Superstars in the NBA get the bulk of the credit when their team wins, mainly because they equally take the blame when the team loses. That goes the same for championship teams, as the best players receive the most criticism and take credit when everything goes their way. That is the nature of professional sports, and that will never change. But a team is never built purely on superstars; it comes down to a team effort.
- 2002-03 – San Antonio Spurs
- 2003-04 – Detroit Pistons
- 2004-05 – San Antonio Spurs
- 2005-06 – Miami Heat
- 2006-07 – San Antonio Spurs
- 2007-08 – Boston Celtics
- 2008-09 – Los Angeles Lakers
- 2009-10 – Los Angeles Lakers
- 2010-11 – Dallas Mavericks
- 2011-12 – Miami Heat
- 2012-13 – Miami Heat
- 2013-14 – San Antonio Spurs
- 2014-15 – Golden State Warriors
- 2015-16 – Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2016-17 – Golden State Warriors
- 2017-18 – Golden State Warriors
- 2018-19 – Toronto Raptors
- 2019-20 – Los Angeles Lakers
- 2020-21 – Milwaukee Bucks
- 2021-22 – Golden State Warriors
That is why role players have a massive impact on a team because even if they are not the primary scoring options, they have to do whatever it takes to complement the top players. We have seen throughout history how backups had proved to be the difference, even when the stars came to perform. But we will tackle a different perspective by focusing on the single worst player on the last 20 championship teams.
Based on production, stats, and overall impact on their team, these are the worst players in each given season’s appearance in the regular season and playoffs. Sometimes, players barely get playing time because of the amount of talent on a team, but that also has to do with the lack of real talent. Without further ado, here is the worst player on each championship team over the last two decades.
2002-03 – San Antonio Spurs
The Worst Player – Danny Ferry
Regular Season Stats: 1.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.3 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG
A 36-year-old big man with very limited capabilities, Danny Ferry, was on the team because of the fact that he was 6’10” and weighed 230 lbs. He was a massive man, no doubt, and was always a capable option to be thrown on the court to commit fouls and back up every other big man.
But he was the least talented member of the championship Spurs team in 2003, and at age 36, he was also one of the least athletic at the time. As expected, Ferry did not score a single point in the Finals. He barely played because Kevin Willis (even at age 40) was a better option on both ends of the court. Ferry still retired with a 2003 championship ring courtesy of Tim Duncan.
2003-04 – Detroit Pistons
The Worst Player – Darko Milicic
Regular Season Stats: 1.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.1 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG
One of the biggest busts in NBA draft history, Darko Milicic was actually part of the 2004 championship Detroit Pistons sides. Darko never seemed to take off in his career despite being a heralded young player with tremendous size at 7’0” and 250 lbs. He was non-existent throughout the season, as he scored only 48 points through 34 games in the season, over 159 minutes played.
He eventually became known as “The Human Victory Cigar” because of his appearance for the underdog Pistons side in 2004. The big man did not do much, unsurprisingly, as he scored zero points and grabbed 2 rebounds in 4 appearances in the NBA Finals. No doubt, Detroit knew they got a lemon in the draft.
2004-05 – San Antonio Spurs
The Worst Player – Rasho Nesterovic
Regular Season Stats: 5.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.1 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Most people might know Rasho Nesterovic by endless rants from famed analysts and pundits in the media, but the big man was actually part of a championship-winning side in 2005 with the San Antonio Spurs. He was 7’0” and 248 lbs, so size was a big part of why he was on the team, and his regular season numbers weren’t that bad.
But he lacked the skill to be a viable option off the bench, which is why he only averaged 6.8 PPG over his career, but his raw size and length made him a player to fill San Antonio’s bench. In the playoffs, Nesterovic played 114 minutes, scored 10 points, and had 26 rebounds.
2005-06 – Miami Heat
The Worst Player – Shandon Anderson
Regular Season Stats: 2.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.0 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG
The 2006 Miami Heat has to be one of the most surprising champions in recent memory. Down 0-2 against the Dallas Mavericks, Dwyane Wade kick-started one of the best comebacks in Finals history and ended up winning the championship. Wade was surreal, averaging 34.7 PPG and winning Finals MVP.
The worst player on the championship squad was Shandon Anderson, a 32-year-old guard who was not really much of a defender or floor spacer. He played 31 minutes, scored 6 points on 33.3% shooting, and was mainly a passenger on the team. He still earned a championship ring regardless, so he laughed to the bank.
2006-07 – San Antonio Spurs
The Worst Player – Jacque Vaughn
Regular Season Stats: 3.0 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Playoff Stats: 2.2 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The 2007 San Antonio Spurs were always going to win the championship, especially when coming up against a young LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. James was a force on the court, but he was not ready to win just yet and did not have the personnel around him. Meanwhile, the Spurs certainly did, with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili leading the charge.
