NBA: Ranking the 30 best NBA Championship Rings

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 30: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks at his 2012 NBA Championship ring following a ceremony prior to the game against the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Arena on October 30, 2012 in Miami, Florida. 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 Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /

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Washington Wizards logo (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Ranking the best championship rings in NBA history: 30. Washington Bullets, 1978

The old NBA championship rings weren’t exactly eye-catching. Nowadays, NBA players who took home the game’s biggest prize are awarded with gargantuan rings, encrusted with a ridiculous amount of diamonds at the start of the following season.

In 1978, then known as the Washington Bullets, the franchise had suffered through two previous Finals losses. Luckily for them, the third time was the charm.

Facing a 3-2 deficit after five games, fans of the Bullets were convinced that their team was once again going to let them down. Unwilling to let yet another NBA title slip through their fingers, Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld took over. Hayes scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 15 boards to lead them to a Game 6 victory over the Seattle Supersonics, while Unseld led Washington in rebounding in Game 7 to win the only championship in franchise history.

In return for their efforts, Bullets players were given gold rings with a single and rather small diamond in the middle. The sides of the rings were especially cool. On one end, it said the year in which the title was won along with a colorful picture of the NBA logo. On the other, each player’s name was etched into it along with the Bullets logo.

Hayes had a particularly memorable phrase on his ring which read, “The Fat Lady Sings”, paying homage to head coach Dick Motta.