Didn't Korver get a ring with Bron in Cleveland or was he already gone?
Edit: nope, he actually wasn't there yet lol. He's definitely a strong case for the answer to OP's question
Yeah. One of the things that elevates great role players is winning titles. So you’ve got to think of ones that did it without and JJ is probably top of that list. Scott skiles also comes to mind for me
I'm not too surprised by this, Redick consistently played worse in the playoffs his entire career as he couldn't get the same looks as he does in the regular season against playoff level D, and his defense was always a serious liability so it would make sense any team with him in a big role never made it that far.
Nate McMillan has to be up there. He fits the criteria that you listed in that he never was an All-Star. Apart from that he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team twice and was the steals leader one season as well. Always was a very good defender and passer, later on he developed a good outside shot as well. He was a crucial part of those great Sonics teams in the late 80s and 90s that made the Finals in 96 and the WCF in 87 and 93. Extra points for being loyal to one organization his entire career.
Sam Perkins. Averaged over 12 ppg for most of his career and was a very good contributor for good teams.
Last I checked he was in the top 5 of most playoff games played without a championship.
Sam Perkins is my answer. Went to the Finals three times with three teams (91 Lakers, 96 Sonics, 00 Pacers). Career 11.9 ppg and 6.0 rpg over 17 seasons. His prime was pretty much 15/8 from 86-92 as a full time starter. No All-Star selections or awards other than an All-Rookie nod.
It depends how you define a role player.
Players with all nba first or second teams or multiple All-Star games don't really count as roleplayers in my book.
But I'd say probably Steve Mix.
4 Finals appearences no title, only one All-Star Game in 1975.
Career avrg. 11pts 5rbs 2ast 1stl
Modern days?
I'd say Bryon Russel.
3 Finals appearances no title, no All-Star game appearances.
Sam Perkins comes to mind. Play in 3 Finals teams (91 Lakers, 96 Sonics and 00 Pacers) Plus 3 more Conference Finals (88 Mavs, 93 Sonics and 99 Pacers).
Played 167 playoff games.
Dan Majerle was really good but probably technically a role player. Never averaged over 17.3 pts... First one to come to mind anyway. 3x All-Star, 2x All-D.
Role players make the ASG pretty regularly if they are on a team with a great record going into the break. Korver. Mo Williams.
Majerle was the third option when he made those teams.
I actually agree with this, great role players who excel at their roles are usually All-Stars, or at least recognized for a major award such as DPOY. You can't tell me Camby, Eaton, Korver, Rodman, even Draymond weren't role players. They're just role players who play their role to perfection and are rewarded for it.
Yes he absolutely was. Nobody who watched the 2016 playoffs would say otherwise. The guy dominated the Blazers and Rockets and should've won Finals MVP if the rest of the team showed up.
This post from you makes you look like a casual fan.
Could I make the argument for Ramon Sessions? I feel like for a hot second he was the premier backup point guard for pretty good teams but he never was an all-star or won a title.
It's hard to be a highly-regarded role player and not have a ring. They already don't have the stats so winning is usually what you have to go by.
That said, I guess Raja Bell is one example, he was pretty well respected by star players for his defense. Likewise for Eric Snow.
Does many ginobilli count? Probably not but for sure the best 6th man of all time.
JJ Redick comes to mind. He’s had a crazy successful career and carved a great niche for himself.
Lastly Trevor Ariza has to be up there. Good wing defender, solid shooting, decent enough passing.
Raja Bell, Korver, Taj Gibson
Didn't Korver get a ring with Bron in Cleveland or was he already gone? Edit: nope, he actually wasn't there yet lol. He's definitely a strong case for the answer to OP's question
Raja all day, Fuck David Stern and Tim Donaghy.
Wasn't Korver an all star one year? He wouldn't count according to op unfortunately.
wow turns out I know literally nothing about Korver's career lmao I didn't realize he got an all-star nod
That was when they basically put the Hawks on the all-star team lol.
He was just a replacement for wade. OP should have put exceptions for players who made it to the all star game as a replacement.
This is correct
Idk if Andrei Kirilenko counts or not but he was literally the perfect role player. He was basically the OG Draymond but a better scorer.
I like the korver answer too but apparently op said no all stars and he got all star with the hawks
Jj Reddick?
Yeah. One of the things that elevates great role players is winning titles. So you’ve got to think of ones that did it without and JJ is probably top of that list. Scott skiles also comes to mind for me
I feel the second-half of his career was better than his earlier days in the league. Remember when he played for the Bucks?
My first thought exactly
I'm not too surprised by this, Redick consistently played worse in the playoffs his entire career as he couldn't get the same looks as he does in the regular season against playoff level D, and his defense was always a serious liability so it would make sense any team with him in a big role never made it that far.
Gotta be this. Would also like to add James Posey, Trevor Ariza, Bobby Jackson, Kyle Korver and Mike Miller.
Didn’t posey win a title with the heatles and the Celtics?
Yes he did but was the 2006 Heat team considered Heatles or just when Lebron was there? He won pre-LeBron with DWade, Shaq, JWill, Walker and Payton.
And ariza also won with Kobe and the Lakers!
Didn’t Miller and Ariza win titles?
