Players and Teams Who Won the Quest for the Ring 1980-1994

Last year I discovered that nobody cares about how many rings pro basketball players have. Well, not exactly, but I discovered that no one cares enough to keep track and post the numbers on the Internet. I guess people don’t really respect NBA Champions the way they think they do. Even on monster statistical sites there is no page to go to listing NBA player champions year by year, or the number of rings won by player. Sure, you find short and usually incomplete lists of players who have won three or more rings drifting around, but forget about a complete list unless you get it here.

Quest for the Ring (QFTR) has provided the basketball world with the missing information and then some. Here for the second year we have the complete and correct listings for winners of the QFTR in multiple formats. Each year, scheduled for August, the following Reports are in this historical series:

1. Players and Teams Who Won the Quest for the Ring 1980-1994
2. Players and Teams Who Won the Quest for the Ring 1995-2010
3. Alphabetic Logs of all Players Who Have Won the Quest for the Ring 1980-2010
4. Players Ranked by Number of Championships and Rings Won Since 1980
5. Players Ranked by Minutes Played in Championship Years Since 1980
6. Most Recognized High Impact Players 1980-2010
7. Cities and Franchises That Won the Quest for the Ring 1950-2010

In 2010 these will be posted one each day beginning with #1 on August 21 and finishing with #7 on August 27.

After these look for the new and improved Real Coach Ratings and the second annual Report on player salaries, team payrolls, and team cap space.

Championships are by themselves crucial history, but they are also very important for the present, because players who have already won rings are, all other things equal, more valuable than players who have never won a ring. You might as well add about .050 to each such player's Real Player Rating. So a .700 becomes a.750, an .870 becomes a .920, and so forth.

PLAYERS AND TEAMS WHO WON THE QUEST FOR THE RING 1980-1994
Quest for the Ring presents the following complete list of NBA Champions by year and by team.

There are actually two listings or versions. The first one lists by year and by team all players who played for at least 300 minutes, which is only about 1/10 of the minutes played by the top stars. Anyone who played less than 300 minutes really didn't win a Championship if you know what I am saying, so they are not shown anywhere. The first list is called the inclusive version.

The second one is called the strict version and it lists all players who played for at least 1,200 minutes, which is a little bit less than a quarter per game. This many minutes is the dividing line between starters and very important off the bench players on the one hand and much less important players on the other hand. So this second listing is strictly limited to those players who were the most significant in winning the Quest.

There have been 31 Quest winners in the "modern era," the era since the 3-point shot went into effect in 1979-80. Three decades have come and gone since the NBA finally allowed 3 points to be counted for long range shots. (Where does the time go, George Karl?) We are posting the NBA Champions in two postings, the first one covering 15 years and the next one (posted tomorrow) covering the most recent 16 years.

In a few days, we will give you the total number of modern era rings won by players in a separate Report (#4 in the list above).

This Report shows you 1980-1994 Quest winners, and the other one to follow tomorrow shows you the 1995-2010 winners of the Quest. Remember, for both periods there are two listings: the complete list of all Champions who played at least 300 minutes, and a separate list showing only the starters and heavy minutes non-starters (1,200 minutes or more).

The format in each list is player/age/minutes played. The sorting order within each team is minutes played. Remember that as the Real Player Rating User Guide makes clear, in some cases players who have played fewer minutes may have been better players than those who played more.

========== WINNERS OF THE QUEST FOR THE RING INCLUSIVE VERSION==========
1980-1994 By Year and By Team
Inclusive Version: all players who played at least 300 minutes are included

1994 HOUSTON ROCKETS
Player Age Minutes
Hakeem Olajuwon 31 3,277
Otis Thorpe 31 2,909
Vernon Maxwell 28 2,571
Robert Horry 23 2,370
Kenny Smith 28 2,209
Mario Elie 30 1,606
Carl Herrera 27 1,292
Scott Brooks 28 1,225
Sam Cassell 24 1,122
Matt Bullard 26 725

1993 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Scottie Pippen 27 3,123
Michael Jordan 29 3,067
Horace Grant 27 2,745
B.J. Armstrong 25 2,492
Scott Williams 24 1,369
Bill Cartwright 35 1,253
Stacey King 26 1,059
John Paxson 32 1,030
Rodney McCray 31 1,019
Will Perdue 27 998
Trent Tucker 33 909
Darrell Walker 31 367

1992 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Scottie Pippen 26 3,164
Michael Jordan 28 3,102
Horace Grant 26 2,859
John Paxson 31 1,946
B.J. Armstrong 24 1,875
Bill Cartwright 34 1,471
Stacey King 25 1,268
Cliff Levingston 31 1,020
Will Perdue 26 1,007
Bob Hansen 31 769
Scott Williams 23 690
Craig Hodges 31 555