The worst player on the team throughout the year was Jacque Vaughn, a 31-year-old guard that played 760 minutes and scored 192 points in the regular season. In the playoffs, Vaughn averaged 2.2 PPG. Youngster Beno Udrih was not given a chance to play much in the playoffs, but we came to find out eventually that he was a better player than Vaughn as well. Thanks to Tony Parker’s slashing ability, the Spurs won the title, and Vaughn was given a ring at the end of the year.
2007-08 – Boston Celtics
The Worst Player – Tony Allen
Regular Season Stats: 6.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.3 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The 2007-08 Boston Celtics were so good that Tony Allen was the least impactful player off the bench during their championship run. An elite defender, Allen would become one of the most feared perimeter defenders of his time. But with the Celtics, he was only 26 years old and was finding his way.
Allen played a total of 65 minutes in the playoffs and was “outplayed” by other supposed bench players, including Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown. Credit must go to Celtics management for building a team that had every player contribute from top to bottom because they were truly stacked with stars, veterans, and capable role players.
2008-09 – Los Angeles Lakers
The Worst Player – D.J. Mbenga
Regular Season Stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.3 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
D.J. Mbenga was a 7-footer with very limited skills, which is why he had limited minutes. His main role was to be a cheerleader and positive locker-room influence, which he certainly was. How many times did we see the big man run off the bench to celebrate big plays from his teammates?
Kudos to him because he earned over $10 million in salary and even retired with 2 NBA rings, thanks to Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. But there was no doubt that Mbenga was the worst player on the Lakers behind Josh Powell and Luke Walton.
2009-10 – Los Angeles Lakers
The Worst Player – D.J. Mbenga
Regular Season Stats: 2.1 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The 2010 Los Angeles Lakers went back-to-back thanks to mainly Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, and even if D.J. Mbenga was the worst player on the team, he wasn’t necessarily useless. The center was a positive figure on the bench and knew how to be a motivator alongside better players, which is why he earned his spot on the bench with the Purple and Gold.
Mbenga was not given much of a chance to play with the Lakers because he lacked scoring or rebounding presence, but he was also a factor to come in at the end of blowout games because he was 7’0” and 245 lbs. Still, Mbenga was the worst player for the Lakers over the two championship years.
2010-11 – Dallas Mavericks
The Worst Player – Brian Cardinal
Regular Season Stats: 2.6 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.5 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Brian Cardinal was never supposed to be a capable player on a title-contending team. He had size at 6’8” and 245 lbs, but at age 33, he was certainly slow and somewhat of a defensive liability. The big man could space the floor, so he was a unique player in that regard during the 2011 season.
Cardinal barely played in the playoffs, to be fair, as he only had 37 minutes to prove he belonged on the court more. He scored 10 points over those minutes and was not needed because of the presence of multiple role players competing at the highest level for Dallas.
2011-12 – Miami Heat
The Worst Player – Juwan Howard
Regular Season Stats: 1.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.8 PPG, 0.1 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Former All-Star Juwan Howard famously played with LeBron James on multiple occasions and won 2 NBA titles because of that. The first one came in 2012 with the Miami Heat, where he was the worst player on the team in terms of impact and talent. But at age 38, he was not supposed to be an impact player.
Howard only scored 7 points in the NBA playoffs and averaged under 1 PPG despite playing a total of 24 minutes over 9 games. His veteran leadership and old-school mentality were important in the locker room, but he had little impact on the court for a team that was simply better than the Oklahoma City Thunder, thanks to LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
2012-13 – Miami Heat
The Worst Player – Joel Anthony
Regular Season Stats: 1.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Joel Anthony probably did not have the talent to be an NBA player. But luckily, he was born to be 6’9” and weighed over 240 lbs, so his size made him a useful presence in the paint whenever he was on the court in limited minutes.
Anthony barely had an impact on the 2013 championship-winning Miami Heat because he was a backup to the likes of Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, and Chris “Birdman” Anderson. Anthony still retired with an impressive 2 NBA titles thanks to being part of a Miami Heat superteam led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
2013-14 – San Antonio Spurs
The Worst Player – Matt Bonner
Regular Season Stats: 3.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.2 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Known as the “Red Rocket,” Matt Bonner was known for his efficient shooting from the three-point line. But when he wasn’t wide open and on the receiving end of a pass, Bonner was almost invisible as an NBA player. He lacked athleticism and could not do much else but shoot.
In the 2014 playoffs, he averaged 1.2 PPG and made 4 three-pointers in the 22 appearances he had. In the Finals, it wasn’t even better. His only points in the NBA Finals came via 3 free throws and a field goal, and could not do much else. The 2014 Spurs were stacked with talent, so Bonner has to be recognized as the least talented player on the team at the time.
2014-15 – Golden State Warriors
The Worst Player – Justin Holiday
Regular Season Stats: 4.3 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.6 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The 2015 Golden State Warriors did not have Kevin Durant yet, but they were stacked with All-Star-caliber players (Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala) and a host of excellent role players. The worst of them was Justin Holiday, a decent defender, but nothing else.
