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NBA: Ranking the 30 best players to win NBA Finals with 2 or more teams

By Corey Rausch

CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 16: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L) and Shaquille O'Neal attend the AT&T Slam Dunk during the 2019 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at Spectrum Center on February 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 16: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L) and Shaquille O'Neal attend the AT&T Slam Dunk during the 2019 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at Spectrum Center on February 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images) /
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Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/ Getty Images) /

Best NBA players to win NBA Finals with two or more teams: 13. Jamaal Wilkes

Jamaal Wilkes spent his entire basketball career in the state of California and was better for it. Growing up in Berkeley, California, Wilkes played high school in Santa Barbara, college at UCLA and was drafted 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors.

Wilkes was named Rookie of the Year and posted an impressive stat line of 14.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals for a Warriors team that would win the NBA Championship. The following season, Wilkes made his first (of three) All-Star appearances. Wilkes played a total of three seasons with the Warriors and made two All-Defensive teams during his tenure.

Joining the Showtime Lakers came next and so came the accolades. During his time with the Lakers Wilkes would be named to two more All-Star games and would win three more championships. At his peak, his numbers were strong: 22.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals. He was a 20 point per game scorer (20.0 and 20.3 specifically) for the Lakers in the two Finals appearances he was healthy for.

The forgotten moment for Wilkes comes in a game that is famous, but for the performance, his teammate put on. In the deciding game of the 1980 NBA Finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unable to play. Magic Johnson made his legend that day as a rookie guard starting at center. Johnson posted a line of 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. Wilkes was not too far behind with 37 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Wilkes was made for the biggest stage.