1991 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Michael Jordan 27 3,034
Scottie Pippen 25 3,014
Horace Grant 25 2,641
Bill Cartwright 33 2,273
John Paxson 30 1,971
B.J. Armstrong 23 1,731
Stacey King 24 1,198
Cliff Levingston 30 1,013
Will Perdue 25 972
Craig Hodges 30 843
Dennis Hopson 25 728
Scott Williams 22 337

1990 DETROIT PISTONS
Player Age Minutes
Isiah Thomas 28 2,993
Bill Laimbeer 32 2,675
Joe Dumars 26 2,578
Dennis Rodman 28 2,377
James Edwards 34 2,283
Mark Aguirre 30 2,005
Vinnie Johnson 33 1,972
John Salley 25 1,914
Gerald Henderson 34 335

1989 DETROIT PISTONS
Player Age Minutes
Isiah Thomas 27 2,924
Bill Laimbeer 31 2,640
Joe Dumars 25 2,408
Dennis Rodman 27 2,208
Vinnie Johnson 32 2,073
Rick Mahorn 30 1,795
John Salley 24 1,458
Adrian Dantley 32 1,341
James Edwards 33 1,254
Mark Aguirre 29 1,068
Micheal Williams 22 358

1988 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Byron Scott 26 3,048
James Worthy 26 2,655
Magic Johnson 28 2,637
A.C. Green 24 2,636
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 40 2,308
Mychal Thompson 33 2,007
Michael Cooper 31 1,793
Kurt Rambis 29 845
Wes Matthews 28 706
Mike Smrek 25 421
Milt Wagner 24 380

1987 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Magic Johnson 27 2,904
James Worthy 25 2,819
Byron Scott 25 2,729
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 39 2,441
Michael Cooper 30 2,253
A.C. Green 23 2,240
Kurt Rambis 28 1,514
Billy Thompson 23 762
Mychal Thompson 32 680
Wes Matthews 27 532
Frank Brickowski 27 404

1986 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 29 3,113
Dennis Johnson 31 2,732
Robert Parish 32 2,567
Danny Ainge 26 2,407
Kevin McHale 28 2,397
Jerry Sichting 29 1,596
Bill Walton 33 1,546
Scott Wedman 33 1,402
Rick Carlisle 26 760
Greg Kite 24 464
Sam Vincent 22 432
David Thirdkill 25 385

1985 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Magic Johnson 25 2,781
James Worthy 23 2,696
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 37 2,630
Byron Scott 23 2,305
Michael Cooper 28 2,189
Kurt Rambis 26 1,617
Larry Spriggs 25 1,292
Bob McAdoo 33 1,254
Mike McGee 25 1,170
Jamaal Wilkes 31 761
Mitch Kupchak 30 716

1984 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 27 3,028
Robert Parish 30 2,867
Dennis Johnson 29 2,665
Kevin McHale 26 2,577
Cedric Maxwell 28 2,502
Gerald Henderson 28 2,088
Quinn Buckner 29 1,249
Danny Ainge 24 1,154
Scott Wedman 31 916
M.L. Carr 33 585

1983 PHILADELPHIA 76'ERS
Player Age Minutes
Moses Malone 27 2,922
Andrew Toney 25 2,474
Maurice Cheeks 26 2,465
Julius Erving 32 2,421
Clint Richardson 26 1,755
Bobby Jones 31 1,749
Marc Iavaroni 26 1,612
Franklin Edwards 23 1,266
Earl Cureton 25 987
Russ Schoene 22 702
Clemon Johnson 26 698
Reggie Johnson 25 549

1982 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Norm Nixon 26 3,024
Magic Johnson 22 2,991
Jamaal Wilkes 28 2,906
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34 2,677
Michael Cooper 25 2,197
Mark Landsberger 26 1,134
Kurt Rambis 23 1,131
Jim Brewer 30 966
Mitch Kupchak 27 821
Bob McAdoo 30 746
Eddie Jordan 27 608
Mike McGee 22 352

1981 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 24 3,239
Tiny Archibald 32 2,820
Cedric Maxwell 25 2,730
Chris Ford 32 2,723
Robert Parish 27 2,298
Kevin McHale 23 1,645
Gerald Henderson 25 1,608
Rick Robey 25 1,569
M.L. Carr 30 655

