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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Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images) /

5. Patrick Ewing

  • Years Active: 1985 to 2002
  • Teams Played For: New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics, Orlando Magic
  • NBA Finals Appearances: 2

The New York Knicks haven’t won a championship since 1973. This author is painfully aware of that truth. Between 1985 and 2000, however, Ewing gave New York the type of hope that simply hasn’t been consistently provided at any point over the past 20 years.

Ewing left it all on the court and did everything in his power to end the Association’s most infamous championship drought. For that, this ranking was deserved.

Ewing was unable to deliver a championship to the Knicks, but two NBA Finals appearances with him and zero others since 1973 suggest that he was well worth the No. 1 overall selection at the 1985 NBA Draft.

Ewing was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985-86. He would go on to be a seven-time All-NBA honoree and an 11-time All-Star during a career that crossed paths with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, and David Robinson.

Ewing and the Knicks also pushed Michael Jordan and the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Playoffs—and beat Scottie Pippen and the Bulls in 1993-94 on their way to the NBA Finals.

For perspective: It was one of just two times between 1991 and 1998 that Jordan’s Bulls reached a Game 7 in any round of the Playoffs.

Furthermore, the Knicks reached the postseason in every campaign from 1987-88 to 1999-00 with Ewing as the franchise player. Since unceremoniously trading the franchise player, New York has only made the Playoffs five times in the 20 completed seasons that followed.

The other bit of crucial context: The fact that Ewing played with a grand total of ZERO players who made multiple All-Star Games.

Talk about carrying an organization to contending status.