LeBron James is set to make his sixth Finals appearance, an incredible accomplishment in his career that will no doubt be completely overshadowed by derision and mockery should he be unable to topple the far healthier and very much superior Warriors. Still, it's important to try and put James' accomplishment into perspective.
James is also only the second player to appear in five consecutive Finals behind Bill Russell. The hidden part of that is that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen likely would have appeared in six straight had Jordan not retired. (Apologies to the Knicks and Magic, who did in fact topple the Bulls a month after Jordan's return.)
There are more players than you'd think who have made the Finals six times: 32 players in all have reached the Finals at least six times. The number of star players, however, is of course far fewer. Here are the greatest players with as many or more Finals appearances than LeBron ... IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. Please do not flood the comments and my mentions with ranking, this is not a ranking, it's an overview.
Bill Russell: There's a reason Russell is still considered by many to be the greatest, with 12 Finals appearances, and five MVPs. He's considered the greatest defensive player of all time and literally invented the blocked shot. You're not going to hear me say a bad thing about Russell, but it should be noted that when Russell won the title his rookie season in 1957, there were eight teams in the NBA and they played a 72-game schedule. The competition level just wasn't the same.
Michael Jordan: The Greatest of All Time. I do not feel the need to explain this any further. 6-0 in NBA Finals.
Magic Johnson: Nine Finals appearances, five titles, Hall of Famer, one of the most iconic players, ever. Johnson is revered for his Finals play, including his play at center in 1980 when Kareem-Abdul Jabbar went down with an ankle injury. Have I mentioned that was his rookie season? Johnson, more than any player in NBA history, was defined by his winning. Russell played in a softer era, Jordan struggled his first six seasons in the league to reach the summit. Johnson reached the pinnacle his rookie season, and returned eight more times to the Finals, winning four more.
Tim Duncan: 18 seasons with a 50-win pace or better. Five championships, six Finals appearances, including going 2-1 over LeBron and losing the one in part on the greatest shot in NBA Finals history. Duncan was as good in 2013 as he was in 2007, and when factoring longevity, titles, consistency and the level of competition in his era, one of the greatest players in NBA history. I've argued he's the second-best player of all time behind Jordan. Either way, Duncan's Finals résumé is incredible.
Kobe Bryant: "The Black Mamba" has reached the promised land seven times, passing his rival and former teammate Shaquille O'Neal. Bryant goes down as one of the most divisive players of the modern era, and is the player James is most often compared to. Was the Lakers' dominance early in his career a product of a weaker league, or proof of how good LA was when he and Shaq were together? Bryant won two titles in 2009 and 2010 during James' prime. It's a shame we never got to see these two face off in a Finals.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The "Captain" played in 56 Finals games, and holds the records in most statistical categories in the Finals. His legacy is a fascinating one. Magic Johnson is the defining player from the '80s Lakers, yet KAJ was the anchor and a monstrous part of their success (not to mention his success in Milwaukee before even coming to LA).
Jerry West: The logo. If there's a player who may closely resemble LeBron in the Finals, it may be Jerry West. 55 games played across nine Finals appearances ... one title. This is what happens when you play in the Celtics' era. West is the only player to win Finals MVP from a losing team.
James Worthy: Seven-time All-Star, three-time NBA champion, 1988 NBA Finals MVP. By the way, fun story, Worthy landed with the juggernaut Lakers due to a trade with the ... Cleveland Cavaliers. As if there's not enough misery to go back and trace for that city. Worthy was the original "Big Game James." He averaged 22 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in the 1988 Finals.
Shaquille O'Neal: The Most Dominant Ever led LA to three titles and four appearances, then led Miami to the title in 2006 alongside Dwyane Wade. He also reached the Finals in 1995, toppling Jordan's Bulls -- again, only months after Jordan came back -- before losing to Hakeem's Rockets who just would not lose that year. Six appearances, four titles for O'Neal, who stands as the second greatest Finals center ever behind KAJ.
Wilt Chamberlain: The ever-controversial Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain was Russell's foil back in the '60s, despite their friendship. Chamberlain would be criticized for not passing enough, so he led the league in assists. He scored 100 points in a game. Six Finals. Two titles. One of the best players, statistically, in NBA history who was forever questioned for his mental makeup and ability to win in the key moments. This sound familiar to anyone else?
Scottie Pippen: Jordan's running mate and partner in crime, who had far more to do with MJ's success than people remember. Arguably the greatest defensive player in at least the modern era, if not all time. Pippen was an incredible player, and if you put Pippen with any number of guys whose postseason accomplishments are questioned, they win the title. He didn't make Michael Jordan, Jordan made Pippen, but there has never been that kind of combination of scoring ability, athleticism, defensive ability, and intensity. Though Kawhi Leonard is making a run at it early.
(Apologies to Robert Parrish, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, Satch Sanders, Sam Jones, Michael Cooper, K.C. Jones, Dennis Rodman and Frank Ramsey.)