The 2003 NBA Draft class has an all-time record of 27 combined championships.
Inside the NBA fraternity includes various commonalities among players, whether it’s similar hometown, native country, college attended or Draft class, to name a few.
It’s an automatic link that players rep, some deeper than others. The NBA players from Serbia, for example, have a group chat and often celebrate Nikola Jokic’s success as if it were their own. Former Kentucky Wildcats maintain a connection that comes with bragging rights for attending the school with the most players in the league.
And while a deep pool of talent is often the biggest reference for Draft class bragging rights, we’ve evaluated how that discourse would take shape if it were based on championships, specifically in the last 20 years:
(Editor’s Note: This list only includes players who were on the roster when the Finals were played.)
Class of 2003
Number of championships: 27
Players with championship rings: 15
- Leandro Barbosa, 1x
- Matt Bonner, 2x
- Chris Bosh, 2x
- Boris Diaw, 1x
- LeBron James, 4x
- Dahntay Jones, 1x
- James Jones, 3x
- Jason Kapono, 1x
- Darko Milicic, 1x
- Zaza Pachulia, 2x
- Kendrick Perkins, 1x
- Dwyane Wade, 3x
- Luke Walton, 2x
- David West, 2x
- Mo Williams, 1x
Class of 2004
Number of championships: 16
Players with championship rings: 8
- Tony Allen, 1x
- Trevor Ariza, 1 x
- Dwight Howard, 1x
- Andre Iguodala, 4x
- Shaun Livingston, 3x
- J.R. Smith, 2x
- Beno Udrih, 2x
- Sasha Vujacic, 2x
Class of 2009
Number of championships: 14
Players with championship rings: 9
- Danny Green, 3x
- Roddy Beaubois, 1x
- Stephen Curry, 4x
- Austin Daye, 1x
- Jrue Holiday, 1x
- Jodie Meeks, 1x
- Patty Mills, 1x
- Jeff Ayres, 1x
- Jeff Teague, 1x
Class of 2011
Number of championships: 14
Players with championship rings: 9
- Norris Cole, 2x
- Markieff Morris, 1x
- Klay Thompson, 4x
- Iman Shumpert, 1x
- Tristan Thompson, 1x
- Kawhi Leonard, 2x
- Reggie Jackson, 1x
- Cory Joseph, 1x
- Kyrie Irving, 1x
Class of 2006
Number of championships: 12
Players with championship rings: 8
- Shannon Brown, 2x
- Jordan Farmar, 2x
- Kyle Lowry, 1x
- Adam Morrison, 2x
- Leon Powe, 1x
- Rajon Rondo, 2x
- P.J. Tucker, 1x
- James White, 1x
Class of 2007
Number of championships: 12
Players with championship rings: 11
- Corey Brewer, 1x
- Glen Davis, 1x
- Jared Dudley, 1x
- Tiago Splitter, 1x
- Marco Belinelli, 1x
- Kevin Durant, 2x
- Gabe Pruitt, 1x
- Nick Young, 1x
- Marc Gasol, 1x
- Jeff Green, 1x
- Sun Yue, 1x
Class of 2008
Number of championships: 12
Players with championship rings: 9
- Mario Chalmers, 2x
- Sasha Kaun, 1x
- Brandon Rush, 1x
- Marreese Speights, 1x
- JaVale McGee, 3x
- Brook Lopez, 1x
- Kevin Love, 1x
- Serge Ibaka, 1x
- DeAndre Jordan, 1x
Class of 2012
Number of championships: 10
Players with championship rings: 7
- Draymond Green, 4x
- Harrison Barnes, 1x
- Anthony Davis, 1x
- Festus Ezeli, 1x
- Ognjen Kuzmic, 1x
- Khris Middleton, 1x
- Dion Waiters, 1x
Class of 2005
Number of championships: 8
Players with championship rings: 7
- Andrew Bogut, 1x
- Andrew Bynum, 2x
- Channing Frye, 1x
- David Lee, 1x
- Ian Mahinmi, 1x
- Wayne Simien, 1x
- Ronny Turiaf, 1x
Class of 2016
Number of championships: 7
Players with championship rings: 4
- Damian Jones, 2x
- Patrick McCaw, 3x
- Jamal Murray, 1x
- Pascal Siakam, 1x
Class of 2015
Number of championships: 6
Players with championship rings: 4
- Pat Connaughton, 1x
- Kevon Looney, 3x
- Bobby Portis, 1x
- Norman Powell, 1x
Class of 2017
Number of championships: 6
Players with championship rings: 6
- OG Anunoby, 1x
- Jordan Bell, 1x
- Thomas Bryant, 1x
- Vlatko Cancar, 1x
- Kyle Kuzma, 1x
- Justin Jackson, 1x
Class of 2010
Number of championships: 5
Players with championship rings: 5
- Damion James, 1x
- Dexter Pittman, 1x
- Jarvis Varnado, 1x
- Nemanja Bjelica, 1x
- Dominique Jones, 1x
Class of 2014
Number of championships: 5
Players with championship rings: 5
- Andrew Wiggins, 1x
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 1x
- Aaron Gordon, 1x
- Nikola Jokic, 1x
- Jordan McRae, 1x
Class of 2020
Number of championships: 4
Players with championship rings: 4
- Sam Merrill, 1x
- Zeke Nnaji, 1x
- Jordan Nwora, 1x
- James Wiseman, 1x
Class of 2013
Number of championships: 4
Players with championship rings: 3
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, 1x
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 2x
- Otto Porter Jr., 1x
Class of 2018
Number of championships: 4
Players with championship rings: 4
- Kostas Antetokounmpo, 1x
- Bruce Brown, 1x
- Donte DiVincenzo, 1x
- Michael Porter Jr., 1x
Class of 2019
Number of championships: 2
Players with championship rings: 2
- Talen Horton-Tucker, 1x
- Jordan Poole, 1x
Class of 2021
Number of championships: 2
Players with championship rings: 2
- Jonathan Kuminga, 1x
- Moses Moody, 1x
Class of 2022
Number of championships: 2
Players with championship rings: 2
- Christian Braun, 1x
- Peyton Watson, 1x
