While the majority of people I have asked this question to argue that rings are the biggest factor in determining a superstar, I will beg to differ by arguing that the statistics of an individual player are what influences their true chances of becoming a one-of-a-kind athlete.
As players, like LeBron James, get ripped on for leaving a team after eight years in high hopes to join a duo or trio to win a ring, other players, like John Stockton and Reggie Miller, get ripped on for not winning a ring at all despite their loyalty in maintaining a position on the same team for their entire career.
Damned if they do and damned if they don’t?
Alongside ringless Stockton and Miller stand well-known superstars Karl Malone, Elgin Baylor, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin, Al Iverson, Patrick Ewing, Chris Webber, Dominique Wilkins, Tim Hardaway and Penny Hardaway, who all have notable careers without ever winning an NBA championship.
In fact, Stockton, Malone, Barkley, Mullin, and Ewing had the superb athletic skills to qualify for a spot on the 1992 Dream Team with six-time NBA champions Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, 5-time NBA title star Magic Johnson, and a three-ring winner Larry Bird.
Interestingly enough, Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber, and current ringless NBA player Grant Hill were all elected to the 1992 USA Basketball Developmental Team, where they shockingly became the first team to defeat Team USA in a scrimmage.
The 62-54 loss was quite the wake-up call for the USA Olympic Team.
Evidently, championship titles may add to a resume, but the statistics are what really matter in evaluating the pure skill of a basketball player.
When thinking about NBA Championships it takes a lot more than just one sup...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