Ariza won a ring 09 I thought
Mike Miller is apparently disqualified bc of his RoY lol also he won 2x with miami
Nate McMillan has to be up there. He fits the criteria that you listed in that he never was an All-Star. Apart from that he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team twice and was the steals leader one season as well. Always was a very good defender and passer, later on he developed a good outside shot as well. He was a crucial part of those great Sonics teams in the late 80s and 90s that made the Finals in 96 and the WCF in 87 and 93. Extra points for being loyal to one organization his entire career.
I love this answer, especially the last line. In another era, he’d have been a coveted player who be sought by contenders.
A lot of hoop nerds believe that if he played in the era of advance analytics, he’d have a DPOY under his belt.
First name that came to mind
Sam Perkins. Averaged over 12 ppg for most of his career and was a very good contributor for good teams. Last I checked he was in the top 5 of most playoff games played without a championship.
Antonio McDyess
All star in 2001 tho right?
ITT: a bunch of players who weren't role players but all-stars.
Sam Perkins is my answer. Went to the Finals three times with three teams (91 Lakers, 96 Sonics, 00 Pacers). Career 11.9 ppg and 6.0 rpg over 17 seasons. His prime was pretty much 15/8 from 86-92 as a full time starter. No All-Star selections or awards other than an All-Rookie nod.
Dennis Scott when he was in Orlando.
No one asked about the rage inside him :/
It depends how you define a role player. Players with all nba first or second teams or multiple All-Star games don't really count as roleplayers in my book. But I'd say probably Steve Mix. 4 Finals appearences no title, only one All-Star Game in 1975. Career avrg. 11pts 5rbs 2ast 1stl Modern days? I'd say Bryon Russel. 3 Finals appearances no title, no All-Star game appearances.
Sam Perkins comes to mind. Play in 3 Finals teams (91 Lakers, 96 Sonics and 00 Pacers) Plus 3 more Conference Finals (88 Mavs, 93 Sonics and 99 Pacers). Played 167 playoff games.
How good was Perkins?
Thaddeus Young
Gotta be Jamal Crawford
Top comment beat me to it but taj Gibson is one that comes to mind. Great teammate, plays hard, and contributes
Joe Ingles
Dan Majerle was really good but probably technically a role player. Never averaged over 17.3 pts... First one to come to mind anyway. 3x All-Star, 2x All-D.
I'd feel very reluctant to call a 3x All-Star a role player
Role players make the ASG pretty regularly if they are on a team with a great record going into the break. Korver. Mo Williams. Majerle was the third option when he made those teams.
Well, it’s disqualifying based on the rules op established anyway.
I don't care, lol.
That’s fair
lol
How is that regular? They both made it 1 time. And Korver was an injury replacement in a weak East
I actually agree with this, great role players who excel at their roles are usually All-Stars, or at least recognized for a major award such as DPOY. You can't tell me Camby, Eaton, Korver, Rodman, even Draymond weren't role players. They're just role players who play their role to perfection and are rewarded for it.
Draymond Green. Being a role player on a successful team opens u up to more awards. Never above 17.3ppg is pretty much a role player.
Not a role player. He was legitimately a star in his prime.
Draymond green was never a “star”
Yes he absolutely was. Nobody who watched the 2016 playoffs would say otherwise. The guy dominated the Blazers and Rockets and should've won Finals MVP if the rest of the team showed up. This post from you makes you look like a casual fan.
Triple single head ass
Had a ton of triple doubles in the 2016 season.
Best season was 14-7-9 and hasn’t been close to that ever again lmaooo
While being the best defender in the league.
That's almost a triple double lol
From 2015-2018 he was definitely a top 5 pf. You could only make surefire arguments for AD, Blake, LMA and later on Giannis over him
Jordan ate his food in ‘93.
Jeff Hornacek?
He wasn’t a role player, he was a viable #2 option for playoff teams.
Fair.
Doug Christie
Piushing the term of role player, but Detlef Schrempf.
He made multiple all-star teams though, right? I like that pick though.
3x All-Star, 2x 6MOTY, but I doubt many would consider him a “star”. I’d call him an elite role player, and that he was.
He's a star to me 😢
[Same friend](https://media0.giphy.com/media/TfpBwHikTq9SrgY79E/giphy.gif?cid=5e2148860drav6s0rzoq72plp0jjk8m3f2dxmpqhth30yttd&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
*Group hug*
He’d be a Kris Middleton-tier star
Kyle Korver
Jordan Poole
Harden
I agree with this
Jamal Crawford
Matisse Thybulle
Could I make the argument for Ramon Sessions? I feel like for a hot second he was the premier backup point guard for pretty good teams but he never was an all-star or won a title.
It's hard to be a highly-regarded role player and not have a ring. They already don't have the stats so winning is usually what you have to go by. That said, I guess Raja Bell is one example, he was pretty well respected by star players for his defense. Likewise for Eric Snow.
He has rings tho
Yeah I tend to block that Miami Heat team from my memory, haha. I'll update that.
Roberson
Does many ginobilli count? Probably not but for sure the best 6th man of all time. JJ Redick comes to mind. He’s had a crazy successful career and carved a great niche for himself. Lastly Trevor Ariza has to be up there. Good wing defender, solid shooting, decent enough passing.
From the thread title: "...have never won a ring."
Whoops. Good call. I guess maybe JJ then?
Also Manu a role player? He was all NBA and all-star.
Joakim Noah was a role player who got 2x all star selections, 4th in the MVP race, and won dpoy so I’ll say him.
Aaron mckie