Are you trying to figure out what players have the most championship rings? Maybe, you are trying to figure out what teams have the most championships in the NBA. Unfortunately, some of us may not even know what an NBA championship ring is, but that is okay.
If you are a basketball enthusiast or are trying to win a debate with your basketball friends, we know how important it is to have all the information. Knowing the number of NBA championship rings won by each team or by players in the league is useful if you are a basketball fan. In today’s article, we will help you boost your basketball knowledge by reviewing the winningest players and teams in basketball.
First Things First: What is a Championship Ring?
An NBA championship ring is an award given to teams that win the NBA finals. The Rings are not only presented to players but are also given to the coaches and members of the executive front office. All of the NBA championship rings are made of either silver or gold.
The Rings are designed with the team’s name and symbol, the year the ring was won, and the player’s name. The championship rings are not awarded immediately after the finals are won, but instead, they are given out to the team members before the start of the first home game of the following season.
NBA championship rings are worth anywhere between $10,000- $500,000. The higher the prestige of the player and the team, the higher the value of the ring.
Which NBA Team Has Won the Most Championships?
Let’s now take a look at the NBA teams with the most championships. We are going to look at a general overview of the championship leaders, and then we will divide them into conferences and then view the most championships won over the last decade.
Team with Most Championships
The team with the most championship rings would be the Boston Celtics. The first championship of the Celtics team came in 1957, and their last championship was in 2008. The Boston Celtics won the NBA in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986 and 2008.
They have also won the most consecutive titles in the history of the NBA. They won eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966, and they also won back-to-back titles in 1968 and 69. Red Auerbach coached the Celtics to their first NBA championship.
Auerbach coached the team to a total of 9 NBA championships. Bill Russell coached the Celtics to two championships in 1968 and 1969 as a player-coach.
Team with Second-Most Championships
The team with the second-most championship rings would be the Los Angeles Lakers. The first championship for the Lakers came in 1949, and their last championship was in 2010. The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA in 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010.
They have won the league three consecutive seasons twice (1952,1953,1954 and 2000,2001,2002). John Kundla coached the Lakers to their first NBA championship. John Kundla and Phil Jackson coached the team to five championships each, and Pat Riley coached the team to four titles.
Team with Third-Most Championships
The Golden State Warriors and the Chicago Bulls both tie for the third most NBA titles won. The Golden State Warriors won their first title in 1947 behind the incredible play of Joe Fulks and the leadership of coach Eddie Gottlieb. Their last title was in 2018. That was their third championship in four years.
That championship team is arguable one of the best teams to date. They had incredible players like Curry, Klay, and KD on their roster. Steve Kerr coached those championship teams. Other notable players that contributed to the championship titles of the Warriors are Tom Gola and Rick Barry.
The Bulls won their first title in 1991 behind the incredible Michael Jordan and the great Scottie Pippen. They had the leadership of coach Phil Jackson. Their last title was in 1998. That was their sixth championship in eight years. Those championship teams are widely considered to be the best that have ever played. They had incredible players like MJ, Pippen, Parish, and Rodman on their roster.
Team with the Most Championships in the Eastern Conference
The Boston Celtics with 17 Championships lead the eastern conference in titles.
Team with the Second-Most Championships in the Eastern Conference
The Chicago Bulls with six titles are in second place behind the Boston Celtics.
Team with the Most Championships in the Western Conference
The L.A. Lakers lead the western conference. The Lakers won sixteen NBA championships with the latest coming in 2010
Team with the Second-Most Championships in the Western Conference
The team with the second-most championships in the western conference would be the Golden State Warriors, with a total of six NBA championships.
In the last decade, the traditionally great teams have not been so great. They are doing fairly well in the regular season, but are struggling to win championships. Let’s take a look at the most successful teams in the last decade.
The Most Successful Team over the Last Decade
In the last ten years, the team with the most NBA championships would be the Golden State Warriors. The Golden State Warriors have won 3 championships since 2010. They won the title in 2015,2017, and 2018. They have clearly been the most dominant team in this decade.
There are other teams in the NBA that have won more games over the last ten years, but they have not won more championships. The Golden State Warriors also set the regular-season record for most wins in a season in the 2015-2016 season.
