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:
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)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: 10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1967)
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Eight (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Gold: Four (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
Silver: Six (2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)
Bronze: One (2009)
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Eight (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Bronze: Two (1967, 1973)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Three (2004, 2008, 2012)
Bronze: Two (1998, 2014)
Gold: Five (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958)
Silver: Two (1957, 1960)
Bronze: Three (1951, 1955, 1959)
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Two (1967, 1972)
Silver: Four (1964, 1969, 1970, 1973)
Bronze: Four (1961, 1965, 1966, 1968)
Gazette-USA TODAY NETWORK
Gold: Eight (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
Silver: One (1958)
Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Gold: Eight (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)
Silver: –
Bronze: One (1967)
Rick Stewart/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Three (1983, 1984, 1989)
Bronze: One (1986)
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
Silver: One (1965)
Bronze: Three (1967, 1973, 1975)
Getty Images
Gold: Two (1984, 1986)
Silver: Four (1985, 1987, 1992, 1993)
Bronze: Three (1982, 1988, 1991)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: One (1972)
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
NBA Photo Library/ NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Silver: One (1958)
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Gold: Seven (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007)
Bronze: One (1998)
NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Six (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)
Silver: One (1958)
Bronze: One (1953)
David McNew/Getty Images
Gold: Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)
Silver: Two (2004, 2008)
Bronze: One (1998)
USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Five (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998)
Silver: One (1988)
Bronze: Two (1987, 1995)
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
Silver: One (2013)
Bronze: Two (2001, 2012)
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Gold: Five (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003)
Bronze: Three (1989, 1992, 2001)
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Gold: Four (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Two (1983, 1984)
Bronze: Two (1986, 1990)
Getty Images
Gold: Four (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Two (1982, 1988)
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images
Gold: Four (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Silver: Two (1995, 2004)
Bronze: Two (1996, 1998)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Gold: Three (2012, 2013, 2016)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
Bronze: One (2004)
Gregg Forwerck/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Three (1985, 1987, 1988)
Silver: Four (1983, 1984, 1989, 1991)
Bronze: One (1986)
Getty Images
Gold: Three (2006, 2012, 2013)
Silver: Four (2011, 2014, 2020, 2023)
Bronze: One (2022)
Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images
Gold: Three (1981, 1984, 1986)
Silver: Two (1985, 1987)
Bronze: Three (1980, 1982, 1988)
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Gold: Two (1970, 1973)
Silver: Three (1963, 1965, 1972)
Bronze: Three (1961, 1969, 1971)
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Silver: Eight (1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)
