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50 Greatest NBA Players Without A Championship (Updated Through 2015-16)

By Phil Watson

May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) shoots over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) shoots over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Golden State Warriors Nate Thurmond (42) in action, rebounding vs Milwaukee Bucks at Milwaukee Arena. Game 1. Milwaukee, WI 3/28/1972 CREDIT: Heinz Kluetmeier (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X16670 )
Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Golden State Warriors Nate Thurmond (42) in action, rebounding vs Milwaukee Bucks at Milwaukee Arena. Game 1. Milwaukee, WI 3/28/1972 CREDIT: Heinz Kluetmeier (Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X16670 ) /

42. Nate Thurmond

San Francisco/Golden State Warriors 1963-74, Chicago Bulls 1974-75, Cleveland Cavaliers 1975-77

The San Francisco Warriors tried to go enormous on their front line when they drafted Bowling Green center Nate Thurmond third overall in the 1963 NBA Draft to team with Wilt Chamberlain.

In 11 years with the Warriors, Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star and was a fixture on five All-Defensive teams, finishing second in the MVP voting in 1966-67.

The Warriors went to the NBA Finals in both 1964 and 1967, losing to the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively, and reached the conference finals in 1973.

In September 1974, Thurmond was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Clifford Ray and a 1975 first-round pick. The Bulls were one game away from making their first trip to the Finals before—of all teams—the Warriors rallied to win Game 6 in Chicago and Game 7 in Oakland.

In November 1975, the Bulls traded Thurmond and Rowland Garrett to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Steve Patterson and Eric Fernstein and Thurmond made one more trip to the conference finals in 1976.

A retired restaurateur, Thurmond still lives in San Francisco and has been given the title “Warriors Legend and Ambassador” by the Golden State organization.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985.

The final tally on Thurmond’s playoff career:

NBA Finals: 0-2
Division/Conference Finals: 2-3
Division/Conference Semifinals: 4-3
First Round: 0-1

Next: 41. Sixth Man Extraordinaire