Who has the most rings in the NBA? It depends on how you count!
There are 26 players and five coaches who have won five or more rings in the NBA. The incredible Bill Russell won the most rings as a player with eleven. Russell’s teammates on the dominant Celtics of the 1950s and 1960s crowd the top of the list of players. The first 8 players on the list below are all Celtics and teammates of Russell.
Phil Jackson has the most rings as a coach with eleven. Red Auerbach follows with nine rings as a head coach. If you total up rings as player and coach, Jackson takes the lead. But even then, it depends on how you count since Russell won two as a player/coach.
Table of Contents
Players: Who has the most rings in the NBA?
Bill Russell 11
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 11 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 |
Bill Russell is the greatest winner in the history of major American sports and, quite possibly, the greatest player in basketball history as well (spoken like a Celtics fan).
Russell, who went 11-1 in NBA Finals, was the defensive force, best player and leader of the completely dominant Celtics of the 1950s and 1960s.
Russell put winning before everything on the court and was a civil rights hero off of it. Enough nice things cannot be said about him in my opinion.
Sam Jones 10
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 10 | Boston Celtics | 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 |
Sam Jones was Russell’s teammate and won ten titles alongside the big man. Jones was a Hall-of-Fame guard known for clutch shooting and quickness.
He was voted one of the 75 best players ever in the NBA on the league’s 75th anniversary. Sam Jones, teammate K.C. Jones and Russell won 8 straight NBA titles together between 1959 and 1966.
Tommy Heinsohn 8
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 |
I love Tommy! If you are a Celtics fan who watches games in the Boston area, you probably do too. I never saw him play, but he called games on local television my whole life and he was a fun announcer who seemed entirely likable as a person.
Heinhsohn was a Hall of Fame power forward who played in the NBA Finals in all 9 seasons of his career. He won 8, giving him the highest title-winning percentage of any Hall of Fame player. He won two more rings as a coach for the Celtics as well, giving him 10 total rings.
K.C. Jones 8
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 |
K.C. was a defensive-minded, Hall of Fame guard who won 8 straight titles alongside Sam Jones and Bill Russell. K.C. went on to win two more rings as a head coach of the Celtics giving him 10 in total. Jones, like teammates Satch Sanders and John Havlicek, had an 8-0 record in NBA Finals.
Satch Sanders 8
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 |
Sanders was a defensive-minded Hall of Fame forward for the dominant 60s Celtics. He, like teammates John Havlicek and K.C. Jones went 8-0 in NBA Finals series.
John Havlicek 8
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976 |
John “Hondo” Havlicek won 6 titles alongside Bill Russell and two more in the 70s after Russell retired. He, like teammates K.C. Jones and Satch Sanders was undefeated in NBA Finals at 8-0.
Havlicek, who would be called a wing in today’s game, was a tireless worker who mostly came off the bench for the dominant C’s. Hondo is a Hall of Fame player who is widely regarded as one of the top 30 players in NBA history.
Jim Loscutoff 7
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 7 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
“Jungle” Jim Loscutoff, also known as Loscy, won 7 titles with the same dominant C’s of the 50s and 60s. He was a strong, defensive-minded small forward for the team. Loscy had his name, rather than his number, retired by the C’s. His nickname “Loscy” hangs in the rafter of the Boston Garden.
Frank Ramsay 7
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 7 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, |
Frank Ramsay was a Hall of Fame guard/forward for the Celtics. He was the first sixth man in the NBA, coming off the bench to win 7 titles with the dominant C’s teams.
Robert Horry 7
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 2 | Houston Rockets | 1994 & 1995 |
| 3 | LA Lakers | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| 2 | SA Spurs | 2005 & 2007 |
Roberty Horry is the first player on this list who did not play for the Boston Celtics! He was a solid shooting and good-defending forward.
Big Shot Rob was a good, solid role player for seven different championship teams. He won rings playing along all-time greats including Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq & Kobe and Tim Duncan.
Like K.C. Jones, Satch Sanders and John Havlicek, Horry was undefeated in the NBA Finals at 7-0.
