In the NBA, winning is most important. It helps players build brands and legacies, and gives fans something to cheer for.
That’s not to say players who lose frequently don’t build notoriety… it just might not be for the reasons they want to be remembered.
When looking at the players who have the worst win rates ever (minimum: 250 appearances), a few names stand out, but none more so than Shareef Abdur-Rahim. He spent 12 years in the league, was selected to the All-Star Game once, and played in just one playoff series during his entire NBA career.
Below, check out the 50 worst win percentages for players in NBA history.
Hollis Thompson: 20.00 percent
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 52-212
Career stats: 7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 41.3 FG%
Bryant Reeves: 22.03 percent
Getty Images
Record: 87-308
Career stats: 12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 47.5 FG%
Doug Smith: 23.65 percent
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 70-226
Career stats: 8.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 42.5 FG%
Tyrone Nesby: 25.88 percent
Getty Images
Record: 66-189
Career stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 40.4 FG%
Josh Jackson: 26.12 percent
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 76-215
Career stats: 11.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 41.6 FG%
Tellis Frank: 26.89 percent
Record: 71-193
Career stats: 6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 43.9 FG%
Marcus Fizer: 26.99 percent
Brian Bahr /Allsport
Record: 78-211
Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 43.5 FG%
Donte Greene: 27.67 percent
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 70-183
Career stats: 6.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.7 apg, 40.6 FG%
Randy White: 27.76 percent
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 78-203
Career stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 40.1 FG%
Lee Mayberry: 28.02 percent
Lou Capozzola/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 139-357
Career stats: 5.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 41.5 FG%
Clark Kellogg: 28.46 percent
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 74-186
Career stats: 18.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 49.7 FG%
Al Thornton: 28.72 percent
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 85-211
Career stats: 11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 45.2 FG%
Doug West: 28.85 percent
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 195-481
Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 48.1 FG%
Kenny Sailors: 29.15 percent
Record: 79-192
Career stats: 12.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 32.9 FG%
Geoff Huston: 29.23 percent
Andy Jacobs/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 145-351
Career stats: 8.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 5.1 apg, 48.3 FG%
Terry Davis: 29.58 percent
Tim de Frisco /Allsport
Record: 142-338
Career stats: 6.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg, 47.2 FG%
Marcus Liberty: 29.59 percent
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 79-188
Career stats: 7.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 41.7 FG%
Donnie Butcher: 30.77 percent
Record: 84-189
Career stats: 6.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 39.7 FG%
Ken Bannister: 30.83 percent
NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 78-175
Career stats: 5.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.4 apg, 48.8 FG%
KJ Martin: 31.07 percent
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 96-213
Career stats: 8.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 54.5 FG%
Marvin Bagley: 31.14 percent
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Record: 90-199
Career stats: 12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 51.8 FG%
Corey Kispert: 31.16 percent
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Record: 91-201
Career stats: 11.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 47.4 FG%
Scott Lloyd: 31.17 percent
Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 115-254
Career stats: 4.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 42.5 FG%
Freddie Boyd: 31.19 percent
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 102-225
Career stats: 8.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 42.5 FG%
Sebastian Telfair: 31.56 percent
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 178-386
Career stats: 7.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 39.0 FG%
Terry Dehere: 31.59 percent
Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Record: 127-275
Career stats: 8.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 41.1 FG%
Quincy Acy: 31.75 percent
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Record: 107-230
Career stats: 4.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 44.4 FG%
Pooh Richardson: 31.77 percent
Tim de Frisco /Allsport
Record: 203-436
Career stats: 11.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 44.4 FG%
Harold Pressley: 31.77 percent
Mike Powell/Getty Images
Record: 95-204
Career stats: 9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 43.7 FG%
Dave Budd: 31.82 percent
Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Record: 112-240
Career stats: 7.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 46.0 FG%
Ryan Gomes: 31.83 percent
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 155-332
Career stats: 10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 44.5 FG%
Collin Sexton: 31.94 percent
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Record: 130-277
Career stats: 18.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 47.0 FG%
Stan McKenzie: 31.98 percent
Record: 130-277
Career stats: 18.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 47.0 FG%
Khalid Reeves: 32.13 percent
USA TODAY Sports
Record: 89-188
Career stats: 7.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.2 apg, 41.6 FG%
Jon Sundvold: 32.14 percent
Getty Images
Record: 161-340
Career stats: 7.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, 45.2 FG%
Saddiq Bey: 32.19 percent
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 94-198
Career stats: 14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 40.8 FG%
Quintin Dailey: 32.20 percent
Ken Levine/Getty Images
Record: 170-358
Career stats: 14.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 45.4 FG%
Tim Legler: 32.26 percent
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 100-210
Career stats: 7.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 44.7 FG%
Dominic McGuire: 32.46 percent
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 111-231
Career stats: 2.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 41.9 FG%
Jerome Whitehead: 32.50 percent
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Record: 221-459
Career stats: 6.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 49.7 FG%
Isaiah Stewart: 32.57 percent
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Record: 100-207
Career stats: 8.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 50.7 FG%
Andrew Nicholson: 32.63 percent
Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 93-192
Career stats: 6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.4 apg, 46.7 FG%
Charles Shackleford: 33.00 percent
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 100-203
Career stats: 5.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 48.3 FG%
Doug Overton: 33.07 percent
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Record: 165-334
Career stats: 4.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 41.2 FG%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim: 33.13 percent
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 275-555
Career stats: 18.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 47.2 FG%
Pete Chilcutt: 33.22 percent
Getty Images
Record: 194-390
Career stats: 4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg, 44.1 FG%
Craig Smith: 33.25 percent
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 134-269
Career stats: 7.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.8 apg, 55.3 FG%
Mario Hezonja: 33.33 percent
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 110-220
Career stats: 6.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 41.7 FG%
Dan Dickau: 33.33 percent
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Record: 100-200
Career stats: 5.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 40.1 FG%
Kevin Knox: 33.44 percent
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 107-213
Career stats: 7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 39.3 FG%
