NBA Champions ·

1978 Washington Bullets

The 1978 Washington Bullets captured the NBA championship behind Elvin Hayes, head coach Dick Motta, and a balanced starting five. Kevin Grevey anchored the bench. Ring Holders Club uses curated roster ratings for this title team — not official NBA statistics.

The 1978 Washington Bullets stand among the 1978 NBA champions — a team built to survive the grind of a long postseason and win four rounds when it mattered most. In Ring Holders Club, this squad appears in the draft pool with year-specific player ratings reflecting each member's contribution during that title run, not career averages.

Head coach Dick Motta guided a starting five of Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, Bob Dandridge, Phil Chenier, Tom Henderson. Elvin Hayes led the group as the highest-rated contributor in our curated model, setting the tone on both ends of the floor.

Off the bench, Kevin Grevey provided the sixth-man punch that championship rotations need — the kind of high-minute reserve who keeps lineups fresh through long playoff series.

The 1977–78 season culminated in a Finals victory that added another chapter to NBA history. Playoff basketball in that year rewarded depth, matchups, and the ability to adjust series to series — qualities this roster embodied in our simulation data.

For the Washington Bullets, the 1978 ring broke a drought or opened a new chapter in the classic post-war NBA, defined by dynasties and regional rivalries.

In Ring Holders Club you may draft any of these seven members — five starters, the sixth man, and the head coach — when their championship year appears on the spin wheel. That makes the 1978 Washington Bullets a high-stakes reveal: Elvin Hayes and Dick Motta are premium picks, but role players like Tom Henderson can still swing a simulated series.

Historical context on this page is written for entertainment and education. Player ratings and roster roles are curated estimates based on public records such as Basketball-Reference. Ring Holders Club is not affiliated with the NBA, its teams, or its players.

Championship roster

1978 Washington Bullets championship roster
PlayerRoleRating
Wes UnseldC88
Elvin HayesPF90
Bob DandridgeSF84
Phil ChenierSG82
Tom HendersonPG76
Kevin Grevey6th man77
Dick MottaCoach86

Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club — not official NBA stats.