Bob Cousy 6
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 6 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, |
Cousy was the dynamic, Hall of Fame point guard for the early Celtic title-winners. He won all of his titles alongside Bill Russell.
He averaged nearly twenty points per game throughout the 50s and led the league in assists seven years in a row. Cousy was chosen as one of the league’s 75 best players ever.
A 93-year-old Cousy put JJ Reddick in his place when Reddick tried to disparage the players of Cousy’s generation, saying “People with less talent will always try to make a name for themselves by criticizing other people”. Reddick, it should be noted, has 0 rings.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 6
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 1 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1971 |
| 5 | LA Lakers | 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 |
The Tower from Power won one title alongside the Big O in Milwaukee before winning five more with Magic Johnson and the Showtime Lakers. Kareem is in the conversation for greatest player to ever play the game.
He was an excellent defensive center whose skyhook was unstoppable on offense as well. Kareem has had a distinguished life off the court and may, somehow, actually be underrated in the discussion of all-time greats.
Michael Jordan 6
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 1991, 1992, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
MJ is most certainly not underrated. The dominant wing player, who went undefeated in his six NBA Finals, is widely regarded as the greatest player to ever live. I love Bill Russell, but I can’t disagree.
MJ was the league’s leading scorer for much of his career while being one of the very best defensive players as well. His career statistics, like his win-loss record, are absurd.
Scottie Pippen 6
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 1991, 1992, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
Unlike the Kareem/Magic debate where it is hard to determine who is more responsible for the Lakers winning, there is no debate between Pippen and Jordan. Scottie Pippen, whose college growth spurt completely changed his life, was clearly the Bulls second best player.
But being second best to Michael Jordan is not so bad. Pippen was a Hall of Fame forward who is considered one of the very best defensive wing players to ever play the game.
George Mikan 5
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Minneapolis Lakers | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
George Mikan was the first dominant big man in the game of basketball. He was considered the greatest player ever in the early years of the league. Mikan was so good the league had to change several rules to slow him down including the outlawing of goaltending and the widening of the lane.
The shot clock began because opponents held the ball because they knew they could not stop Mikan.
Jim Pollard 5
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Minneapolis Lakers | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
Jim Pollard won the same titles as George Mikan. I knew little of him before writing this article, but Pollard was a Hall of Fame player who was one of the best forwards of the 50s. He was known as the Kangaroo Kid for his crazy leaping ability.
Slater Martin 5
| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 4 | Minneapolis Lakers | 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
| 1 | St. Louis Hawks | 1958 |
Slater Martin was a defensive-minded Hall of Fame guard who won titles alongside two of the earliest greats in league history. Martin won his first four titles with George Mikan (and Jim Pollard) on the MInneapolis Lakers.
Martin then teamed up with another early all-time great in Bob Pettit to defeat a pretty decent Celtics team in 1958. I knew of Martin from his days being the first coach of one of the original ABA teams the Houston Mavericks.
Larry Siegfried 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Boston Celtics | 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 |
Larry Siegfried was another of the multi-championship winning Celtics of the Bill Russell era.
Siegfried was a guard who grabbed five titles often starting alongside either John Havlicek or Sam Jones. He was mostly known for defense but did average 14 points per game in 1968-1969.
Don Nelson 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Boston Celtics | 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976 |
Don Nelson grabbed three titles during the Russell era but then, like John Havlicek, won two more in the 1970s. Nelson was a small forward who averaged double digits for the C’s and had his number retired by the team.
Nelson may be better known for his coaching where he has the 2nd most regular season NBA wins of any coach in history. Nelson made the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2012.
Michael Cooper 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Los Angeles Laker | 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 |
Michael Cooper was a key piece of the Showtime Lakers success after being drafted by them in the third round in 1978. Cooper, a guard/forward, averaged less than 10 points per game for his career. But he was a winner.
Cooper was known for his defense. Larry Bird called him the best defensive player he ever played against and the Lakers used him to guard the other team’s toughest player.
