NBA Stars Who Failed To Win A Title

10. Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard, at one point, was the second coming of Shaquille O’Neal and became just as dominant as the Big Diesel. Even though the league has changed, Howard is still able to contribute to this day in the NBA. This is likely why he is still playing in the league. However, at one point the man was nearly unstoppable.

He has averaged at least 10 rebounds a game for every season of his career barring the 2018-2019 season when he averaged just under that at 9.2 per game. Howard was so dominant on the boards that he led the league in rebounds 5 times, including three seasons back to back to back. He’s also a skilled defender, allowing him to average 2 blocks a game from 2006 to 2014. In that time, he also led the league in blocks twice. Howard is currently Top 20 in career blocks & rebounds in NBA History too.

The 8-time NBA All-Star did play in the NBA Finals once in his career as a member of the Orlando Magic back in 2009. Sadly, despite putting up good numbers, his team did not help much and the Magic lost. Thus, Howard landed on this list of the best players who never won the NBA Championship.

9. Steve Nash

Steve Nash is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, mostly because he could do anything on the court. Known originally for being a gifted passer while with the Dallas Mavericks, he soon proved he could be a threat as a scorer when he ended up with the Phoenix Suns. However, from 2001 to 2010, Nash was able to put up at least 16 points per game on average during those seasons.

Nash is an 8-time NBA All-Star who has led the league in assists 5 times in his career. He has a career average of around 9 assists per game with an exact 8.5 average according to ESPN. Steve Nash is also a 2-time MVP, winning it in back to back years during the 2004-2005 & 2005-2006 seasons. While Nash balled out most of his career in the playoffs, he sadly never won a ring nor competed in the NBA Finals even once.

8. Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady was incredibly popular during the 2000s when he was at the height of his career. Mostly known for his work with the Toronto Raptors & Orlando Magic through the early part of his career, he made the most impact as a member of the Houston Rockets alongside Yao Ming.  However, McGrady was nearly impossible to stop as a scorer from 2001 to 2009.

During this time, he averaged around 22 points per game. Despite making a bigger push toward a ring with the Rockets, he was an insane scorer with the Magic. This allowed him to lead the NBA in scoring twice in back to back years (2002-2003 & 2003-2004 seasons). Sadly, his last season in Houston was injury-filled and this remained an issue for his last few remaining seasons. Sadly, it resulted in no rings.

7. Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor is what many NBA statisticians call a “technicality.” We’ll explain that in a second. Baylor is an 11-time NBA All-Star who landed on the All-NBA First Team 10 times throughout his career. He was mostly known for his work during the 1950s & 1960s. Baylor was an impressive player who was known for his absolutely incredible athleticism.

During a time in which this was not really as common as it would become, it excited fans. This allowed Baylor to be one of the game’s greatest scorers. He regularly averaged 25 points a season. However, from 1960 to 1963, he averaged 34 points a game with one season averaging 38. Elgin was also nearly impossible to stop as a rebounder, averaging 12 or more rebounds from 1958 to 1965.

Baylor is a career 27.4 points, 13.4 rebounds per game player. He sadly could never win a ring when he played. However, his last season he only played 6 games at the beginning of the season. Funny enough, his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, actually won an NBA Title that year. Baylor was given a ring by the team in honor of his work but he certainly did not win a title in his active career. Thus, the technicality.

6. Patrick Ewing

Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest Centers in NBA history. His numbers prove this but the dominance he had during his career more than shows that he should have at least won one ring. Sadly, he never did. However, Ewing is an 11-time All-Star for a legitimate reason. Numbers-wise, he was able to run roughshod through the league from his rookie year, on.

From 1985 to 1998, the man averaged 20 points per game with an average of 24 from 1989 to 1995. Ewing was also a skilled rebounder and defender. From 1989 to 1999, he averaged 10 rebounds per game and from 1985 to 1999, he averaged 2.4 blocks per game. He had a few seasons of 3 or 4 blocks per game as well. However, he never made the defensive first team.

