Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant are among the few NBA greats who stayed with their franchises for their careers. In Dirk’s case, he could have left many times to pair up with other stars, but he didn’t. That’s why his one ring from 2011, when they beat the Big Three Miami Heat, is today considered by some to be a bigger accomplishment than, for example, Kevin Durant’s rings with the Golden State Warriors.
But today, players who think like Dirk and Kobe are almost extinct. Everything has come down to whether you have a Larry O’Brien trophy in your collection or not.
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The so-called ring culture has increasingly taken over the league to the point where players like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have become something of a dying breed. Tyronn Lue discussed the impact of ring culture on the Club Shay Shay podcast.
“I think it’s become a problem because now you have guys thinking that winning is more important than loyalty and doing it the right way,” Lue said. “But it’s not their fault — it’s like what is projected to the world right now. I think it’s hard to see franchises draft great, young players you’re willing to grow with, but they leave trying to pursue the championship because they think that’s what’s going to get them to the pinnacle.”
“It’s definitely clouded our game. Like, you play to win, that’s the No. 1 goal, that’s the ultimate goal, you know, but I think there are right ways to do it. Getting to that point is a much better feeling if you do it that way,” he added.
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There’s no greater recognition than winning a ring
Listening to Lue’s words, it’s hard not to think of Charles Barkley. The impression is that in conversations about the best power forwards of all time, he rarely makes the top-five list, mainly because he doesn’t have a ring. We’re talking about a player who, in his prime, won MVP in a head-to-head with Michael Jordan.
Sir Charles is perhaps the best example of a great player who, without a title, is unfairly left off some all-time lists. People will almost always put Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, Bob Pettit, Kevin Garnett, Giannis, and Dirk ahead of him, maybe rightly, maybe not. The fact remains that Barkley had the talent; he just didn’t have the ring to cement his legacy the way others did.
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Ring culture has completely taken over the NBA
And that’s exactly how today’s young players think. From day one, their goal is to build a legacy, and there’s no greater recognition than winning a ring. Just look at the pressure surrounding All-Stars and All-NBA players without a ring to their name.
James Harden, an MVP, three-time scoring champion, and two-time assists leader, one of the most lethal offensive weapons the league has ever seen, if he retires without a ring, no one will ever mention him in conversations about the greatest, no matter his stats.
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The truth is, ring culture has completely taken over the NBA. Players think less and less about the path of someone like Jokic or Giannis, who, despite having only one ring, could have had a chance at more if they paired with others. Still, at the end of the day, their titles will always be valued more because they were earned organically — exactly as Lue pointed out.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.