Magic Johnson 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Los Angeles Laker | 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 |
Magic Johnson won five titles leading the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s. He teamed with Kareem Abdul Jabbar to make one of the best combos in NBA history.
Magic, like Kareem, is in the conversation for best player to ever live. You won’t find many lists that put the 6’9” point guard outside the all-time top ten. His rivalry with Larry Bird revitalized the league and put it on the path to the incredible popularity it has today.
Dennis Rodman 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 2 | Detroit Pistons | 1989 1990 |
| 3 | Chicago Bulls | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
Dennis “The Worm” Rodman won two titles with the Bad Boy Pistons of the late 80’s after he too had a growth spurt late in life that changed everything. The worm was a 6’8” defensive maniac who guarded MJ during his Pistons days then ended up guarding Shaq during his threepeat with the Bulls.
Rodman’s defense and rebounding were so good that he made the Hall of Fame despite averaging only 7 points per game for his career.
Ron Harper 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 3 | Chicago Bulls | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| 2 | LA Lakers | 2000, 2001 |
I remember Ron Harper as the young, athletic shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside Mark Price and Brad Daugherty and then with the Clippers. He was a star then scoring nearly 20 points per game.
He joined the Bulls when MJ had his mid-career baseball retirement. When Jordan returned Harper became a ball handler and defender in their dominant threepeat. He then moved with Phil Jackson to join Kobe and Shaq playing the same role in their first two titles that he did with the Bulls.
Steve Kerr 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 3 | Chicago Bulls | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| 2 | San Antonio | 1999, 2003 |
Kerr was role player for teams featuring all-time greats. He was a three-point threat for the second Bulls threepeat with both MJ and Scottie Pippen. He then joined Tim Duncan for a couple of the Spurs title.
Kerr was not a star player but he has gone on to become a star coach winning four more rings with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. That makes 9 total for Kerr. I explained here that he was not a Hall of Fame player but probably is as a coach.
Kobe Bryant 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Los Angeles Laker | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 |
Kobe Bryant is one of the all-time great basketball players. I maintain that he is slightly overrated, but even with that, there are not many lists that do not put Kobe in the top twenty all time and many with him in the top ten.
He won his first three titles alongside another all-time great in Shaq. He then won two more where he was clearly the star.
Derek Fisher 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Los Angeles Laker | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 |
Derek Fisher won all his titles with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant. During his first run with the Lakers he took over the role Ron Harper had played for the team despite being quite a different player. Fisher had more traditional point-guard size at 6 ‘1″.
He left the Lakers in between their two title runs playing for Golden State and Utah before returning for two more titles.
Tim Duncan 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | San Antonio Spurs | 1999 2003 2005 2007 2014 |
Tim Duncan went 5-1 in NBA Finals. He was a remarkable player in so many ways. His big trait was being fundamentally strong and incredibly consistent. Shaq nicknamed him the Big Fundamental and it makes total sense.
Duncan won his first two titles alongside David Robinson and his last with Kawhi Leonard. In between, he won two as the sole star of a fun, remarkably solid Spurs team. Coach Gregg Popovich once said: “No Duncan. No Championships”.
Coaches: Who has the most rings in the NBA?
Phil Jackson 11
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 1991, 1992, 1993,1996, 1997, 1998 |
| 5 | LA Lakers | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 |
Phil Jackson played in the NBA with the Knicks and the Nets. He won two titles with the Knicks as a small-forward. He is listed as a two-time champion as a player but he did not play at all of the 1970 Knicks because of an injury.
After retiring, Jackson became the head coach of the MJ Bulls and led them through their double threepeat using his triangle offense. He left the Bulls and joined the Shaq/Kobe Lakers guiding them to three titles together and two more after Shaq left.
Red Auerbach 9
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 9 | Boston Celtics | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 |
Red Auerbach changed the game of basketball. He introduced the fast break into the league and brought a focus on defense into the league.
