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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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LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 27: Amar’e Stoudemire #1 of the Phoenix Suns fights for position with Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 27: Amar’e Stoudemire #1 of the Phoenix Suns fights for position with Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

18. Amar’e Stoudemire

Phoenix Suns 2002-10, New York Knicks 2010-15, Dallas Mavericks 2015; Miami Heat 2015-16

The Phoenix Suns selected Orlando, Fla., high school standout Amar’e Stoudemire with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.

He grew up fast. Stoudemire was the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year and was a four-time All-NBA selection and five-time All-Star for the Suns.

A first-round exit in 2003 was followed by Phoenix missing the playoff party entirely the following year.

But in 2005, Phoenix swept the Memphis Grizzlies and beat the Dallas Mavericks to reach the Western Conference Finals, where they lost in five games to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Suns got back to the conference finals in 2006, but Stoudemire was out with a knee injury. In 2007, Phoenix was bounced by the Spurs in the second round.

After a first-round exit in 2008 and a playoff miss the following year, the Suns made another run in 2010. They topped the Portland Trail Blazers and swept San Antonio before losing in six games to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

In July 2010, Stoudemire joined the Knicks in a sign-and-trade deal. He was an All-NBA performer and an All-Star in 2010-11.

New York went out in the first round in 2011 and 2012 and with Stoudemire reduced to spare part because of recurring knee problems, the Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in the second round in 2013.

There were no playoffs for the Knicks in 2014 and in February 2015, Stoudemire was waived.

He signed two days later with the Dallas Mavericks and, as a reserve, helped the Mavericks to the playoffs, where they were bounced in the first round by the Houston Rockets.

Stoudemire signed a one-year deal with the Miami Heat last summer. The Heat managed his damaged knees carefully, using Stoudemire in just 52 games, in which he put up 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.7 minutes a night on .566/—/.746 shooting.

The Heat got to the second round, pushing the Toronto Raptors to seven games, before bowing out of the playoffs.

In 14 seasons, he is averaging 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 31.0 minutes per game while shooting .537/.236/.761.

The current tally on Stoudemire’s playoff career:

NBA Finals: 0-0
Conference Finals: 0-2
Conference Semifinals: 2-3
First Round: 5-5

Next: 17. Reached Finals As Sixth Man