The ultimate goal of any team in the NBA or any other sport for that matter is to win. NBA players put their blood, sweat, and tears into the game hoping at the end of it there will be a championship Of course, only one team can win in any particular competition which makes championship rings all that much more valuable. So, who exactly gets a championship ring when a team in the NBA wins the championship?
NBA teams are big organizations made up of many members. Aside from the players that fans see on the court playing the game, coaching staff, reserve players, and administrators all make up the team.
So when a team like the Lakers who won the championship in 2020 wins, all members of the organization get a ring. This means that even players who did not participate in the game but are part of the organization also get NBA championship rings.
The number of people who get a championship ring when an NBA team depends on the particular team.This is because different teams have different numbers of coaches, staff, and players on their rosters. On average all the members of a particular team will get rings when their team wins including:
- All the players on the team: This includes reserve players and players who may be out with injuries. This number can vary from 15 to 25 depending on the team.
- Coaching and training staff:coaches and trainers of the team also get NBA championship rings when the team wins. This number can range from 20 to 40 depending on how many training staff and coaches a particular team has.
- Team managers and front office heads: Various heads and managers of the winning team also get NBA championship rings. Some teams can have as many as 40 office heads and managers.
Which Team Has the Most Championship Rings
At 17 rings apiece, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics are the two NBA teams with the highest number of championship rings. The Lakers and Celtics have won the most championships in the history of the NBA.
The Golden State Warriors are a distant second with 6 championship rings meaning that the tally is not even close. As far as championship rings go, the Lakers and Celtics are well ahead of the pack and only time will tell whether any other team will even come close to these two NBA giants.
Players With the Most Championship Rings
You would be surprised to learn that your favorite G.O.A.T may be well behind lesser-known players when it comes to championship rings. This is because as we stated earlier championship rings do not just go to active players but also reserve players who may have little playtime on the court.
Bill Russel – 11 Rings
Bill Russell with 11 championship rings is the NBA player with the most championship rings. Bill Russel played for the Celtics between 1957 and 1969 and still holds the record for the highest number of championship rings.
Sam Jones with 10 rings who also played for the Celtics between 1959 and 1969 has the second most championship rings in the history of the NBA.
You are probably wondering where legends like Michael Jordan rank in the list. Well, Michael Jordan won 6 championship rings in his career which places him 10th on the list of players with most championship rings. Jordan is tied in the tenth position with other greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Scottie Pippen.
Active Players With the Most Championship Rings
While the record for the highest championship rings is still held by players who played in the past, there are players in the game currently who have multiple championship rings.
LeBron James – 4 Rings
Anyone who follows basketball probably knows that Lebron James has the highest number of championship rings among active players. LeBron has four championship rings won in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020.
Apart from his four rings, LeBron also holds the record for the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award with three different teams. This champ was also the first to ever win the Bill Russell trophy for three different franchises.
Love him or hate him, LeBron has had an illustrious career and since he is still playing, we can only assume that he may have a couple more championship rings in his future.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson,Draymond Green – 3 Rings
Hot on the heels of LeBron is a host of warriors players including Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green who each has 3 championship rings. Andre Iguodala, JaVale McGee, and Udonis Haslem also have three championship rings so the number two spot is pretty crowded. However, since these players are still actively playing there is no cap to the number of rings these stars will have by the end of their careers.
How Much is an NBA Championship Ring Worth?
For players, NBA championships are priceless given the amount of work and dedication it takes to earn one. But, just how much is an NBA championship ring worth. Well, if you want to know the price of a championship ring there is no specific dollar amount because the ring price depends on several factors including:
Which Basketball Team Won the Championship?
There are plenty of teams in the NBA but some franchises are more popular and successful than others. This means that a championship ring won by popular teams like the Lakers will usually be a lot more expensive than one won by a team that is not as popular.
This also applies to big teams like the Celtics and the Warriors that have cemented themselves as NBA greats. So if you want to get your hands on a 1996 Chicago Bulls ring or a 2001 Lakers ring you had better have millions of dollars to spend.
Which Player Wore the Championship Ring?
Kareem Abdul Jabbar famously sold some of his championship rings for over $2,000,000 while lesser-known players sell their rings for figures below $50,000. This is simply because championship rings won by legends and all-time greats simply have more value because of the players that wore them.
In essence, the bigger the player, the more his championship ring is likely to be worth. So if a player like Michael Jordan sold one of his rings it would be worth an astronomical amount.
Conclusion
An NBA championship ring is the ultimate achievement for any player in the sport. There are NBA greats like NBA greats Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley who despite illustrious careers never won a single championship ring.
This means that while some players make it look easy, championship rings are pretty hard to come by and that much more valuable for it.
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