The 5-on-5 nature of professional basketball usually brings a greater focus on individual accolades in other sports. Fans don’t just obsess over basketball odds but which players have the most championship rings and MVP awards.
One of fans and analysts’ favorite resume categories to consider is finals appearances. While many players reach the NBA Finals once or twice, only the greatest players will earn several trips to the championship series.
NBA Players With Most NBA Finals Appearances
| Rank | Player | NBA Finals Appearances | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Russell | 12 | 70 |
| 2 | Sam Jones | 11 | 64 |
| T-3 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 10 | 56 |
| T-3 | LeBron James | 10 | 55 |
| T-5 | Jerry West | 9 | 55 |
| T-5 | Tom Heinsohn | 9 | 52 |
| T-5 | Magic Johnson | 9 | 50 |
| T-8 | John Havlicek | 8 | 47 |
| T-8 | Frank Ramsey | 8 | 47 |
| T-8 | Michael Cooper | 8 | 46 |
| T-8 | K.C. Jones | 8 | 44 |
| T-8 | Tom Sanders | 8 | 43 |
| T-8 | Derek Fisher | 8 | 43 |
Bill Russell Finals Record
Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell has the most NBA Finals appearances (12) by any player.
During his 12 finals series, Russell won a historic 11 championships. Across 70 games, the 6-foot-10 center averaged 16.4 points and 24.5 rebounds per contest.
Notable Names in the NBA Finals
Russell’s teammate, Sam Jones, appeared in 11 NBA Finals.
Both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James are tied with 10 finals trips apiece, albeit during different generations of basketball.
Kareem won six titles and averaged 23.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the finals.
LeBron has won four (so far) and averaged an insurmountable 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists.
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