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The NBA is full of superstars who are yet to win a ring. While these players have put up huge numbers during the regular season and in the postseason as well, they have failed to lift the prestigious Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
Today, let's look at the top five active NBA players who are yet to win a ring.
5) James Harden
James Harden's status as a superstar in the NBA was confirmed after winning the regular-season MVP award in 2018. Harden also finished as the runner-up in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Harden also has three back-to-back-to-back scoring titles, which he won with the Houston Rockets while averaging 30.4 points per game in 2017-18, 36.1 points per game in 2018-19 and 34.3 points per game in 2019-20. He even has two assist titles to his name. In the 2016-17 season, Harden averaged 11.2 assists per game, and last season he averaged 10.7 assists per game.
There was a time, when Harden dropped 60-point triple-doubles on the opponents and was the most feared player in the NBA. However, it hasn't translated into championships for Harden, because as great as he is in the regular season, he isn't the same in the playoffs.
It is fair to say that Harden is only a superstar in the regular season, and at times, isn't even a role player in the playoffs, like the time when he bricked 11 3-pointers in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals.
4) Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is a young player and is only 24 years old. However, the pressure to win is quickly mounting on Doncic's shoulders. While comparisons to LeBron James are great, it means nothing if Doncic cannot translate his skillset into NBA championships.
Last season, Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game on 49.6% shooting. Statistically, this was his best season in his career. However, if you look at the fact that Mavericks failed to make the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs, it does not put Doncic in a positive light.
At this stage and age of his career, Doncic should be impacting winning much more. Next, season the pressure and expectations will be even higher for Luka Doncic.
3) Current NBA regular-season MVP Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid was the 2022-23 NBA regular-season MVP. He won the scoring title as well for the second consecutive year while averaging 33.1 points per game on 54.8% shooting.
Despite his stellar regular-season performance, Embiid did not perform up to his level in the playoffs. He averaged a mere 25.5 points per game on 42.1% shooting in the playoffs. This is not the type of production that you expect from your franchise cornerstone and the league MVP.
The pressure to win a championship is at an all-time high for Embiid, similar to how it was for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic in the past seasons after winning the MVP. If Embiid does not succeed in his process to win a championship, it will be a real blemish on his legacy.
2) Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is the one player on the list who should've had an NBA title by now. He is the only player on this list who has been to the NBA Finals (in 2022) and, for all it matters, was up 2-1 against the Golden State Warriors before losing the next three games.
The past season, Tatum had another opportunity to reach the NBA finals but ended up losing to the Miami Heat in seven games, after being down 3-0 in the series and forcing a historic Game 7. That said, Tatum did visibly hurt his ankle early in the game which impacted his play.
Jayson Tatum is a superstar in the NBA and there is huge pressure on him to win an NBA title. While he does not have league MVPs like some of the other stars on the list, he still backs himself as an MVP would. Moreover, the Boston Celtics are a storied franchise, where winning championships is always expected by its fanbase.
1) Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is 33 years old and has by far had the most underwhelming career out of everyone else on the list. Lillard is a special talent who is a scoring machine similar to the likes of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. However, his loyalty, up until this offseason, to the Portland Trail Blazers has cost him a true opportunity at winning a championship ring.
While there isn't much pressure on Lillard to win a title whilst being in Portland, things could change drastically if he is indeed traded to the Miami Heat. Lillard would suddenly find himself under the spotlight, where every play he makes will be scrutinized by the media. It is hard to say if Lillard will still be able to deliver under this new level of pressure, but he definitely has the makings for it.
In the right setting, Damian Lillard, who is often underrated, can come out to be the biggest of stars on this list, which is why he holds the top position. Hopefully, basketball fans get to see him play for a true contender.
