NBA Players With The Most Championships: Bill Russell Is The Lord Of The Rings

Winning an NBA title is the most important part of playing professional basketball. It is the end goal for every season and the reason players dedicate their lives to the game. Of course, it is also the most difficult part of basketball. That is why franchises scramble every season to build together the best possible team.

Looking at NBA history, only 13 players have ever lifted the championship trophy at least 6 times. That goes to show the chance of winning it all, and only the best teams with the best players have achieved this feat. By ranking all the players with the most NBA championships in NBA history, here is the official breakdown.

Scottie Pippen – 6 Championships (6 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Pippen might be the best sidekick ever, as he was the Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman that won 6 NBA titles together. Pippen was the playmaker and defensive specialist for the Chicago Bulls Dynasty and had one of the best defensive skillsets we have ever seen. Pip doesn’t get enough credit for his great career, even if he is a first-ballot Hall of Famer with 6 titles in 6 Finals appearances. The two-way superstar holds career averages of 19.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 5.9 APG in 35 games in his Finals career.

Michael Jordan – 6 Championships (6 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Considered the greatest player and talent ever regardless of position, Michael Jordan captured 6 NBA titles in 6 Finals appearances with the Chicago Bulls. Air Jordan averaged 33.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.0 APG in 35 games over his Finals career. Alongside Scottie Pippen, Jordan formed arguably the best duo in NBA history as they never played in a Game 7 together on the biggest stage of them all. Whether it was making clutch jumpers or creating clutch plays for others, Jordan always finished his opponents in the Finals. Michael Jordan achieved a lot in his NBA career from 10 scoring titles to 5 MVP Awards, but his 6-0 record in the Finals with 6 Finals MVPs are his greatest achievements.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 6 Championships (10 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.6 BPG

Quite possibly the most talented center to have ever played the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar captured 6 NBA titles in 10 Finals appearances. The legendary Bucks and Lakers champion played in 56 Finals games, averaging 23.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 3.2 APG in his Finals career. Thanks to his skyhook shot and defensive ability, Kareem proved to be a dominant player in the postseason. His 6 NBA championships fit nicely next to his 6 MVPs and 2 Finals MVPs as the former No. 1 overall pick finds himself in all-time great status.

Bob Cousy – 6 Championships (7 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG

A Hall of Fame point guard and bonafide superstar, Bob Cousy made 13 All-Star Teams over his career and led the league in assists 8 times. Known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood”, the Celtics superstar point guard won 6 NBA titles in 7 Finals appearances. Bill Russell’s esteemed point guard for 7 years was a fantastic performer, putting up 17.0 PPG and 9.5 APG over his Finals career. Cousy was regarded as one of the NBAs first flashy playmakers and his presence as an offensive threat helped make the Boston teams in the 50s and 60s incredibly dominant.

Robert Horry – 7 Championships (7 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 7.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Regarded as Big Shot Bob, Robert Horry made a career off making clutch shots over his 7 Finals appearances with the Rockets, Lakers, and Spurs. Horry’s incredible career did not happen by accident, because championship teams realized the forward’s ability to make timely shots and also hustle on defense. Horry only averaged 9.7 PPG over his Finals career, but his presence as a shooter and clutch performer places him in legendary status. Even if the 7-time NBA champion is not a Hall of Famer, his postseason resume is worthy of Hall of Fame status.

Frank Ramsey – 7 Championships (8 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 13.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.8 APG

There will be an incredible trend of Boston Celtics’ players appearing on this list because the amount of success the franchise had is extraordinary during the 50s and 60s. The 6’3” shooting guard averaged 13.5 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 47 games in the Finals, playing 24.6 MPG over his 8 Finals appearances. Ramsey was a part of a legendary Celtics squad that won multiple NBA titles, and the guard certainly played his role effectively.

Jim Loscutoff – 7 Championships (8 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 6.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.7 APG

Jim Loscutoff, a member of the Boston Celtics franchise over his entire career, captured 7 NBA titles in 8 Finals appearances. The 6’5” small forward played in 25 Finals appearances, averaging 6.2 PPG and 5.4 RPG. Loscutoff never played much of a significant role, averaging 18.5 MPG over his regular-season career and 17.9 MPG in the Finals. Anytime a role player plays alongside Bill Russell, winning NBA titles will soon come.

John Havlicek – 8 Championships (8 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Superstar John Havlicek was an exceptional leader and one of the most dominant players on the NBA court we have ever seen in terms of the amount of winning in the NBA. His scoring ability was truly exceptional, and he is one of the best to ever wear the Boston Celtics uniform. A whopping 8 NBA titles and one Finals MVP places him comfortably behind only 5 players for most championships won. In 47 Finals games, Havlicek averaged 21.7 PPG and 7.4 RPG.

Tom Sanders – 8 Championships (8 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 9.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.1 APG

Tom “Satch” Sanders won 8 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, averaging 26.2 MPG during 43 games in the NBA Finals. The 6’6” small forward averaged 10.5 PPG and 6.4 RPG over his Finals career, helping Boston capture 8 out of 8 titles in his appearances on the big stage. The forward’s biggest impact came on defense, as he even made an All-Defensive Team during the 1969 season.

K.C. Jones – 8 Championships (8 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 7.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.3 APG

A 6’1” point guard and Hall of Famer, K.C. Jones won 8 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics. One of the esteemed players during the legendary Bill Russell era, Jones did not need to put up All-Star numbers to help his team win 8 out of 8 NBA Finals appearances. The point guard averaged 6.5 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 44 Finals games, marking a career based on playoff team success.

Tom Heinsohn – 8 Championships (9 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 18.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.0 APG

One of the greatest power forwards ever, Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn won 8 NBA titles with Boston and put up 19.9 PPG and 9.1 RPG in 52 games in the Finals. The big man played his entire career with the Celtics, making the Finals every season en route to 8 chips. Heinsohn benefitted from playing alongside Hall of Famers Bill Russell and Sam Jones, but his impact was truly great.

Sam Jones – 10 Championships (11 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG

The late Sam Jones completed his entire career with the Boston Celtics, winning 10 NBA championships in 11 Finals appearances. The legendary shooting guard is an esteemed Hall of Fame member, averaging 17.9 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 64 games in his Finals career. A clutch shooter and a valued teammate of the great Bill Russell, Jones is truly one of the greatest shooting guards to have ever played the game because he was a part of all-time great Celtics teams.

Bill Russell – 11 Championships (12 NBA Finals)

Career Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG

The greatest winner in NBA history, Bill Russell captured an unbelievable 11 championships over his Hall of Fame career. The center was not considered a superstar offensive player, but his leadership and defensive impact make him one of the most dominant winners to have ever played. In 12 NBA Finals appearances, Russell went 11-1. The Boston Celtics are tied with the Lakers for the most titles in NBA history, and the big man’s championships have a large part to do with that. 

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