Best NBA Players with Only One Ring
The NBA is one of the most competitive basketball leagues in the world. A collection of the greatest basketball players converge each season for glory and the NBA Finals championship. And while some players are listed as all-time greats, they unfortunately, only reached that NBA Finals glory once.
Below, we are going to review and discuss the best NBA players with only one ring. Whether due to injury, luck, or simply far superior players and teams, these players only experienced an NBA Finals championship once in their careers. And while these players may only have one ring, their contributions to the game, to the team, and to the league will never be forgotten nor glossed over.
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett is arguably one of the best power forwards of all-time. Spanning a 21-season career, Garnett played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics, and the Brooklyn Nets. Dubbed the “Big Ticket” and “KG” for his dunking abilities and athleticism, Garnett would enter the league in 1995 as the fifth overall pick.
And although Garnett would help the Minnesota Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff appearances, he was unable to win a championship with them. Rather, when traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007, and playing alongside Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, he would secure his one and only NBA championship.
Paul Pierce
A legend in his own right, Paul Pierce played 19-seasons in the NBA, most predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He currently works as an analyst on ESPN’s basketball programs, including The Jump and NBA Countdown.
Paul Pierce was a high school McDonald’s All-American and earned consensus first-team All-American honors in his junior year at Kansas. Picked by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick, he spent 15-years with the team.
And although Pierce had a storied career, being a four-time All-NBA team member and 10 All-Star selections, he was only able to secure one NBA championship in 2008. In those NBA Finals, Paul Pierce was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is also widely considered one of the best power forwards of all-time. Hailing from Germany, he was selected as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he played his entire 21-year career.
With the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki led the team to 15 NBA playoff appearances, including the franchise’s first Finals appearance in 2006 and their sole NBA championship in 2011. He is a 14-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA Team member, and the first European player to start in an All-Star game and the first European player to receive the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award.
Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd was one of the best point guards to play in the NBA. He currently coaches the Dallas Mavericks and played for 19-years in the NBA. He was drafted second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft.
Named co-NBA Rookie of the Year, he would be traded to the Phoenix Suns before landing in New Jersey with the then New Jersey Nets. With the Nets, he would lead the team to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances but would be unable to secure the championship ring on either try.
However, in the 2007-08 season, Jason Kidd would return to the Dallas Mavericks, where he would win his one and only championship ring at the age of 38. Jason Kidd had a storied NBA career, ranking third in regular season triple-doubles with a total of 107 and third in playoff triple-doubles with 11. He also ranks second on the NBA all-time lists in career assists and steals.
Clyde Drexler
Widely considered one of the greatest shooting guards of all time, Clyde Drexler would play for 15-seasons in the NBA. Nicknamed “Clyde the Glide”, he spent the majority of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers.
In his NBA career, Clyde was a ten-time NBA All-Star and named to the NBA’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams. However, he was only able to win one NBA championship, in 1995 while playing for the Houston Rockets.
Gary Payton
Gary Payton, nicknamed “The Glove” for his defensive abilities, is considered to be one of the best guards to ever play in the league. As Basketball Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich commented, “[he was] probably as complete a guard as there ever was.”
Having spent the majority of his career, 13-years, with the Seattle SuperSonics, he holds the franchise records in points, assists, and steals. In addition, he is the only point guard in league history to have ever won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times, an NBA record which he shares with Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant.
However, although Gary Payton played for the Seattle SuperSonics, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, and the Miami Heat, he was only able to win a championship with the Heat in 2006.