Despite this, Ewing did play in the NBA Finals before his career was up. Sadly, his team, the New York Knicks, did not win.

5. Karl Malone

“The Mailman” Karl Malone statistically, is the most dominant Power Forward in NBA History. He is still 2nd all-time in career points and 7th all-time in career rebounds. He began his career with the Utah Jazz and played there most of his 20-year career, with his last season being played in LA with the Lakers in a bid for an NBA Title that never came.

Malone averaged 25 points per game for his career, regularly putting up 27 or more per game in 8 different seasons. In fact, during his career he was a 14-time NBA All-Star, earning All-NBA First Team honors 11 times. He was even an NBA MVP twice (1997 & 1999). Malone did compete in the NBA Finals before his jump to LA for a year. However, his Jazz team ran into those impressive Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the two times the Jazz appeared there (1997, 1998).

4. Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson, also known as “AI” or “The Answer” during his career, is one of the NBA’s greatest scorers. Though barely being 6 foot, he played shooting guard most of his career. Heck, he even played that role when he was technically the PG for a team. The one thing everyone loved about AI if nothing else was that he never wanted to leave the court, he was a true ironman.

This led to Iverson leading the NBA in minutes 7 times in his career. Of course, he also led the league in scoring 4 times and still put up insane points per game in the years he didn’t win the scoring title. Despite his impressive scoring ability, the man was an amazing defender. This led to Iverson leading the NBA in steals 3 times in his career. He has a career average of 2.2 steals per game.

Iverson is also an 11-time NBA All-Star who won the NBA MVP award in 2001. Iverson did make it to the NBA Finals but played against the high-powered Los Angeles Lakers squad. He was able to deliver one win, still remembered as one of the greatest NBA Finals performances in history. Sadly, AI retired without an NBA Title.

3. John Stockton

According to most NBA historians, John Stockton may very well be the greatest pure Point Guard in NBA history. It is surely hard to argue that point too. Stockton played for what seemed like forever. During his time, Stockton was always a threat to score but the real danger was his passing. John could dart the ball over to anyone, anywhere on the court, at any time.

He was also insanely tough and creative, giving him almost endless possibilities with a ball in his hands. This led to Stockton leading the league in assists a record 9 times in his 20-year career. In fact, all 9 were done in consecutive seasons. He’s also one of the greatest steal artists who ever lived. From 1987 to 1995, he averaged around 3 steals a game.

The 10-time NBA All-Star played his entire career in Utah and did well in both NBA Finals appearances he had. Sadly, the result with no ring just like Malone.

2. Charles Barkley

From the day he entered the league, “Sir” Charles Barkley was a stud. He could score on anyone and he was always amazing as a rebounder. He originally began as a part of the Philadelphia 76ers where he balled out for years, but he became a huge star when he joined the Phoenix Suns in 1992. In fact, he won the league MVP in 1993.

He averaged 20 points from 1985 to 1996 and he usually had around 11 rebounds a game. Though he led the league in rebounds in 1987, yet put up stud numbers there yearly. Barkley is an 11-time NBA All-Star who made the All-NBA First Team 5 times and the All-NBA Second Team 5 times as well.

He did play in the NBA Finals when he joined the Houston Rockets for a small spell, yet he ended his career ringless. This makes Barkley one of the best players who never won an NBA Championship.

1. Reggie Miller

Reggie Miller is one of the most prolific scorers in league history. Known for his ability to shoot the three better than most, he could also shoot from mid-range and go inside. He averages just over 18 points per game for his career but regularly had season averages of 21, 22, and 24 points per game. Miller also made the All-NBA Third Team 3 times, yet was an NBA All-Star 5 times.

Miller still ranks as #2 all-time in total three-pointers made for a career, but he’s likely to be passed eventually. Despite this, he was a first-ballot Basketball Hall of Famer. Like many on this list, he played for only one team in his career, the Indiana Pacers. He also did appear in the NBA Finals with them, but sadly he ran into the Los Angeles Lakers and didn’t get a ring. Now he’s one of the greatest players who never won an NBA Championship.