He was also a pioneer integrating the league, drafting its first black player in Chuck Cooper in 1950, having the first all-black starting lineup in 1964 and by hiring Bill Russell as the first black head coach to replace him when he retired.
Surrounding all that history was all the winning. Red coached a couple NBA teams before the Celtics but won all 9 of his titles with the C’s.
John Kundla 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | Minneapolis Lakers | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
I knew nothing of John Kundla before making this list. He coached three of the players on this list to their titles including all-time great George Mikan. Kundla was the coach of the Lakers teams who won five titles before the Celtics started their run in the late 50s.
After the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, Kundla stayed behind and became coach of the University of Minnesota for another ten years.
Pat Riley 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 4 | LA Laker | 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 |
| 1 | Miami Heat | 2006 |
Riley won one title as a player before becoming one of the all-time great coaches/team presidents in league history. He stepped into the Showtime Lakers after they fired Paul Westhead and led the team to four titles.
He then coached the Knicks and Miami before becoming president of the Heat. But he stepped back into coaching in 2006 and led the Shaq/DWade Heat to their first NBA championship.
Gregg Popovich 5
Embed from Getty Images| Titles | Team(s) | Years Won |
| 5 | San Antonio Spurs | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 |
Gregg Popovich won all five titles with Tim Duncan. The earliest two titles featured the twin towers of Duncan and Robinson while the last one featured Kawhi Leonard along with Mr. Fundamental.
Pop is widely considered one of the greatest minds in the history of the league. He has the most wins of any coach in NBA history and won those games in 370 fewer games coached than the man he surpassed Don Nelson (who is on this list as a player).
Who has the most total rings as an NBA player and head coach?
When you add in coaching victories, Phil Jackson becomes the person with the most rings in NBA history.
Jackson has 11 coaching victories and 1 (or 2) as a player giving him 12 rings. Jackson is credited with two victories as a player, but one of those seasons he did not play at all for the team because of a back injury. I am giving him 12 rings total.
Of course, Bill Russell won two rings as a player/coach. Do we double count those? I won’t. He stays at 11.
Also, rings won as an assistant coach can be tricky, so I am leaving those out. The list below counts only rings won as a player or head coach.
| Player | Rings | Notes |
| Phil Jackson | 12 | 11 as coach; 1 playing (1 injured and not counted here) |
| Bill Russell | 11 | 11 as player (2 won as player/coach for the Celtics) |
| Tom Heinsohn | 10 | 8 as a player; 2 as a coach |
| K.C. Jones | 10 | 8 as player; 2 as a coach |
| Sam Jones | 10 | All as a player |
| Red Auerbach | 9 | All as a coach |
| Steve Kerr | 9 | 5 as a player; 4 as coach |
| John Havlicek | 8 | All as player |
| Satch Sanders | 8 | All as a player |
| Robert Horry | 7 | All as a player |
| Jim Loscutoff | 7 | All as a player |
| Frank Ramsay | 7 | All as a player |
| Bob Cousy | 6 | All as a player |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6 | All as a player |
| Michael Jordan | 6 | All as a player |
| Scottie Pippen | 6 | All as a player |
It is not surprising that players still dominate this list. For every title won there are up to fifteen (or more) players – at least in the modern league. But there is only one head coach. The list of players with three or more titles is considerably longer than the complete list of title-winning coaches.
Who has the best Finals record in NBA history?
The table below includes links to my articles on the Finals records of most of the best players of all time in the NBA. Check them out!
| Player | NBA Finals Record |
| John Havlicek | 8-0 |
| Michael Jordan | 6-0 |
| Bill Russell | 11-1 |
| Tim Duncan | 5-1 |
| Kobe Bryant | 5-2 |
| Steph Curry | 4-2 |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 4-2 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6-4 |
| Magic Johnson | 5-4 |
| Larry Bird | 3-2 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 2-1 |
| Kevin Durant | 2-2 |
| LeBron James | 4-6 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 2-4 |
| Jerry West | 1-8 |
| Elgin Baylor | 0-7 |
I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. I write about games, players and seasons from the past.