Being best beat: LeBron James, James Harden and players are most often eliminated by NBA champions

Final champion elimination: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2023

Lost in the final: 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

Another example of a great and great thing that has ever encountered a champion. LeBron James made it to 10 NBA finals, a historic feat as he finished the game with three different teams and in an era with 30 franchises. Whether due to his team’s heavy reliance on him, facing his historical rivals, or just standing out, LeBron’s career is full of epic battles that end in failure.