The ultimate goal of a professional athlete is to win a championship. However, sometimes that goal is not reached. In fact some of the best players ever in their respective sport have come up short when it comes to winning a title. I plan on doing a thread for each of the four major sports to discuss who the best player is to not win a title. I will start with the NBA:
Patrick Ewing- He was the number one overall pick of the Knicks in the 1985 NBA draft. One of the greatest centers of all time, Ewing played with the Knicks for 15 seasons, Seattle for 1 year, and finally Orlando for 1 year. In his 17 NBA seasons Ewing was a full time starter every year except his last. He made two trips to the finals in his career, both with the Knicks. In 1994 he led the Knicks to a 3-2 series lead against the Rockets but Houston won games 6 and 7 at home to win the title. Then in 1999 the Knicks made the finals against the Spurs but Ewing was injured and unable to play. The Knicks lost that series in 5 games.
John Stockton/Karl Malone- Obviously if you go with one of these guys only pick one, but I put them together because their names became synonymous with each other during their 18 seasons together. Stockton was drafted in the first round in 1984 and spent all 19 seasons of his career with the Jazz. Malone was drafted one year later in the first round and spent 18 of his 19 seasons with the Jazz. Together they took Utah to back to back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 both times losing to the Bulls in 6 games. After Stockton retired, Karl Malone went to LA to play one season with the Lakers. The team from the beginning seemed destined to win it all with Malone, Gary Payton, Kobe, and Shaq all together. However, they met up with a Detroit Pistons team in the finals that was just better and the Lakers lost in 5 games.
Charles Barkley- Drafted in the first round in 1984 Barkley spent 16 seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, Suns, and Rockets. Barkley had a tremendous career but only made the NBA Finals once. In 1993 he helped lead the Suns to the finals where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in 6 games. His last real chance came in his first year in Houston where he joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, however, the team lost to the Jazz in the West Finals.
Reggie Miller- He was a first round pick in 1987 and spent his entire 18 year career in Indiana. Although the team around him wasnt always great, Miller was the one constant and the leader of the team. He led the Pacers to one finals appearance in 2000 against the LA Lakers. They lost that series in 6 games and Reggie was never able to make it back, although he came close in 2004 losing in the East Finals to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons.
Other Candidates include: George Gervin, Allen Iverson, Gary Payton etc.
It's tough but my pick would be Karl Malone. Who ya got?
Patrick Ewing- He was the number one overall pick of the Knicks in the 1985 NBA draft. One of the greatest centers of all time, Ewing played with the Knicks for 15 seasons, Seattle for 1 year, and finally Orlando for 1 year. In his 17 NBA seasons Ewing was a full time starter every year except his last. He made two trips to the finals in his career, both with the Knicks. In 1994 he led the Knicks to a 3-2 series lead against the Rockets but Houston won games 6 and 7 at home to win the title. Then in 1999 the Knicks made the finals against the Spurs but Ewing was injured and unable to play. The Knicks lost that series in 5 games.
John Stockton/Karl Malone- Obviously if you go with one of these guys only pick one, but I put them together because their names became synonymous with each other during their 18 seasons together. Stockton was drafted in the first round in 1984 and spent all 19 seasons of his career with the Jazz. Malone was drafted one year later in the first round and spent 18 of his 19 seasons with the Jazz. Together they took Utah to back to back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 both times losing to the Bulls in 6 games. After Stockton retired, Karl Malone went to LA to play one season with the Lakers. The team from the beginning seemed destined to win it all with Malone, Gary Payton, Kobe, and Shaq all together. However, they met up with a Detroit Pistons team in the finals that was just better and the Lakers lost in 5 games.
Charles Barkley- Drafted in the first round in 1984 Barkley spent 16 seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, Suns, and Rockets. Barkley had a tremendous career but only made the NBA Finals once. In 1993 he helped lead the Suns to the finals where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in 6 games. His last real chance came in his first year in Houston where he joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, however, the team lost to the Jazz in the West Finals.
Reggie Miller- He was a first round pick in 1987 and spent his entire 18 year career in Indiana. Although the team around him wasnt always great, Miller was the one constant and the leader of the team. He led the Pacers to one finals appearance in 2000 against the LA Lakers. They lost that series in 6 games and Reggie was never able to make it back, although he came close in 2004 losing in the East Finals to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons.
Other Candidates include: George Gervin, Allen Iverson, Gary Payton etc.
It's tough but my pick would be Karl Malone. Who ya got?