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