Who are the greatest NBA players to not win each major award?

Every year, only one person can win each major NBA award. Unlike a championship or a statistical achievement like a scoring title, awards are largely out of a players’ hands. They depend entirely on votes from the media. As a result, even some of the greatest players have not won a major award.

All of the players on this list were eligible and came close to winning each of these awards at some point in time. For whatever reason, they simply were not selected. In some cases, it’s astonishing that the voters never chose them considering their accolades and statistical accomplishments.

Who’s the greatest player to not win MVP, DPOY, All-NBA, All-Star, or All-Defense? Take a trip through history as we examine the greats who fell just short.

When selecting players who were snubbed, I tried to avoid active players as they could someday win each award. Also, I looked most at their competency at each level more than their overall ranking or general legacy.

For example, LeBron James may have a better legacy as he may be a greater player than Tim Duncan, but Duncan was a much more prolific defender. As a result, he’s a bigger snub for the Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

Let’s look back and figure out who were the greatest players to miss out on each major award.