The 15 greatest NBA players without a championship ring, ranked

8. Tracy McGrady

Entering the NBA straight from high school in 1997, Tracy McGrady quickly established himself as a rising star, known for his scoring ability, athleticism, and versatility. After three seasons of playing in Vince Carter’s shadow with the Toronto Raptors, he was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he truly blossomed into one of the league's elite players.

He earned a reputation for incredible scoring outbursts, including a career-high 62 points, which still stands as the Orlando Magic’s franchise record. He also led the league in scoring for two consecutive seasons.

In his prime, T-Mac was one of the NBA’s most fearsome scorers and the only player to rival prime Kobe Bryant. The most iconic moment of his career occurred while playing alongside Yao Ming with the Houston Rockets. Trailing the San Antonio Spurs by eight points late in the fourth quarter, McGrady scored an astonishing 13 points in the final 35 seconds of the game to lead the Rockets to a one-point victory.

Like many others on this list, he was plagued by injuries throughout his prime years, limiting his production. One major stain on his resume is he was never able to lead a team past the first round of playoffs.

Although he never experienced hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy, he earned seven All-Star and All-NBA selections, won two scoring titles, and was named the 2001 NBA Most Improved Player. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 for his significant impact on the sport.