What does the NBA mean to you? For millions of fans in the U.S. and across the globe, it is life. Basketball is – and will always be – one of the greatest gifts North America has ever given to the world. If you are reading this from Europe, Asia, or Africa, you’re welcome. We hope you continue to enjoy this wonderful game and watch as much NBA as you can. Even if you have never thrown a shot in your lifetime, it really doesn’t matter.
This is because the inclusive nature of the National Basketball Association brings us all together, regardless of how good you are on the court. The NBA asks nothing of its passionate fans, yet consistently delivers high-quality entertainment for us all. It doesn’t insist on drawing you into unnecessary politics, nor changing your opinions. It is a league for basketball lovers and a fine one at that.
These days, the highest-paid athletes on the face of the earth, on average, play in the NBA. Many of the most recognizable faces in America play for one of the league’s franchises. In fact, these superiorly gifted and incredibly skilled athletes are known far beyond the shores of North America and would stop traffic in many of the major cities around the world. The NBA is global. The NBA is important. The NBA is matters.
Like any great institution or organization, it has history, which leads us to wonder where it all began. How did franchises such as the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers become worldwide phenomena? Where did basketball come from? Who are the greatest players the NBA has ever seen? Take some quiet time, kick your shoes off, and allow us to take you through the history of what many see as the greatest league in sports history.
You can count yourself lucky to be born into an age where basketball was an established sport. Most kids grow up playing basketball in school, without having to even question where the game originated. We can all recall different defining ages of the NBA, such as Michael Jordan’s charge towards greatness, or even the ageless rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. We are lucky.
Of course, it wasn’t always that way. Basketball’s origins were pretty modest when compared to other sports. What does stand basketball apart from games like football and baseball is that we have a clear and traceable history relating to how it came to be. It is a pretty cool thing to be able to pinpoint the origins of any sport. It can really bring home just how far it has come while appreciating the mind behind it.
That mind belonged to a man called James Naismith. Fans owe a lot to the “father of basketball,” that’s for sure. So, who was James Naismith?
James Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario. Yes, basketball’s creator was born in Canada. He was the son of Scottish immigrants, who expressed a keen interest in sports at a very young age. At the age of 30 years old, Naismith would invent the game of basketball, writing a rulebook for the sport in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891. At the time, he was a teacher at the International YMCA located in Springfield.
Naismith conceived the idea for basketball while tasked with creating a game in just two weeks for students at the YMCA. The man who assigned this task was the head of physical education at the school. As the New England winters were harsh, students would grow distressed at not being able to play games outdoors. Naismith was ordered to keep the game fair, not rough, and for it to not take up much space.
Naismith had looked to other sports such as football, hockey, soccer, rugby for inspiration. As he wanted to ensure that players did not overexert or injure themselves, he concluded that a game played with a large ball – and with minimal contact – would be the best bet. Passing was to be the only way of advancing with the ball. The goal – placed above players’ head – was also to be unguarded.
Additionally, Naismith had figured that placing the goals above players’ heads would eliminate fouls and damaging contact. Players could only score by tossing a soccer ball at the goals, which were peach baskets. Having arrived at his idea for a game, Naismith wrote 13 basic rules of the game, which was to be called “basket ball.”
In December 1891, the first-ever game of what we now know as basketball was played, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Naismith recorded how the game went down in several notes. He declared that there were nine players per team, with a soccer ball used in order to score in the peach baskets which were nailed to the inside of the gallery, 10 feet up, at each end of the gym.
The 13 rules he had drafted were pinned to the bulletin board in the gym, which was available for the two captains and sixteen other players to read. Naismith noted that the players were not very “enthusiastic” about the game, but complied with his instructions, nonetheless. There were a few fouls noted, with “running with the ball” the most common. In modern-day basketball, this would simply be known as “dribbling.”
This game would be the first time that the sport was played and would go on to spark a cultural phenomenon. To think of how far the game has come since it was conceived by Naismith is incredible. For the creator of the sport, he would go on to become the University of Kansas’ basketball team, enjoying a pivotal role in the sport before having the basketball hall of fame named in his honor (located in Springfield, Massachusetts).
It would be decades later, on June 6, 1946, when the Basketball Association of America (BAA) would be founded. It wasn’t until a merger between the BAA and National Basketball League (NBL), three years later, when the National Basketball Association (NBA) would be born. It is unlikely that the founders of the association would have any idea of just how far-reaching the NBA would come to be.
It was the BAA that was the catalyst for the creation of a national league of basketball teams. Following joint enterprises by owners of ice hockey arenas in the Northeast, Midwest, and Canada, teams were frequently matched up to play games. However, the “first game in NBA history” was played in Toronto, Canada on November 1, 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens.
This game signified a real throwing down of the gauntlet for the league. There had been previous attempts at putting together a national league, but these, for the most part, fell flat. Now basketball had a league and major arenas to play games in, which the defunct American Basketball League and even the NBL could not compete with. This was basketball at a whole new level, with the financial clout behind it.
