NBA All-Defensive 1st Team Players That Never Won a Title
This is the complete list of NBA players that were selected for the All-Defensive First Team at least once but didn't win a championship during their careers.
Players without titles: All-Defensive 1st Team Players / others...
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Season MVPs / Defensive Players of The Year / Rookies of The Year /
Scoring Leaders / Rebounds Leaders / Assists Leaders / Steals Leaders / Blocks Leaders /
All-NBA 1st Team Players / All-Defensive 1st Team Players
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All-NBA 1st Team Players / All-Defensive 1st Team Players
Of the 98 players that have ever been selected for the All-Defensive First Team, 45 never won an NBA title during their careers (45.9%). Some of them are current players and still have a chance to do it. The other 53 players won at least one ring. There have been 292 such selections since this honor was established in 1969.
Among those who never won a championship, Chris Paul and Rudy Gobert are the players with the most selections for an All-Defensive First Team.
NBA All-Defensive 1st Team Players That Never Won a Title
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Player |
All-Defensive First Team |
Total Seasons |
Playoffs | Playoff Games |
| Chris Paul | 7 times |
21 2006 to 2026 |
15 | 149 |
| Rudy Gobert | 7 times |
13 2014 to 2026 |
9 | 84 |
| Sidney Moncrief | 4 times |
11 1980 to 1991 |
11 | 93 |
| Jerry Sloan | 4 times |
11 1966 to 1976 |
9 | 52 |
| Don Buse | 4 times |
9 1977 to 1985 |
6 | 35 |
| Karl Malone | 3 times |
19 1986 to 2004 |
19 | 193 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 3 times |
18 1992 to 2009 |
13 | 101 |
| Marcus Smart | 3 times |
12 2015 to 2026 |
9 | 108 |
| Mark Eaton | 3 times |
11 1983 to 1993 |
10 | 74 |
| Dan Roundfield | 3 times |
11 1977 to 1987 |
7 | 38 |
| Norm Van Lier | 3 times |
10 1970 to 1979 |
5 | 38 |
Player |
All-Defensive First Team |
Total Seasons |
Playoffs | Playoff Games |
| Buck Williams | 2 times |
17 1982 to 1998 |
14 | 108 |
| Marcus Camby | 2 times |
17 1997 to 2013 |
11 | 79 |
| Paul George | 2 times |
16 2011 to 2026 |
11 | 114 |
| Caldwell Jones | 2 times |
14 1977 to 1990 |
12 | 119 |
| Nate Thurmond | 2 times |
14 1964 to 1977 |
9 | 81 |
| Mookie Blaylock | 2 times |
13 1990 to 2002 |
8 | 54 |
| Joakim Noah | 2 times |
13 2008 to 2020 |
8 | 62 |
| Paul Pressey | 2 times |
11 1983 to 1993 |
9 | 75 |
| Gus Johnson | 2 times |
10 1964 to 1973 |
5 | 34 |
| Alvin Robertson | 2 times |
10 1985 to 1996 |
4 | 13 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 2 times |
8 2019 to 2026 |
4 | 27 |
| Micheal Ray Richardson | 2 times |
8 1979 to 1986 |
4 | 18 |
| Ben Simmons | 2 times |
7 2018 to 2025 |
4 | 39 |
| Evan Mobley | 2 times |
5 2022 to 2026 |
3 | 25 |
Player |
All-Defensive First Team |
Total Seasons |
Playoffs | Playoff Games |
| Charles Oakley | 1 time |
19 1986 to 2004 |
15 | 144 |
| Tree Rollins | 1 time |
18 1978 to 1995 |
15 | 93 |
| Doug Christie | 1 time |
15 1993 to 2007 |
7 | 58 |
| Gerald Wallace | 1 time |
14 2002 to 2015 |
7 | 33 |
| Larry Nance | 1 time |
13 1982 to 1994 |
8 | 68 |
| Andrei Kirilenko | 1 time |
13 2002 to 2015 |
7 | 55 |
| Larry Hughes | 1 time |
13 1999 to 2012 |
5 | 49 |
| Patrick Beverley | 1 time |
12 2013 to 2024 |
9 | 71 |
| Raja Bell | 1 time |
12 2001 to 2012 |
6 | 68 |
| Eric Bledsoe | 1 time |
12 2011 to 2022 |
5 | 48 |
| Robert Covington | 1 time |
11 2014 to 2024 |
4 | 30 |
| Victor Oladipo | 1 time |
10 2014 to 2023 |
5 | 33 |
| Bam Adebayo | 1 time |
9 2018 to 2026 |
7 | 78 |
| Mikal Bridges | 1 time |
8 2019 to 2026 |
4 | 57 |
| Slick Watts | 1 time |
6 1974 to 1979 |
3 | 17 |
| E.C. Coleman | 1 time |
6 1974 to 1979 |
||
| Herbert Jones | 1 time |
5 2022 to 2026 |
2 | 10 |
| Dyson Daniels | 1 time |
4 2023 to 2026 |
1 | 3 |
| Amen Thompson | 1 time |
3 2024 to 2026 |
1 | 7 |
| Victor Wembanyama | 1 time |
3 2024 to 2026 |
Playoff performance in their All-Defensive First Team years:
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Chris Paul | 7 times | |
|
2009 - Hornets, Lost West Conf 1st Rd
2012 - Clippers, Lost West Conf Semis 2013 - Clippers, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2014 - Clippers, Lost West Conf Semis 2015 - Clippers, Lost West Conf Semis 2016 - Clippers, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2017 - Clippers, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Rudy Gobert | 7 times | |
|
2017 - Jazz, Lost West Conf Semis
2018 - Jazz, Lost West Conf Semis 2019 - Jazz, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2020 - Jazz, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2021 - Jazz, Lost West Conf Semis 2022 - Jazz, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 2024 - Timberwolves, Lost West Conf Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Sidney Moncrief | 4 times | |
|
1983 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Finals
1984 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Finals 1985 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Semis 1986 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Jerry Sloan | 4 times | |
|
1969 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
1972 - Bulls, Lost West Conf Semis 1974 - Bulls, Lost West Conf Finals 1975 - Bulls, Lost West Conf Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Don Buse | 4 times | |
|
