5 prospective Basketball Hall of Fame candidates who haven't won an NBA Championship yet
The Basketball Hall of Fame features some of the greatest NBA players who have put a tremendous amount of effort into making successful careers in the league.
Quite a few of the current active NBA players are widely regarded as future Hall of Famers, thanks to the exceptional achievements they have had in their careers. Some notable mentions for the same would be LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and many other NBA champions.
Interestingly, many other potential Hall of Fame candidates, who have a realistic chance of being inducted, are yet to win an NBA championship. On that note, we list the top five prospective candidates from the NBA who could end up as one of the few players that made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame without winning a ring.
#5 Carmelo Anthony
37-year old Carmelo Anthony is heading towards the twilight of his career and is yet to reach the NBA Finals. Anthony debuted in the NBA in 2003 after being picked third overall by the Denver Nuggets. He came into the league with high expectations as he was coming off a National Championship win in his freshman year in college. He was also named as the NCAA Tournament's most outstanding player in 2003.
Anthony led the Nuggets in six playoff appearances between 2004-2010. He averaged at least 20 points per game every season he played for Denver. He was then traded to the New York Knicks mid-way through the 2010-11 season, where he flourished even more after hitting the prime of his career. Eight of his ten All-Star appearances came when Anthony played for the Knicks. He also won the scoring title in 2013.
The majority of his career achievements only came with the Nuggets and the Knicks. He played for the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets after that, where he did not enjoy much success and was also without a contract for one whole year.
Anthony returned to the NBA for the 2019-2020 NBA season after the Portland Trail Blazers signed him to a veteran-minimum contract. He has been a viable option off the bench for the side. Anthony shares the record for most points scored in a single quarter of an NBA game (33) and is 10th on the All-Time list for most points scored by a player in the NBA.
Anthony is one of the most successful players on the international stage in men's U.S basketball history. He represented the national team in a record four Olympic tournaments, winning one bronze medal and three gold medals. His last appearance in the Olympics was during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
These are outstanding records for a player who is still considered an invaluable member of a contending team in the NBA. His offensive prowess and shot-making ability is right among the best players in the NBA. Even if Anthony doesn't win a title by the end of his career, his individual accolades are attractive enough for him to become a Hall of Famer.
#4 Damian Lillard
Carmelo Anthony's Portland Trail Blazers teammate Damian Lillard is next on the list. Lillard is widely regarded as one of the most clutch players in the NBA currently. His three-point shooting range is absolutely lethal and sets him apart from the rest of the players in the league.
Lillard is 31 and has a significant amount of time to win an NBA title in his career. He has been loyal to the Trail Blazers since making his debut in 2012 and has been the driving force behind their eight consecutive NBA Playoffs appearances since 2013.
He won Rookie of the Year in his debut season and went on to average at least 20 points per game every season since his sophomore year in the NBA. Lillard has five All-NBA teams in his career and has six NBA All-Star appearances so far.
He has been a constant mention concerning the league's MVP award and has multiple top-eight finishes in the final voting for the highest individual honor in the NBA.
Lillard still has many years left before he calls time on his career, but it has been stacked with record-breaking numbers and rare accolades that he continues to achieve, which makes him a highly rated prospect for being inducted into the Hall of Fame.