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As far as player movement across teams is concerned, the NBA has emerged as one of the world's busiest sporting leagues in recent years. In past eras, quite a few superstars were known as one-team players and remained with a single franchise throughout their careers. Over the past decade, however, only a handful of NBA players have stayed loyal to a single team.
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This can be attributed to players forcing a move in search of greener pastures. At other times, the General Manager of a team might not think a player fits the roster and could choose to move him.
The greatest NBA Players to stay loyal to a single franchise
In this article, we look at some of the greatest NBA players who have proven their loyalty to a single franchise throughout their career. While there are a couple of current NBA stars such as Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo who may finish their careers with a single team, only retired players have been considered for this list.
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#10 Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas is one of the greatest point-guards of NBA history, and played for the Detroit Pistons throughout his career. Isiah Thomas was nicknamed the “baby-faced assassin” and led the Pistons to two consecutive NBA championships, in 1989 and 1990.
Isiah Thomas is a two-time NBA finals MVP and a 12-time NBA All-Star. He played 13 seasons in an era when the NBA was dominated by Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls’ side, but is still known as one of the best two-way point guards ever.
#9 Dirk Nowitzki
The German international is widely known as the best ever European recruit to play in the NBA, and is the most recent player to make this list as well. Dirk Nowitzki is regarded as one of the best power forwards the NBA has ever seen. He spent 21 years playing for the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he won a single championship in 2011 and was the NBA MVP in 2007.
Dirk is a 14-time NBA All-Star, and constantly rejected interest from other teams to stay with the Mavs. Dirk Nowitzki is also acknowledged as the best player in Dallas Mavericks' history.
#8 Julius Erving
Julius Erving began his basketball career in the ABA, playing for the New York Knicks and the Virginia Squires before it was merged with the NBA in 1976. However, he went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers for 12 years, making the All-Star game all but once.
Julius Erving was a prolific scorer and was the most popular ABA player when it was merged with the NBA in its current form. Throughout his career, he played as a Small Forward and averaged 24.2 points and 8.5 rebounds, winning the NBA championship once, in addition to the two ABA Championships he won earlier.
#7 Jerry West
Jerry West won the NBA championship as a player only once, thanks to the celebrated Boston Celtics team that included both Bill Russell and John Havlicek, who are also mentioned in this list. Jerry West played for the LA Lakers throughout his 14-year NBA career, and averaged 27 points and 6.7 assists.
Jerry West was nicknamed “Mr. Clutch,” and is the only NBA player to have won the Finals MVP despite finishing on the losing team. The sole NBA championship victory came in 1972 and Jerry West went on to appear in the All-Star team in each of his 14 NBA seasons.
#6 John Havlicek
John Havlicek ended up winning a total of 8 NBA championships, with fellow Celtics legends Bill Russell and Sam Jones being the only players to have won more in league history. John Havlicek also holds the joint-best record in NBA Finals, as he won all eight series that he featured in.
John Havlicek is a 13-time NBA All-Star and was the finals MVP once, in 1974. Although his accomplishments were often overshadowed by teammate Bill Russell, Havlicek was a key part of one of the most celebrated dynasties in NBA history.
#5 Tim Duncan
At number five, Tim Duncan is the highest-ranked non-Celtics or Lakers player on this list. Tim Duncan spent a total of 19 years playing for the San Antonio Spurs, and is widely regarded as their best player ever.
Along with head coach Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan won a total of 5 NBA championships and was the NBA Finals MVP three times. Duncan is considered by many to be the best Power Forward in the history of the NBA, and averaged 19 points and 10.8 rebounds in his NBA career.
#4 Bill Russell
The LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics are two of the most successful franchises in NBA history, and it's no surprise that most of the players on this list are from the two teams. Bill Russell won the NBA championship a whopping 11 times with the Boston Celtics, and played in the league for 13 seasons.
Although he was not the most prolific of scorers, averaging only 15.1 points through his NBA career, Bill Russell was known for his defensive prowess. With his huge frame, Russell was the centerpiece of a brilliant Boston Celtics team, as well as a 12-time NBA All-Star and 5-time NBA MVP.
#3 Larry Bird
Two-time NBA Finals MVP and 3-time league MVP Larry Bird is one of the best Power Forwards ever. He led the Boston Celtics to three NBA championships through his 13-season stint. Larry Bird was known for his shooting and scoring prowess and maintained a 49.6% field-goal percentage while averaging 24.3 points throughout his NBA career.
Larry Bird is also the only player in NBA history to be named as the Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, NBA Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. The Coach of the Year award came in 1998, when he led the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals.
#2 Magic Johnson
Another LA Lakers legend, Magic Johnson is also regarded as the greatest point guard ever. Earvin Johnson played in the NBA for 13 seasons, including a 3-year retirement hiatus. Magic is a 12-time NBA All-Star and led the LA Lakers to five NBA Championships.
Magic Johnson is considered to be the best passer to have played in the NBA, and averaged a sensational 11.2 assists throughout his career. He enjoyed a celebrated rivalry with another NBA great in Larry Bird, and his philanthropic contributions after his basketball career have also been well-documented.
#1 Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the best basketballers to have ever graced the NBA. The five-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star is the biggest LA Lakers legend, and did not play for any other team throughout his illustrious 20-year career.
Kobe Bryant is the leading scorer in the Lakers’ history. He was also the first guard to play at least 20 seasons in the NBA and has the second-highest number of all-star appearances. Top things off, he also holds the record for the most number of consecutive starts in the NBA.
After his tragic death in 2020, at the age of 41 in a helicopter accident, the NBA All-Star MVP award was renamed in Bryant’s honor. He is a regular part of the “Greatest of All Time” debate and his 81-point performance in 2006 is the second-highest points total scored in an NBA game by a single player.
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