In the 2015-2016 season of the Golden State Warriors won 173 games but did not win the NBA championship title. They lost in the finals to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Second-Most Successful Team over the Last Decade
The Miami Heat has the second most championships over the last ten years. In 2010 on the 8th of July, LeBron James announced to the world that he would be signing with the Miami Heat. In addition to the LeBron James signing, Miami Heat also acquired star free agent, Chris Bosh to put alongside their superstar duo of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
Unfortunately, the Miami Heat stars did not win the championship in their first season together as the big three. They lost in the finals to a Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas team. In the following years, however, the Miami Heat won back-to-back championships.
Which NBA Players Have the Most Championship Rings?
NBA Player with the Most Rings.
Bill Russell has the most NBA championship rings of any player who has ever played in the NBA. Bill Russell played 13 seasons in the NBA and managed to win 11 championships. Bill was drafted 2nd overall by the Saint Louis Hawks in the 1956 draft. He was traded shortly after to the Boston Celtics. Bill Russell would go on to play his entire NBA career with the Celtics.
NBA Player with the Second-Most Rings.
The player with the second-highest amount of rings is another lifelong Boston Celtics great, Sam Jones. Sam Jones won 10 NBA championship rings with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1969. He played 12 seasons in the NBA and won championships 10 of those seasons.
NBA Player with the Third-Most Rings.
There are four other Boston Celtics players that tie for third place on the all-time championship winners list. They are Tom Heinsohn, K.C.Jones, Tom Sanders, and John Havlicek. These guys won their championships with the Boston Celtics from 1957 up to 1976.
Who Has the Most NBA Rings With Different Teams?
Who Has the Most NBA Rings With Different Teams?Some players are fortunate enough to find success in multiple different markets. Let’s take a look at some players that went two different teams in the NBA and won championships
1st
Robert Horry has won the most NBA championships with different teams. He played 16 seasons in the NBA and is the only player that did not play for the 1950s and 60s Boston Celtics team with seven or more championships. Robert Horry was drafted 11th in the 1992 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets.
Throughout his career, he averaged 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Some people will say he was lucky to have been on so many championship teams, as he was not a major contributor to the success of these teams. Robert Horry won 2 championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. He won 3 championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Finally, he won 2 championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007.
2nd
Next on our list, we have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar only won championships on the two NBA teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kareem won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks and 1971 and then won 5 championships with the L.A. Lakers. His championship years with the Los Angeles Lakers were 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988.
Which Current NBA Players Have the Most Rings?
Currently, there are NBA players that have multiple championship rings. A championship ring is one of the most sought-after accolades for many players in the league today. Some players will tell you that they define their career success based on their ability to win a ring.
Let’s take a look at some of the most recognizable players in the NBA with multiple rings and find out who has the most rings.
LeBron James. LeBron James is one of the multiple players in the NBA with three championship rings. He has been a dynamo since he entered the league in 2003 when he was drafted first by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James decided to take his talents to South Beach in 2010 to join up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. LeBron James won 2 championships in Miami before returning to Cleveland to bring the city their first NBA championship. This year, LeBron James is paired with Anthony Davis in Los Angeles. He is trying to add a fourth ring to his collection.
Next on our list, we have the big three of the Golden State Warriors. The Splash Brothers, Steph and Klay and Draymond Green. There are many players from this unit that won three rings in their four impressive seasons from 2014 to 2018.
The Golden State Warriors were severely depleted in 2019 when they faced the Toronto Raptors team in the finals. They lost in the finals and eventually lost their Superstar, Kevin Durant, to free agency. Let’s see if they can return to championship form next season.
Honorable Mention
Here is a name that many people often forget, Udonis Haslem. Udonis Haslem has 3 NBA championships that he won with the Miami Heat. He won the first with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal and the other two with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James.
Wrapping Things Up: Which NBA Players and Teams Have the Most Championship Rings?
The Boston Celtics have the most NBA championships with a 17, and the Lakers closely follow them with 16. Bill Russell leads all players in NBA history with 11 championships. Sam Jones is close behind Bill Russell with 10 NBA championships.
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