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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 51
Next
Brandon Roy
Brandon Roy (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /

49. Brandon Roy

  • Years Active: 2006 to 2011; 2012-13
  • Teams Played For: Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • All-NBA: 2x (Second Team, Third Team)

The Portland Trail Blazers of the 2000s may be the No. 1 team to reference when discussing what could have been. Greg Oden was the No. 1 overall selection at the 2007 NBA Draft, but he only played 105 total games in the Association before injuries forced him into retirement.

When it comes to the player who we actually witnessed in the superstar spotlight, however, Brandon Roy takes the cake. For those who had the privilege of watching him play, we all wish he could’ve stayed healthy. If so, he may have won a championship.

Roy missed 17 games in his fourth NBA season and never truly recovered. In fact, he retired for the first time roughly a year later. During that four-year window, however, he earned the reputation of being one of the best all-around players in the NBA.

Per NBC Sports Northwest, the legendary Kobe Bryant even identified Roy as the most difficult player to defend in the Western Conference:

"[Brandon] Roy 365 days, seven days a week. Roy has no weaknesses in his game."

High praise from a two-time scoring champion and 12-time All-Defense honoree.

Roy finished his last healthy season with averages of 22.6 points, 5.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game on .480/377/.824 shooting. He was a marksman from midrange, a more than capable shooter from beyond the arc, and one of the best in the Association at getting to the free-throw line.

A three-level scorer whose swan song was an instant classic of a performance against the Dallas Mavericks, Roy was Exhibit A of how to play the game at a high level and earn the respect of your peers.
In just four healthy seasons, Roy won Rookie of the Year, made two All-NBA teams, and became a three-time All-Star.

Now a high school basketball coach, Roy is racking up honors in a different way—including the 2017 Naismith National High School Coach of the Year award.