Longest Gaps Between NBA Championships
| Rank |
Years Between Titles |
Player |
First Championship |
Next Championship |
| 1 |
13 |
Sam Cassell |
1995 Houston Rockets |
2008 Boston Celtics |
| T-2 |
12 |
Rajon Rondo |
2008 Boston Celtics |
2020 Los Angeles Lakers |
| T-2 |
12 |
A.C. Green |
1988 Los Angeles Lakers |
2000 Los Angeles Lakers |
| T-4 |
11 |
Robert Parish |
1986 Boston Celtics |
1997 Chicago Bulls |
| T-4 |
11 |
Earl Cureton |
1983 Philadelphia 76ers |
1994 Houston Rockets |
| T-6 |
9 |
Clyde Lovellette |
1954 Minneapolis Lakers |
1963 Boston Celtics |
| T-6 |
9 |
Bill Walton |
1977 Portland Trail Blazers |
1986 Boston Celtics |
| T-6 |
9 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
1971 Milwaukee Bucks |
1980 Los Angeles Lakers |
Record Holders
Sam Cassell — 13 Years
Sam Cassell has the longest gap listed on this page. He won a championship
with the Houston Rockets in 1995 and did not win another title until
joining the Boston Celtics' 2008 championship team.
Rajon Rondo — 12 Years
Rondo won his first championship with Boston in 2008. Twelve years later,
he won another title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
A.C. Green — 12 Years
Green won with the Lakers in 1988 and returned to the franchise's
championship stage in 2000, giving him a 12-year gap between titles.
Robert Parish — 11 Years
Parish won with Boston in 1986 before adding another championship with
the Chicago Bulls in 1997.
Earl Cureton — 11 Years
Cureton won a championship with Philadelphia in 1983 and another with
Houston in 1994.
Nine-Year Championship Gaps
Three players on the page went nine years between championships.
Clyde Lovellette won with the Lakers in 1954 and Boston in 1963,
Bill Walton won with Portland in 1977 and Boston in 1986, and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won with Milwaukee in 1971 and the Lakers in 1980.
Winning Championships With Different Franchises
Most of the players on this list won their championships with different
franchises. Cassell moved from Houston to Boston, Rondo from Boston to
Los Angeles, Parish from Boston to Chicago, Cureton from Philadelphia
to Houston, Lovellette from the Lakers to Boston, Walton from Portland
to Boston, and Abdul-Jabbar from Milwaukee to Los Angeles.
A.C. Green is the exception in the data on this page. Both of his listed
championships came with the Lakers, although they occurred 12 years apart.
How the Record Is Measured
This page measures the number of years between championship seasons for
players who won an NBA title, went an extended period without another
championship, and later won another title.
The gap is based on the championship years shown in the table rather than
the number of NBA seasons actually played between titles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the longest gap between NBA championships?
Sam Cassell leads the records listed on this page with 13 years between
his 1995 championship with Houston and his 2008 championship with Boston.
Which players went 12 years between NBA titles?
Rajon Rondo and A.C. Green are both listed with 12-year gaps between
championships.
Who won championships 11 years apart?
Robert Parish and Earl Cureton each have an 11-year gap between
championship seasons.
Did any player on the list win both titles with the same franchise?
Yes. A.C. Green won both of his listed championships with the Lakers,
first in 1988 and again in 2000.
Which players on the list won championships with the Boston Celtics?
Sam Cassell, Rajon Rondo, Robert Parish, Clyde Lovellette and Bill Walton
all have a Boston Celtics championship listed on this page.
Related NBA Championship History