Other than Marreese Speights and James Michael McAdoo, Justin Holiday had negligible numbers. He only appeared in 11 minutes in the playoffs to his defense, but he lacked the natural talent to actually be a factor in the Finals. Nothing more than a benchwarmer, Holiday still earned his ring when the Finals were over.
2015-16 – Cleveland Cavaliers
The Worst Player – James Jones
Regular Season Stats: 3.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.5 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
James Jones is widely regarded as the benchwarmer that benefitted from LeBron James’ presence as a superstar because he was included in many of The King’s rosters despite not being a key performer. Jones could shoot, but he was never expected to shoot.
Jones appeared in a total of 55 minutes in the playoffs, appearing in 12 games. The swingman scored 6 points on 20% shooting from the field, and while he was not given enough time to pad his stats, there is no denying Jones was the worst player on the Cavaliers squad behind Jordan McRae and Channing Frye.
2016-17 – Golden State Warriors
The Worst Player – James Michael McAdoo
Regular Season Stats: 2.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.8 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
James Michael McAdoo was still a youngster in the 2017 season with the Golden State Warriors, and he was not a big man that could play at least 5 MPG at the end of games. McAdoo was young, incapable of defending at a starting-caliber level, and was an inconsistent scorer.
But his athleticism made him a valuable locker-room guy for the Warriors, even if he hardly made an impact on the stat sheet in the NBA playoffs. The youngster averaged under 2 PPG in the postseason, and he did not have to do too much for the Warriors to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2017-18 – Golden State Warriors
The Worst Player – Patrick McCaw
Regular Season Stats: 4.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.7 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The Golden State Warriors were deadly in 2018, and that is why a two-way guard with limited capabilities was not needed that much in a showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers. McCaw appeared in 6 games of the playoffs and only scored a total of 4 points in 16 minutes played.
A 6’7” shooting guard and small forward, McCaw was brought in to be a bench reserve and use his size and length to defend and make open shots. Luckily for him, his lack of true starting-caliber abilities did not prevent him from winning an impressive 3 NBA titles in his career as a member of the Warriors and the Raptors.
2018-19 – Toronto Raptors
The Worst Player – Patrick McCaw
Regular Season Stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.5 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Patrick McCaw appeared in 11 games throughout the 2019 NBA playoffs and did not do much other than play some minutes at various points through the games. McCaw was not a significant contributor because, while he can defend decently well and make open shots, he was not a key performer.
Guys such as Jeremy Lin and Jodie Meeks were also on the Raptors, but they only appeared in a combined 22 games, and we never got to see them actually play, but they still scored more than McCaw did. McCaw lacks whatever prestige that Lin and Meeks have gained over the years, and he was the “worst” player on the title-winning Raptors side led by Kawhi Leonard.
2019-20 – Los Angeles Lakers
The Worst Player – Jared Dudley
Regular Season Stats: 1.5 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.0 PPG, 0.2 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Jared Dudley knows he was brought in only to be a positive figure in the locker room during the 2020 season because he was never going to be an active participant for the Los Angeles Lakers led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Social media was sure to make it known that Dudley was going to be barely used during the season.
A locker room guy and a veteran, Dudley did not have to do too much on the court during the 2020 playoffs other than come in and shore up the lineup against the opposition, which included the weakened Miami Heat in the Finals. He did not score a point, but he still ended up winning his first and only championship after 6 games.
2020-21 – Milwaukee Bucks
The Worst Player – Axel Toupane
Regular Season Stats: 1.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Playoff Stats: 1.3 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG
The Milwaukee Bucks were stacked in the 2021 season thanks to the Big Three trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. Giannis especially was dominant as the best two-way player in the game and was a 2-time MVP while being the most unstoppable physical force on the court.
With enough help, Giannis was able to lead the Bucks to the NBA championship. Axel Toupane hardly had to make an impact because of how dominant Giannis and his co-stars were, averaging less than 2 PPG in the regular season and playoffs. He appeared in 8 games in the regular season and 4 in the playoffs, signifying that his talent was not needed at the time.
2021-22 – Golden State Warriors
The Worst Player – Juan Toscano-Anderson
Regular Season Stats: 4.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Playoff Stats: 0.8 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Juan Toscano-Anderson was a fan favorite in Golden State because he came in and brought a ton of energy to make up for his average talent. The swingman is now on the Los Angeles Lakers, but he was actually the worst player on the championship side last year. That is a testament to how good the Warriors team is from top to bottom.
Toscano-Anderson only averaged 4.1 PPG in the regular season and under 1 PPG in the playoffs. The swingman was not needed because of the depth of talent ahead of him, including Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Otto Porter Jr, Gary Payton II, and even Andre Iguodala. Nonetheless, Toscano-Anderson has an NBA championship ring thanks to Stephen Curry and company.
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