The 15 greatest NBA players without a championship ring, ranked

10. Patrick Ewing

Drafted first overall by the New York Knicks in the 1985 NBA Draft, Patrick Ewing carved out a successful 17-year professional basketball career. The Knicks legend was selected to 11 All-Star teams, seven All-NBA teams, and three All-Defense teams. He also won two Olympic goldfor medals with the USA Men’s basketball team. 

Ewing was an outstanding defender, renowned for his shot-blocking skills and disrupting opponents' attempts near the basket. He used his size and strength to overpower defenders in the post and hold his ground against opposing big men, making him a formidable paint presence. He served as the defensive linchpin for his teams, offering crucial rim protection against opposing players with his imposing size and athleticism.

Big Pat led the Knicks to the 1994 NBA Finals but fell short to the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets in a hard-fought seven-game series. Despite the defeat, Ewing's impact and contributions during the Finals solidified his status as one of the premier players of his era. The Knicks made it to the Finals again in 1999 but an Achilles injury forced Ewing to miss the series as New York fell to the San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

Ewing was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. He was enshrined as an individual in 2008 and again in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic Dream Team. He’s one of only four players in NBA history to record at least 20,000 points, 11,000 rebounds, and 2,800 blocks in his career.