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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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SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Chicago Bulls Toni Kukoc (R) guards Detlef Schrempf (L) of the Seattle SuperSonics 09 June during the first quarter of game three of the NBA Finals at KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. Kukoc started instead of Bull normal starter Ron Harper. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Chicago Bulls Toni Kukoc (R) guards Detlef Schrempf (L) of the Seattle SuperSonics 09 June during the first quarter of game three of the NBA Finals at KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. Kukoc started instead of Bull normal starter Ron Harper. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images) /

41. Detlef Schrempf

Dallas Mavericks 1985-89, Indiana Pacers 1989-93, Seattle SuperSonics 1993-99, Portland Trail Blazers 1999-2001

Before Dirk Nowitzki took over the title, Detlef Schrempf for years was Germany’s greatest export to the NBA. After a collegiate career at Washington, the Mavericks took Schrempf eighth overall in 1985.

But Schrempf never quite found a role with the Mavericks, although he did average 7.8 points off the bench in the 1988 playoffs, when the Mavericks pushed the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

In February 1989, Dallas traded Schrempf to the Pacers and his career took off from there.

Schrempf was an All-Star with Indiana in 1993 and he was the Sixth Man of the Year in both 1990-91 and 1991-92.

But in four playoff appearances, the Pacers never got out of the first round and in November 1993, just before the start of the season, Indiana swapped Schrempf to the SuperSonics.

Schrempf was a third-team All-NBA selection in 1994-95 and a two-time All-Star in Seattle.

In the 1996 playoffs, everything finally came together for the Sonics, who pushed through the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets to get to the Western Conference Finals, then beat the Utah Jazz in Game 7 at KeyArena to reach the Finals.

But Seattle ran into Michael Jordan’s mission season, the 72-win Bulls of 1995-96. The Sonics did salvage Games 4 and 5 at home after falling into a 3-0 hole in the series, but fell in Game 6 back at the United Center in Chicago.

Schrempf’s final act began when he signed with the Trail Blazers as a free agent in August 1999.

As a reserve with Portland in the 2000 playoffs, the Blazers tore through the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Jazz and locked horns with the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, with the Lakers completing an iconic comeback from 15 points down in the fourth quarter of Game 7 at Staples Center to knock off the Blazers.

In his final season, Schrempf was limited by injuries to just 26 games, but did come back for the Blazers first-round loss.

Schrempf is a business development officer at Coldstream Capital in Seattle and also does work for children’s charities in the Pacific Northwest.

The final tally on Schrempf’s playoff career:

NBA Finals: 0-1
Conference Finals: 1-2
Conference Semifinals: 3-3
First Round: 6-8

Next: 40. Defensive Stalwart