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Talking about the NBA players with the most rings can lead to some unpredictable outcomes.
13 NBA players with the most rings
Most new NBA fans fail to guess those who are on top of the list, as most of those are not-so-known guys. But hey, who says role players don’t win championships?
Scottie Pippen – 6
Our list of the NBA players with the most rings starts with the legendary Scottie Pippen. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls would’ve never accomplished what they did without Pippen’s suffocating defense and timely offensive contributions. He was the perfect complement for the best player in NBA history.
Pippen is often overlooked because of Jordan’s presence. But he was the standard for two-way forwards and one of the best players in the league when he was in his prime. With him, the Bulls went a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals, winning two three-peats.
Michael Jordan – 6
Michael Jordan had the privilege to play for Phil Jackson, one of the best coaches in NBA history. But he was also the centerpiece in the most dominant team of all time, not to mention the guy that saved the league when it needed a hero. He’s the greatest player to ever do it, at least to most old-school fans.
Jordan holds the highest points-per-game average in the history of the league, all while being one of just five guards to win Defensive Player of the Year. Just like the aforementioned Pippen, he led the Chicago Bulls to a perfect 6-0 run in the NBA Finals, winning the title in 1991, 1992, and 1993, and then again in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 6
Not many people talk about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the GOAT debate, which is something I just can’t fathom. If anything, Kareem has more than enough arguments to be considered the greatest big man of all time, being an example of durability and impact on both ends of the floor.
Kareem’s all-time scoring record stood for decades, and he continues to hold the mark for the most MVPs won by any NBA player. Known as Lew Alcindor, he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their very-first NBA championship in 1971 and then won five more with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988.
Bob Cousy – 6
Bob Cousy became a talking point in NBA circles recently because of JJ Redick’s disrespectful comments about the old days. He wasn’t exactly impressed by the legendary Boston Celtics point guard, even if he played a pivotal role in one of the greatest basketball dynasties of all time.
Of course, the footage isn’t exactly impressive, and it’s hard to think that Cousy would’ve cracked an NBA roster if he were to play in today’s game. But even so, he helped the Celtics win six NBA championships, specifically in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963.
Robert Horry – 7
Robert Horry is the ultimate winner, a guy every single coach would kill to have on their team, and the kind of player whose impact was never reflected on the stat sheet. ‘Big Shot Bob’ made a living out of knocking down huge shots in the clutch throughout his entire career, playing outstanding defense as well.
Horry was a bona fide winner that helped three franchises achieve the ultimate goal. He won a couple of rings with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, then three more with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and then a couple more with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007. He’s got more rings than Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant.
Frank Ramsey – 7
Nowadays, we talk about Jamal Crawford, Lou Williams, or Manu Ginobili when talking about the best substitutes in the league. But actually, Frank Ramsey was the guy who paved the way for all of them, being the first elite Sixth Man in the history of the game.
Ramsey spent his entire playing career with the Boston Celtics, helping them win the title in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964. He claimed that he was more comfortable coming off the bench because it allowed him to stay fresh to close out games.
Jim Loscutoff – 7
Notably, Jim Loscutoff is the only player from that iconic Boston Celtics dynasty that wasn’t inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. That says a lot about his contributions to this team, as not even winning seven NBA championships was enough to get the nod.
Loscutoff spent his entire nine-year career with the Boston Celtics organization, just like Ramsey. He won a ring in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964, but he wasn’t exactly a prominent member of the team, averaging roughly six points and five rebounds per game over his career.
John Havlicek – 8
John Havlicek is one of the most impactful two-way players in the history of this beautiful game. Once again, he was a part of those legendary Boston Celtics teams, but unlike some of the guys mentioned here, he was actually one of the main reasons why they were able to find that much success.
Havlicek won a ring in 50% of the seasons he played in the NBA, which is a remarkable accomplishment on its own. He was quick with his arm and his feet and deadly in passing lanes, not to mention an explosive scorer with moves ahead of his time. He was a champion in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976.
Satch Sanders – 8
The Boston Celtics already had a plethora of stars, so they needed someone who could handle defensive duties. Notably, Satch Sanders was one of the finest in that regard, and his ability to get stops on the wing was incredibly valuable.
Sanders, like most players on this list, spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics. He went a perfect 8-0 in the NBA Finals before retiring and pursuing a career in coaching, winning the NBA championship in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.
K.C. Jones – 8
K.C. Jones was a basketball legend. Not only did he spend his entire career with the Boston Celtics after a remarkable career in college with San Francisco, but he also went on to become one of the top 15 greatest coaches in NBA history.
Jones won eleven championships as a whole, eight as a player (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1966), two as an assistant coach, and one as a coach. He’s the only African American coach besides Bill Russell with multiple titles.
Tom Heinsohn – 8
Tom Heinsohn is one of the greatest representatives of the Boston Celtics, and we’re not talking just about his playing days. He spent his entire career as a player there, and then coached the team before becoming a color commentator for their broadcast.
Nicknamed ‘Mr. Celtic,’ he was tied to the franchise in some way for more than three decades. Heisohn was a deadly scorer and a six-time All-Star, winning rings in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965 as a player before winning two more as a coach.
Sam Jones – 10
Even though Bill Russell got most of the spotlight, he couldn’t have won 11 championships in 13 seasons without Sam Jones. Jones ranks second in the all-time list with ten titles in 12 seasons, being one of just three players that won eight championships in a row; K.C. Jones and Russell are the other two.
Playing as a shooting guard, Jones was often in charge of leading the offense while Russell anchored the defense in the restricted area. A five-time All-Star and crafty ball-handler, he became a champion in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.
Bill Russell – 11
And, just as you may know by now, Bill Russell continues to sit on top of the NBA players with most rings list. Notably, this record isn’t likely to be topped any time soon, if ever, as the league has become so competitive that there’s no way a team will win 11 championships during a player’s career.
As a matter of fact, just two NBA franchises have won at least 11 rings (the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers), so that tells you all you need to know about the competitiveness of the Association. Russell was the ruling force for 11 out of 13 seasons he played in the NBA, leading the Celtics to rings in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969, and he’s considered the greatest rim protector of all time.
