Who would be the most decorated players if the NBA gave medals instead of rings?
It’s all about the rings, as we’re reminded over and over again online every day. But what if the NBA operated like FIBA with National Team tournaments and gave medals to the squads in the Top 3 instead of just championship rings to the players on the winning team? Who would have the most medals in NBA history if that were the case?
To explore this scenario, we awarded gold medals to each player on a championship team, silver to those losing in the Finals, and bronze to members of the franchise with the best regular-season record eliminated in the Conference Finals.
With this system, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be the all-time leader with 14 medals, followed by a host of Celtic and Laker legends, including LeBron James.
Check the full ranking below:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 14 medals
Gold: Six (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1974, 1983, 1984, 1989)
Bronze: Four (1970, 1972, 1977, 1986)
Bill Russell: 13 medals
Gold: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
Sam Jones: 12 medals
Gold: 10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
John Havlicek: 11 medals
Gold: Eight (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
LeBron James: 11 medals
Gold: Four (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
Silver: Six (2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Bronze: One (2009)
Tom 'Satch' Sanders: 10 medals
Gold: Eight (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Bronze: Two (1967, 1973)
Magic Johnson: 10 medals
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
Derek Fisher: 10 medals
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Three (2004, 2008, 2012)
Bronze: Two (1998, 2014)
Slater Martin: 10 medals
Wilt Chamberlain: 10 medals
Gold: Two (1967, 1972)
Silver: Four (1964, 1969, 1970, 1973)
Bronze: Four (1961, 1965, 1966, 1968)
Tommy Heinsohn: Nine medals
Gold: Eight (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
Silver: One (1958)
KC Jones: Nine medals
Gold: Eight (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)
Silver: –
Bronze: One (1967)
Michael Cooper: Nine medals
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Three (1983, 1984, 1989)
Bronze: One (1986)
Don Nelson: Nine medals
Gold: Five (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Silver: One (1965)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
Danny Ainge: Nine medals
Gold: Two (1984, 1986)
Silver: Four (1985, 1987, 1992, 1993)
Bronze: Three (1982, 1988, 1991)
Jerry West: Nine medals
Gold: One (1972)
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
Frank Ramsey: Eight medals
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
Jim Loscutoff: Eight medals
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
Robert Horry: Eight medals
Gold: Seven (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007)
Bronze: One (1998)
Bob Cousy: Eight medals
Gold: Six (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1953)
Kobe Bryant: Eight medals
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Two (2004, 2008)
Bronze: One (1998)
Dennis Rodman: Eight medals
Gold: Five (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998)
Silver: One (1988)
Bronze: Two (1987, 1995)
Tim Duncan: Eight medals
Gold: Five (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
Silver: One (2013)
Bronze: Two (2001, 2012)
Steve Kerr: Eight medals
Gold: Five (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003)
Bronze: Three (1989, 1992, 2001)
Kurt Rambis: Eight medals
Gold: Four (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Two (1983, 1984)
Bronze: Two (1986, 1990)
Robert Parish: Eight medals
Gold: Four (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Two (1982, 1988)
Shaquille O'Neal: Eight medals
Gold: Four (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Silver: Two (1995, 2004)
Bronze: Two (1996, 1998)
James Jones: Eight medals
Gold: Three (2012, 2013, 2016)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
Bronze: One (2004)
James Worthy: Eight medals
Gold: Three (1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
Udonis Haslem: Eight medals
Gold: Three (2006, 2012, 2013)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2020, 2023)
Bronze: One (2022)
Larry Bird: Eight medals
Gold: Three (1981, 1984, 1986)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Three (1980, 1982, 1988)
Dick Barnett: Eight medals
Gold: Two (1970, 1973)
Silver: Three (1963, 1965, 1972)
Bronze: Three (1961, 1969, 1971)
Elgin Baylor: Eight medals
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)