1980 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Norm Nixon 24 3,226
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32 3,143
Jamaal Wilkes 26 3,111
Magic Johnson 20 2,795
Jim Chones 30 2,394
Michael Cooper 23 1,973
Spencer Haywood 30 1,544
Don Ford 27 580
Mark Landsberger 24 374

======== WINNERS OF THE QUEST FOR THE RING STRICT VERSION ========
1980-1994 By Year and By Team
Strict Version: All players who played at least 1,200 minutes are included

1994 HOUSTON ROCKETS
Player Age Minutes
Hakeem Olajuwon 31 3,277
Otis Thorpe 31 2,909
Vernon Maxwell 28 2,571
Robert Horry 23 2,370
Kenny Smith 28 2,209
Mario Elie 30 1,606
Carl Herrera 27 1,292
Scott Brooks 28 1,225

1993 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Scottie Pippen 27 3,123
Michael Jordan 29 3,067
Horace Grant 27 2,745
B.J. Armstrong 25 2,492
Scott Williams 24 1,369
Bill Cartwright 35 1,253

1992 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Scottie Pippen 26 3,164
Michael Jordan 28 3,102
Horace Grant 26 2,859
John Paxson 31 1,946
B.J. Armstrong 24 1,875
Bill Cartwright 34 1,471
Stacey King 25 1,268

1991 CHICAGO BULLS
Player Age Minutes
Michael Jordan 27 3,034
Scottie Pippen 25 3,014
Horace Grant 25 2,641
Bill Cartwright 33 2,273
John Paxson 30 1,971
B.J. Armstrong 23 1,731

1990 DETROIT PISTONS
Player Age Minutes
Isiah Thomas 28 2,993
Bill Laimbeer 32 2,675
Joe Dumars 26 2,578
Dennis Rodman 28 2,377
James Edwards 34 2,283
Mark Aguirre 30 2,005
Vinnie Johnson 33 1,972
John Salley 25 1,914

1989 DETROIT PISTONS
Player Age Minutes
Isiah Thomas 27 2,924
Bill Laimbeer 31 2,640
Joe Dumars 25 2,408
Dennis Rodman 27 2,208
Vinnie Johnson 32 2,073
Rick Mahorn 30 1,795
John Salley 24 1,458
Adrian Dantley 32 1,341
James Edwards 33 1,254

1988 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Byron Scott 26 3,048
James Worthy 26 2,655
Magic Johnson 28 2,637
A.C. Green 24 2,636
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 40 2,308
Mychal Thompson 33 2,007
Michael Cooper 31 1,793

1987 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Magic Johnson 27 2,904
James Worthy 25 2,819
Byron Scott 25 2,729
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 39 2,441
Michael Cooper 30 2,253
A.C. Green 23 2,240
Kurt Rambis 28 1,514

1986 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 29 3,113
Dennis Johnson 31 2,732
Robert Parish 32 2,567
Danny Ainge 26 2,407
Kevin McHale 28 2,397
Jerry Sichting 29 1,596
Bill Walton 33 1,546
Scott Wedman 33 1,402

1985 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Magic Johnson 25 2,781
James Worthy 23 2,696
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 37 2,630
Byron Scott 23 2,305
Michael Cooper 28 2,189
Kurt Rambis 26 1,617
Larry Spriggs 25 1,292
Bob McAdoo 33 1,254

1984 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 27 3,028
Robert Parish 30 2,867
Dennis Johnson 29 2,665
Kevin McHale 26 2,577
Cedric Maxwell 28 2,502
Gerald Henderson 28 2,088
Quinn Buckner 29 1,249

1983 PHILADELPHIA 76'ERS
Player Age Minutes
Moses Malone 27 2,922
Andrew Toney 25 2,474
Maurice Cheeks 26 2,465
Julius Erving 32 2,421
Clint Richardson 26 1,755
Bobby Jones 31 1,749
Marc Iavaroni 26 1,612
Franklin Edwards 23 1,266

1982 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Norm Nixon 26 3,024
Magic Johnson 22 2,991
Jamaal Wilkes 28 2,906
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34 2,677
Michael Cooper 25 2,197

1981 BOSTON CELTICS
Player Age Minutes
Larry Bird 24 3,239
Tiny Archibald 32 2,820
Cedric Maxwell 25 2,730
Chris Ford 32 2,723
Robert Parish 27 2,298
Kevin McHale 23 1,645
Gerald Henderson 25 1,608
Rick Robey 25 1,569

1980 LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Player Age Minutes
Norm Nixon 24 3,226
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32 3,143
Jamaal Wilkes 26 3,111
Magic Johnson 20 2,795
Jim Chones 30 2,394
Michael Cooper 23 1,973
Spencer Haywood 30 1,544