The 15 greatest NBA players without a championship ring, ranked

3. Karl Malone

Karl Malone is widely considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Spending the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz, Malone was one-half of one of the greatest duos of all time along with point guard John Stockton. He was known for his incredible scoring ability, strength, and durability. 

Throughout his 19-year NBA career, Malone earned two NBA MVP awards, 14 NBA All-Star selections, 14 All-NBA selections, 4 All-Defensive teams, and two Olympic gold medals with the United States Men's basketball team. 

Despite reaching the NBA Finals twice with the Jazz, Malone never won a championship, falling both times to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. He made a third appearance in the championship round with the Los Angeles Lakers in his final season in the league but ultimately lost to the Detroit Pistons.

Malone retired following the 2004 season, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most prolific scorers and consistent performers in league history. Just four NBA players have achieved the impressive milestone of scoring over 20,000 points, grabbing more than 10,000 rebounds, and dishing out at least 5,000 assists throughout their careers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, and Malone. The Hall of Famer ranks third all-time in points and seventh all-time in rebounds.