1977 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
1978 - Suns, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 1979 - Suns, Lost West Conf Finals 1980 - Suns, Lost West Conf Semis | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Karl Malone | 3 times | |
|
1997 - Jazz, Lost NBA Finals
1998 - Jazz, Lost NBA Finals 1999 - Jazz, Lost West Conf Semis | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Dikembe Mutombo | 3 times | |
|
1997 - Hawks, Lost East Conf Semis
1998 - Hawks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd 2001 - 76ers, Lost NBA Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Marcus Smart | 3 times | |
|
2019 - Celtics, Lost East Conf Semis
2020 - Celtics, Lost East Conf Finals 2022 - Celtics, Lost NBA Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Mark Eaton | 3 times | |
|
1985 - Jazz, Lost West Conf Semis
1986 - Jazz, Lost West Conf 1st Rd 1989 - Jazz, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Dan Roundfield | 3 times | |
|
1980 - Hawks, Lost East Conf Semis
1982 - Hawks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd 1983 - Hawks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Norm Van Lier | 3 times | |
|
1974 - Bulls, Lost West Conf Finals
1976 - Didn't play in the Playoffs 1977 - Bulls, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Buck Williams | 2 times | |
|
1990 - Trail Blazers, Lost NBA Finals
1991 - Trail Blazers, Lost West Conf Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Marcus Camby | 2 times | |
|
2007 - Nuggets, Lost West Conf 1st Rd
2008 - Nuggets, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Paul George | 2 times | |
|
2014 - Pacers, Lost East Conf Finals
2019 - Thunder, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Caldwell Jones | 2 times | |
|
1981 - 76ers, Lost East Conf Finals
1982 - 76ers, Lost NBA Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Nate Thurmond | 2 times | |
|
1969 - Warriors, Lost West Div Semis
1971 - Warriors, Lost West Conf Semis | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Mookie Blaylock | 2 times | |
|
1994 - Hawks, Lost East Conf Semis
1995 - Hawks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Joakim Noah | 2 times | |
|
2013 - Bulls, Lost East Conf Semis
2014 - Bulls, Lost East Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Paul Pressey | 2 times | |
|
1985 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Semis
1986 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Gus Johnson | 2 times | |
|
1970 - Bullets, Lost East Div Semis
1971 - Bullets, Lost NBA Finals | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Alvin Robertson | 2 times | |
|
1987 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
1991 - Bucks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 2 times | |
|
2022 - Grizzlies, Lost West Conf Semis
2023 - Grizzlies, Lost West Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Micheal Ray Richardson | 2 times | |
|
1980 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
1981 - Knicks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Ben Simmons | 2 times | |
|
2020 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
2021 - 76ers, Lost East Conf Semis | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Evan Mobley | 2 times | |
|
2023 - Cavaliers, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
2025 - Cavaliers, Lost East Conf Semis | ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Charles Oakley | 1 time | |
|
1994 - Knicks, Lost NBA Finals
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Tree Rollins | 1 time | |
|
1984 - Hawks, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Doug Christie | 1 time | |
|
2003 - Kings, Lost West Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Gerald Wallace | 1 time | |
|
2010 - Bobcats, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Larry Nance | 1 time | |
|
1989 - Cavaliers, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Andrei Kirilenko | 1 time | |
|
2006 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Larry Hughes | 1 time | |
|
2005 - Wizards, Lost East Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Patrick Beverley | 1 time | |
|
2017 - Rockets, Lost West Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Raja Bell | 1 time | |
|
2007 - Suns, Lost West Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Eric Bledsoe | 1 time | |
|
2019 - Bucks, Lost East Conf Finals
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Robert Covington | 1 time | |
|
2018 - 76ers, Lost East Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Victor Oladipo | 1 time | |
|
2018 - Pacers, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Bam Adebayo | 1 time | |
|
2024 - Heat, Lost East Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Mikal Bridges | 1 time | |
|
2022 - Suns, Lost West Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Slick Watts | 1 time | |
|
1976 - Supersonics, Lost West Conf Semis
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| E.C. Coleman | 1 time | |
|
1977 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Herbert Jones | 1 time | |
|
2024 - Pelicans, Lost West Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Dyson Daniels | 1 time | |
|
2025 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Amen Thompson | 1 time | |
|
2025 - Rockets, Lost West Conf 1st Rd
| ||
| All-Defensive First Team | ||
| Victor Wembanyama | 1 time | |
|
2024 - Didn't play in the Playoffs
| ||