (Getty)
Charles Barkley and Karl Malone in frame (Getty)

Highlights:

NBA history is filled with many legendary players.

However, not all of them were able to win championships.

While many legendary NBA players have made their names in history by winning multiple championships, there are also talented people whose careers were marked by remarkable accomplishments but who did not win the championship. Here are 10 of the greatest players who never won an NBA championship:

 

Charles Barkley

Teams: 3 (Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets)
Finals Appearances: 1 (1993 vs Chicago Bulls)

 

Barkley's career was capped by his MVP season in 1993, which made him well-known for his dominant inside presence and charismatic personality. In spite of driving the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals that year, they missed the mark against the Chicago Bulls.

 

Karl Malone

Teams: 2 (Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers)
Finals Appearances: 3 (1997, 1998 vs. Chicago Bulls; 2004 vs. Detroit Pistons)

 

Malone's Utah partnership with John Stockton, one of the NBA's greatest scorers, is legendary. They made it to the NBA Finals twice but were unable to defeat the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.

 

John Stockton

Teams: 1 (Utah Jazz)
Finals Appearances: 2 (1997, 1998 vs. Chicago Bulls)

 

The all-time assist leader and an expert of the pick-and-roll, Stockton's profession was inseparably connected to Malone's. Their couple characterized the Jazz's prosperity, however they were eventually denied a title.

 

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Elgin Baylor

Teams: 1 (Los Angeles Lakers)
Finals Appearances: 8 (All Losses Came at the hands of The Boston Celtics)

 

Baylor was a pioneer of the small forward position, and his athleticism and scoring prowess were unparalleled for his time. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to eight NBA Finals appearances but never won a championship.

 

Patrick Ewing

Teams: 3 (New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics, Orlando Magic)
Finals Appearances: 2 (1994, 1999 vs. Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs respectively)

 

A defensive stalwart and a prevailing power in the paint, Ewing's vocation was characterized by his long residency with the New York Knicks. He led the Knicks twice to the NBA Finals, but they couldn't beat the Chicago Bulls.

 

Allen Iverson

Teams: 4 (Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies)
Finals Appearances: 1 (2001 vs. Los Angeles Lakers) 

 

Iverson's crossover, a diminutive but explosive guard, became a basketball icon. Regardless of driving the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, they missed the mark against the Los Angeles Lakers.

 

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Reggie Miller

Teams: 1 (Indiana Pacers)
Finals Appearances: 1 (2000 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

 

Miller became a well-known figure in Indiana thanks to his clutch performances as an exceptional sharpshooter. His competition with the Knicks was incredible, yet he couldn't carry a title to Indianapolis.

 

Dominique Wilkins

Teams: 5 (Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic)
Finals Appearances: 0

 

A high-flying forward known for his physicality and scoring skill, Wilkins was an awe-inspiring phenomenon. In spite of their appearance in the NBA Finals in 1991, the Atlanta Hawks lost to the Chicago Bulls.

 

Tracy McGrady

Teams: 7 (Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs)
Finals Appearances: 0

 

A versatile scorer with outstanding physicality, McGrady's profession was hampered by wounds. Regardless of his ability, he couldn't make title progress with the Orlando Sorcery or Houston Rockets.

 

Chris Webber

Teams: 5 (Golden State Warriors, Washington Bullets/Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons)
Finals Appearances: 0

 

Webber was a dominant power forward with a smooth shooting touch. His career was full of controversy as well as success. He arrived at the NBA Finals with the Sacramento Lords yet couldn't get a title.
 

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