Hoops Habit
Fansided

50 greatest NBA players to never win a championship

By Maxwell Ogden

PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 01: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers expresses emotion after making a basket during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2005 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 117-108 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 01: Allen Iverson #3 of the Philadelphia 76ers expresses emotion after making a basket during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 1, 2005 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 117-108 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

33. Kevin Johnson

  • Years Active: 1987 to 2000
  • Teams Played For: Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns
  • NBA Finals Appearances: 1

One of the best players who has not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame, Phoenix Suns legend Kevin Johnson was the complete package. A predecessor to athletic lead guards such as Baron Davis and Russell Westbrook, Johnson was just as likely to beat you with his skill as he was to rise up and throw down a ferocious dunk on a legendary big man like Hakeem Olajuwon.

A five-time All-NBA honoree and the winner of the 1989 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award, Johnson was one of the premier guards of his era and a winner at just below the highest level.

Between 1988-89 and 1996-97, Johnson averaged 19.8 points and 10.0 assists per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 83.9 percent from the charity stripe. He created offense for himself and others, both while sharing a backcourt with Jeff Hornacek and guiding the ball into Charles Barkley’s hands on the low block.

Johnson and Hornacek actually led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals in both 1989 and 1990, only falling to elite teams led by Hall of Famers in Magic Johnson and Clyde Drexler.

Johnson returned to center stage in 1992-93, when he and Barkley helped Phoenix make the second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. Barkley’s 44 points and 24 rebounds in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals stand the test of time, but Johnson stepped up himself with 22 points, nine assists, four steals, two blocks, and a litany of clutch free throws.

Johnson may not yet be in the Hall of Fame with the other great point guards in NBA history, but he played at a level that certainly warrants his induction. Not only was he something of a trendsetter, but he was a winner.

A championship just narrowly escaped Johnson’s grasp in a 1993 NBA Finals during which all six games were determined by 10 points or less.