It’s all about the rings, as we’re reminded over and over again online every day. But what if the NBA operated like FIBA with National Team tournaments and gave medals to the squads in the Top 3 instead of just championship rings to the players on the winning team? Who would have the most medals in NBA history if that were the case?
To explore this scenario, we awarded gold medals to each player on a championship team, silver to those losing in the Finals, and bronze to members of the franchise with the best regular-season record eliminated in the Conference Finals.
With this system, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be the all-time leader with 14 medals, followed by a host of Celtic and Laker legends, including LeBron James.
Check the full ranking below:
1
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 14 medals
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Six (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1974, 1983, 1984, 1989)
Bronze: Four (1970, 1972, 1977, 1986)
2
Bill Russell: 13 medals
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
3
Sam Jones: 12 medals
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: 10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
4
John Havlicek: 11 medals
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Eight (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
5
LeBron James: 11 medals
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Gold: Four (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
Silver: Six (2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Bronze: One (2009)
6
Tom 'Satch' Sanders: 10 medals
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Eight (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Bronze: Two (1967, 1973)
7
Magic Johnson: 10 medals
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
8
Derek Fisher: 10 medals
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Three (2004, 2008, 2012)
Bronze: Two (1998, 2014)
9
Slater Martin: 10 medals
Gold: Five (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958)
Silver: Two (1957, 1960)
Bronze: Three (1951, 1955, 1959)
10
Wilt Chamberlain: 10 medals
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Two (1967, 1972)
Silver: Four (1964, 1969, 1970, 1973)
Bronze: Four (1961, 1965, 1966, 1968)
11
Tommy Heinsohn: Nine medals
Gazette-USA TODAY NETWORK
Gold: Eight (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
Silver: One (1958)
12
KC Jones: Nine medals
Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Gold: Eight (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)
Silver: –
Bronze: One (1967)
13
Michael Cooper: Nine medals
Rick Stewart/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Three (1983, 1984, 1989)
Bronze: One (1986)
14
Don Nelson: Nine medals
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Silver: One (1965)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
15
Danny Ainge: Nine medals
Getty Images
Gold: Two (1984, 1986)
Silver: Four (1985, 1987, 1992, 1993)
Bronze: Three (1982, 1988, 1991)
16
Jerry West: Nine medals
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: One (1972)
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
17
Frank Ramsey: Eight medals
NBA Photo Library/ NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
18
Jim Loscutoff: Eight medals
NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
19
Robert Horry: Eight medals
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007)
Bronze: One (1998)
20
Bob Cousy: Eight medals
NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Six (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1953)
21
Kobe Bryant: Eight medals
David McNew/Getty Images
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Two (2004, 2008)
Bronze: One (1998)
22
Dennis Rodman: Eight medals
USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998)
Silver: One (1988)
Bronze: Two (1987, 1995)
23
Tim Duncan: Eight medals
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
Silver: One (2013)
Bronze: Two (2001, 2012)
24
Steve Kerr: Eight medals
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003)
Bronze: Three (1989, 1992, 2001)
25
Kurt Rambis: Eight medals
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Gold: Four (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Two (1983, 1984)
Bronze: Two (1986, 1990)
26
Robert Parish: Eight medals
Getty Images
Gold: Four (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Two (1982, 1988)
27
Shaquille O'Neal: Eight medals
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images
Gold: Four (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Silver: Two (1995, 2004)
Bronze: Two (1996, 1998)
28
James Jones: Eight medals
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Three (2012, 2013, 2016)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
Bronze: One (2004)
29
James Worthy: Eight medals
Gregg Forwerck/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Three (1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
30
Udonis Haslem: Eight medals
Getty Images
Gold: Three (2006, 2012, 2013)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2020, 2023)
Bronze: One (2022)
31
Larry Bird: Eight medals
Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images
Gold: Three (1981, 1984, 1986)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Three (1980, 1982, 1988)
32
Dick Barnett: Eight medals
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Two (1970, 1973)
Silver: Three (1963, 1965, 1972)
Bronze: Three (1961, 1969, 1971)
33
Elgin Baylor: Eight medals
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
