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The NBA Playoffs feature the best teams and the brightest stars in the league. By now, fans should realize that the postseason is a different animal compared to the regular season. In fact, some superstars have yet to snag a playoff series win. Here is a look at the 10 most surprising NBA stars who've never won a playoff series.
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1. Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes is the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer with the fewest playoff games in his career. And it happened in catastrophic fashion.
Stokes suffered a serious fall where he hit his head and was knocked unconscious for a few minutes in the final game of the 1957-58 regular season. However, he returned to the game and then played in Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Playoffs a few days later. Unfortunately, after the game, Stokes fell ill on the flight to Cincinnati, ending up permanently paralyzed due to post-traumatic encephalopathy.
2. Brandon Roy
Brandon Roy was one of the most electrifying stars during his peak. Unfortunately, injuries always haunted him throughout his career, making him one of the biggest what-if stories. Despite a handful of clutch moments, Roy never got to truly shine in the playoffs. Roy successfully led the Portland Trail Blazers to three straight playoff appearances, but they could never get past the first round. They lost to the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks.
3. Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine hasn't been lucky in terms of the teams he has played for. He started out his career with the mediocre Minnesota Timberwolves before becoming the face of a disappointing Chicago Bulls squad. While he did make a playoff appearance with the Bulls, they could only muster a first-round exit. Now with the Sacramento Kings, LaVine continues to hunt for his first playoff series win, but it'll have to wait after the Kings were bounced in the Play-In Tournament.
4. De'Aaron Fox
De'Aaron Fox is one of the most dangerous players in the clutch today. Prior to this year's trade deadline, he was also the face of the Kings, one of the pillars that helped ended the franchise's record-breaking playoff absence. Unfortunately, he failed to get the Kings its first series victory against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. However, Fox should easily remove himself from this list in the near future as he pairs with Victor Wembanyama following Fox's trade to the San Antonio Spurs.
5. Domantas Sabonis
Like Fox, Domantas Sabonis was part of the Kings squad that ended their playoff drought that lasted for 15 years. The son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis has made a name for himself in the NBA and established himself as an All-Star-caliber big man. But unlike his father, he has yet to find any success in the postseason, having yet to make it past the first round.
6. Alperen Sengun
In the 2024-25 season, Alperen Sengun made the leap, earning his first NBA All-Star Game appearance. Sengun has solidified himself as the cornerstone of the Houston Rockets thanks to his elite post-up play. But for several years, a playoff berth has remained elusive until this year. Unfortunately, the Golden State Warriors are proving to be franchise tormentors once more as the Warriors hold a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round matchup.
7. Cade Cunningham
Playing for a cellar dweller like the Detroit Pistons has its challenges. However, like Sengun, Cade Cunningham has made an All-Star leap this year, propelling Detroit to a playoff appearance. However, inexperience is slowly creeping in, as the New York Knicks also hold a solid 3-1 series lead against Cunningham's Pistons.
8. Lauri Markkanen
Among active NBA players, Lauri Markkanen currently leads in terms of most games without a playoff appearance. The Finnish star hasn't been lucky enough to play for a serious playoff contender or be good enough to carry a team into the postseason. Currently with the Utah Jazz, it doesn't look like he's going to end his postseason absence anytime soon unless he gets moved via a trade.
9. Zion Williamson
Like Markkanen, Zion Williamson has yet to appear in a playoff game. While he has successfully carried the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs twice, he has never seen action for the team due to injuries. Furthermore, the Pelicans simply couldn't take care of business without him in those playoff appearances.
10. LaMelo Ball
Another superstar who has yet to make his playoff debut is LaMelo Ball. He has spent all his years in the NBA with the lowly Charlotte Hornets. He has pretty much performed like a star who fills up the stadiums for Charlotte. Unfortunately, his individual success has yet to translate to team victories on a consistent basis. Given that the franchise has been historically underwhelming, it'll probably require Ball to take his talents elsewhere if he wants to compete in the postseason.
