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.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 52-212Career stats: 7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 41.3 FG%
Getty Images
Record: 87-308Career stats: 12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 47.5 FG%
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 70-226Career stats: 8.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 42.5 FG%
Getty Images
Record: 66-189Career stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 40.4 FG%
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 76-215Career stats: 11.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 41.6 FG%
Record: 71-193Career stats: 6.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 43.9 FG%
Brian Bahr /Allsport
Record: 78-211Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 43.5 FG%
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 70-183Career stats: 6.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.7 apg, 40.6 FG%
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 78-203Career stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 40.1 FG%
Lou Capozzola/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 139-357Career stats: 5.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 41.5 FG%
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 74-186Career stats: 18.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 49.7 FG%
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 85-211Career stats: 11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 45.2 FG%
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 195-481Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 48.1 FG%
Record: 79-192Career stats: 12.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 32.9 FG%
Andy Jacobs/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 145-351Career stats: 8.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 5.1 apg, 48.3 FG%
Tim de Frisco /Allsport
Record: 142-338Career stats: 6.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg, 47.2 FG%
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 79-188Career stats: 7.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 41.7 FG%
Record: 84-189Career stats: 6.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 39.7 FG%
NBA Photos/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 78-175Career stats: 5.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.4 apg, 48.8 FG%
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 96-213Career stats: 8.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 54.5 FG%
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Record: 90-199Career stats: 12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 51.8 FG%
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Record: 91-201Career stats: 11.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 47.4 FG%
Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 115-254Career stats: 4.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 42.5 FG%
Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 102-225Career stats: 8.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 42.5 FG%
Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 178-386Career stats: 7.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 39.0 FG%
Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Record: 127-275Career stats: 8.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 41.1 FG%
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Record: 107-230Career stats: 4.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 44.4 FG%
Tim de Frisco /Allsport
Record: 203-436Career stats: 11.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 44.4 FG%
Mike Powell/Getty Images
Record: 95-204Career stats: 9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 43.7 FG%
Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Record: 112-240Career stats: 7.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 46.0 FG%
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 155-332Career stats: 10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 44.5 FG%
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Record: 130-277Career stats: 18.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 47.0 FG%
Record: 130-277Career stats: 18.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 47.0 FG%
USA TODAY Sports
Record: 89-188Career stats: 7.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.2 apg, 41.6 FG%
Getty Images
Record: 161-340Career stats: 7.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, 45.2 FG%
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 94-198Career stats: 14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 40.8 FG%
Ken Levine/Getty Images
Record: 170-358Career stats: 14.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 45.4 FG%
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 100-210Career stats: 7.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 44.7 FG%
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 111-231Career stats: 2.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 41.9 FG%
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Record: 221-459Career stats: 6.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 49.7 FG%
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Record: 100-207Career stats: 8.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 50.7 FG%
Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 93-192Career stats: 6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.4 apg, 46.7 FG%
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 100-203Career stats: 5.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 48.3 FG%
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Record: 165-334Career stats: 4.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 41.2 FG%
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 275-555Career stats: 18.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 47.2 FG%
Getty Images
Record: 194-390Career stats: 4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg, 44.1 FG%
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 134-269Career stats: 7.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.8 apg, 55.3 FG%
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Record: 110-220Career stats: 6.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 41.7 FG%
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Record: 100-200Career stats: 5.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 40.1 FG%
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Record: 107-213Career stats: 7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 39.3 FG%
