5 NBA teams with high-profile players that failed to win a championship
NBA teams gear up for each season with championship aspirations. With some teams developing over the course of time by drafting players and seeing them emerge as superstars, others engaged in active trades and offseason moves to boost roster strength.
These approaches to creating stronger teams led to the creation of superteams, often spearheaded by the presence of more than three superstars in the starting lineup.
While the concept of a team with maximum star power should effectively produce titles for the franchise right off the bat should be true, such is not the case. With concerns appearing in the form of ego issues and complacency, super teams have a history of coming up short in their attempts at title runs.
Bearing a stacked team's potential for failure in mind, we take a look at five NBA teams with high-profile players that failed to win a championship.
#1 The 1968-69 LA Lakers
Prior to the start of the 1968-69 season, the LA Lakers were coming off another disappointing NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics. With the Lakers star pair of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor struggling to produce against the behemoth that was the Celtics franchise, Lakers ownership decided to make some moves.
The acquisition of Wilt Chamberlain by the LA Lakers was an unprecedented move. With one of the most dominant big men to ever play the game joining the team, success should have been assured.
Securing a 55-27 record in the regular-season, the Lakers looked like favorites to win it all. Facing the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals just seemed like an opportunity to overcome their failing record against them.
Unfortunately, their trail of misery would continue. As the series went into a Game Seven, Wilt Chamberlain would leave the game with an injury and even with Jerry West's heroics throughout the series, the Lakers would fall short.
West was named Finals MVP, the only time a player on the losing side has been given the accolade. Elgin Baylor retired shortly after in the 1971-72 season without winning a ring.
Despite the 1969 #NBAFinals loss, the @Lakers' Jerry West averaged 37.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG & 7.4 APG to earn NBA Finals MVP honors. #NBAVault https://t.co/XfMyBJeXFa
#2 The 1992-93 Phoenix Suns
The 1992-93 season was the last time the Phoenix Suns had reached the NBA Finals before their most recent championship run in the 2020-21 season. The Suns team at the time consisted of names such as Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle and their most recently acquired superstar, Charles Barkley.
Barkley's acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers was an iconic move for the Suns and it paid off immediately. Phoenix ended the regular-season with a league-best record of 62-20 with Barkley being named NBA MVP.
The Phoenix Suns had a tough journey to the NBA Finals. Early struggles against the Lakers in the first round and a six-game win against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals had them expending a lot of momentum.
A grueling seven-game series against the Seattle Supersonics would see them head into the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the two-time defending champion Chicago Bulls.
On this date in 1993, the Phoenix Suns downed the Chicago Bulls 129-121 in triple-overtime in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, only the 2nd triple-OT game in Finals history.
Charles Barkley had 24 pts and 19 rebs in the win for the Suns, while Michael Jordan had 44 pts for the Bulls. https://t.co/I1slqFTQcn
Charles Barkley put up some amazing numbers in the finals, a 40 point double-double in Game 2 and a 30 point triple-double in a Game Four loss. However, the Bulls would emerge as champions, recording their third consecutive NBA title.