Best Players in NBA History Who Were Never the First Option

Basketball has always been a sport that requires great teamwork and cohesion for a group to be successful. The NBA has had countless memorable stars throughout its esteemed history, but history has also shown that even the best players in the world can’t win a championship on their own.

Team building is key in the NBA, whether through the draft or enticing a key free agent. Championship rosters always have more than one major contributor, with most possessing multiple All-Stars.

Many players who eventually became the alpha of their teams started as a sidekicks. However, including the likes of Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade would be a disservice to the less renowned stars who were never able to shine as the leader of their own team.

Here are our top 10 sidekicks in NBA history.

10 Sam Jones

NBA Career: 1957-1969

The Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1950s and 60s will always be remembered for their unmatchable feat of 11 titles in 13 seasons. While Bill Russell was the leader and face of a group stacked with Hall-of-Famers, Sam Jones may have been his most talented running mate during this stretch.

Jones entered the NBA one year after Russell in 1957-58 and played alongside the legendary center for the entirety of his professional career. Jones was a five-time All-Star and the best scorer on a defensive-minded Boston team during his 12 seasons.

Jones’ contributions amounted to 10 NBA championships and multiple MVP-caliber seasons as the X-factor of the Celtics’ first dynasty.

9 Kyrie Irving

NBA Career: 2011-Present

Kyrie Irving was drafted with the first pick in the 2011 NBA Draft to be the next superstar for the Cleveland Cavaliers . After just three seasons as an up-and-coming All-Star, the franchise’s former star, LeBron James , came back into the fold and immediately became the team’s engine once again.

Irving played the perfect complement to James en route to the Cavs’ first title in 2016 but eventually became frustrated playing in his shadow. It’s hard to say Irving was ever the best player in his subsequent stops either, though.

Irving was brought in to be the veteran leader of a young Celtics team, but found himself more as a co-star alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown . In Brooklyn, it was a similar story with James Harden and Kevin Durant . However, Irving once again established himself as one of the league’s premier second options with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks , who he helped lead to the NBA Finals last season.

8 Penny Hardaway

NBA Career: 1993-2008

Another of NBA history’s most explosive guards, Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway looked like he was talented enough to lead his own team during his early days with the Orlando Magic . Instead, he was paired alongside the team’s other young star, Shaquille O’Neal, creating a devastating pick-and-roll duo.

Hardaway and O’Neal were dominant in their short time together, knocking off the Chicago Bulls in the postseason after Michael Jordan’s return and even making a finals appearance in 1995.

Eventually, O’Neal left town and Hardaway had the keys to the franchise in his hands, but injuries derailed his career before his potential could ever be realized. Regardless, he will be remembered for his All-Star years as O’Neal’s running mate.

7 Klay Thompson

NBA Career: 2011-Present

Coming up alongside a future MVP in Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson was put in a situation to succeed with the Golden State Warriors . The duo quickly became known as the league’s best three-point shooting pairing, affectionately nicknamed the “Splash Brothers”.

After a few years of roster tinkering and in-house growth, the Warriors’ combination of shooting and defense brought a new era of NBA basketball with it. While Curry is at the forefront of that, Thompson was also key in influencing the league’s three-point explosion after Golden State won an NBA championship in 2015.

Thompson would continue to play at an All-Star level throughout the team’s next two titles but saw his career screech to a halt with back-to-back seasons ending with injuries in the 2019 NBA Finals and the 2020 offseason. Still, he was a valuable contributor to the team’s recent title in 2022.

6 Joe Dumars

NBA Career: 1985-1999

One of the best draft picks in the franchise’s history, the Detroit Pistons brought Joe Dumars to the team with the 18th selection in 1985. It took just one season before the lockdown guard was Isiah Thomas’ full-time backcourt partner.

A mature talent by the time the Pistons were contenders, Dumars settled in as an elite three-and-D with solid playmaking chops and athleticism. With the “Bad Boy” Pistons, Dumars became known as a quiet, but ferocious defender on the perimeter.

Dumars started for both of Detroit’s championships in 1989 and 1990, winning Finals MVP in the first. After Thomas retired, Dumars continued to play at an All-Star level for a few years alongside a transcendent forward in Grant Hill.

5 Tony Parker

NBA Career: 2001-2019

Tim Duncan played with a number of great players throughout his decorated NBA career, but he spent more time on the court with Tony Parker than any other teammate.

Drafted in 2001, Parker was immediately thrust into a starting role for the San Antonio Spurs , a team with two solid, Hall-of-Fame big men but plenty of questions at other positions. He quickly proved he was the right man for the job, helping the Spurs to a title in 2003, Parker’s second full campaign.

Parker continued to play consistent ball as the Spurs’ primary playmaker, adding the occasional All-Star appearance but always named among the best guards of the 2000s. In 2007, he won his second championship and also took home Finals MVP.

Parker remained steady throughout the early 2010s, even outperforming Duncan at times as the legendary big man continued to age. Parker’s longevity and consistency made him one of the best on-court teammates of the era.

4 James Worthy

NBA Career: 1982-1994

A catalyst of the “Showtime” Lakers, James Worthy was the perfect rim-running teammate to play alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . After already playing beside Michael Jordan in college, Worthy continued to contribute alongside some of the game’s greatest talents.

Worthy was a perennial All-Star forward from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, commanding respect on defense as an incredibly athletic forward.

While never the face of the franchise, Worthy was essential in the Lakers’ three championship runs of the 1980s and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.

3 Kevin McHale

NBA Career: 1980-1993

Another top second option of the 1980s, Kevin McHale, was the antithesis of Worthy during this era. While the latter dominated with length and athleticism, the former’s strengths were low to the ground and close to the rim. Still, he was one of the main reasons the Boston Celtics returned to greatness during this period.

McHale always accepted and excelled in his role, becoming an accomplished All-Star both as a starter and sixth man. He was a consistent 20-point-per-game scorer throughout the franchise’s dominant decade. By the time Larry Bird retired, McHale’s career was nearing its end, as well.

2 John Stockton

NBA Career: 1984-2003

Despite being drafted a year before Karl Malone, it became evident that the latter was the offensive engine that made the Utah Jazz so great. That doesn’t mean that the NBA’s all-time assist and steals leader wasn’t one of the league’s greatest talents in his own right, though.

Stockton was an efficient scorer, keen defender, and all-world playmaker – one of the main reasons Malone was able to pile up so many points in his career. Only Stockton’s assist numbers were ever flashy, though, making him the clear second option on what would become one of the best teams of the 1990s.

Stockton was an All-Star regular and consistent MVP candidate throughout the decade, even helping lead the Jazz to two Finals face-offs against the Chicago Bulls in 1997 and 1998. While never a champion, Stockton’s resume continues to hold the test of time.

1 Scottie Pippen

NBA Career: 1987-2004

No matter how great you are, you’ll never be the best player on your team when you play alongside the Greatest. That was the case for Scottie Pippen when he joined the Bulls in 1987 – just two years after the team drafted Jordan.

Pippen’s effect on the game proved he was vital for the Bulls to win, even with a transcendent talent in Jordan. After just two seasons in the league, Pippen was an All-Star and an elite defensive stopper. After falling flat against the Celtics and Pistons in the playoffs, the Bulls rose to the top of the NBA landscape and never came down while Jordan and Pippen were at the helm.

Pippen will always be remembered as Jordan’s teammate, despite nearly winning MVP the year M.J. played baseball. That season gave viewers a glimpse of Pippen’s ability to lead a team – and maybe he could’ve for longer. Instead, he’ll have to be remembered as being the best sidekick in NBA history.