This was not to say that the quality of players was any different to other leagues. In fact, most teams were on a par. To prove a point, both the ABL finalists, Baltimore Bullets, and the NBL champs, Minneapolis Lakers, won the 1948 and 1949 BAA titles having moved over to the league. There was so much potential with the games being played in larger arenas, given that a higher number of spectators could fund improvement.
When talented NBL teams moved to the BAA, this solidified the BAA as the league to play in. This was especially true for many college players who wanted to ply their trade as a pro. Finally, this left a handful of NBL teams being forced to transfer to the BAA which then posed a number of potential questions regarding a merger. On August 3, 1949, all remaining teams in the NBL also made the move to the BAA.
To satisfy everyone, the name of the BAA was changed to the NBA. However, many were still not satisfied with the partnership, preferring to see the move as an extension of the BAA brand rather than a full merger. Even in the modern age, the NBA does not recognize records pertaining to the NBL.
There were 17 franchises in total in the formative years of the NBA. These were spread across a number of cities, with games being played in arenas and smaller gyms. In 1950, this process was not believed to have been sustainable, so the NBA brought the total number of teams down to 11. Three years later, there were just eight franchises in operation in the NBA, which is the smallest the league has ever been.
These eight teams were the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Warriors, Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Fort Wayne Pistons, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Syracuse Nationals. All of these teams are in operation in the NBA today, with some having changed their names upon relocating to larger cities around the U.S. For example, the Pistons moved from Indiana to Detroit in 1957.
The league as we know it began to take shape in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, with a number of key developments – both socially and to the game – occurring. Wataru Misaka became the first non-white player in the league, signing for New York Knicks in the 47-48 season. In 1950, the Japanese-American was joined by the first African-American, Harold Hunter, who signed with the Washington Capitols.
The following season saw a number of African-Americans joining the league, which improved both the quality and culture of the NBA.
When we think of the NBA in the 1990’s, there is no doubt that the decade belongs to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. However, in the 1960’s, the dominant force – and perhaps the greatest team in NBA history were the Boston Celtics. While the Minneapolis Lakers won an unprecedented 5 titles in the previous decade, the Celtics eclipsed even this great achievement to blow everyone out of the water.
It all started in 1957 when Bill Russell signed for coach Red Auberach’s Celtics. At the time, Bob Cousy was the main man at the franchise. Boston would go on to win a ridiculous 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons, which included 8 consecutive championship wins (from 1956 to 1966). All in all, the Celtics collected all but one championship in the 1960’s, achieving sporting immortality in the process.
While Celtics completely dominated, a center by the name of Wilt Chamberlain would be one of the greatest stars – and the greatest rival to Russell – in the NBA. A record-setting phenom, Chamberlain’s efforts for the Warriors saw him earn huge acclaim, and a rivalry with Russell which is still considered as one of the greatest in the history of sports.
The NBA experienced further changes to the face of the league with several high-profile departures of franchises to other cities. The Lakers moved from Minneapolis to LA, the Warriors moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco, the Hawks from St. Louis to Atlanta, and there was also the inclusion of the Chicago Packers. Further changes saw the NBA improve to 14 franchises in total.
The NBA now held a monopoly on a national basketball league and it seemed as though this would continue without challenge. This made the creation of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967 somewhat surprising, especially since the NBA now had a credible competitor to its domination. The ABA made its intentions known, engaging in a bidding war with the NBA.
While the NBA acquired future Hall of Famer, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, the ABA would offer stiff competition in the following years. A policy which permitted the association to sign undergraduates bolstered their power to sign players. However, the league was short-lived, as it would merge with the NBA in 1976. A number of new franchises joined the NBA, which would then embark on a new important part of its history.
Stars such as Abdul-Jabaar, Rick Barry, and Julius Erving emerged, taking the game to new levels. However, various problems – including a lack of spectator interest in the sport – was a threat far bigger than any competitor could pose. As the 1970’s closed out, many of the minds behind the NBA were feeling the pressure.
As fate would have it, the NBA would enjoy the greatest period in its history from 1979 through to the 1980’s. A major reason for this was the birth of the greatest rivalry in the NBA, between Boston Celtic’s Larry Bird and the LA Lakers’ Magic Johnson. Not only did the rivalry lead to a huge blast of popularity for the NBA in America, but it also drove interest from around the world. The addition of 3-point shots also helped.
The rivalry also led to classic showdowns in NBA finals, in 1984, 1985, and 1987. Both teams had a genuine disliking for one another, but there was no doubt that they respected each other. 11 Celtics and Lakers players and coaches from this time period made the Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting just how much talent was on offer in this golden age of NBA.
All in all, Johnson’s Lakers took 5 NBA titles during this time period while Bird’s Celtics won 3. These teams were seen at the time as the highest-quality that have ever been witnessed throughout the history of the league, with Johnson and Bird classed as the true standouts of the era. However, there was another player to emerge in the 1980’s who would establish his own claim for greatness.
If the NBA was reaping the benefits of the attention that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were bringing to basketball, Michael Jordan’s arrival in 1984 would be even more crucial to the brand. Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls as the third overall draft pick and dazzled fans from the get-go. His ability in the air, sublime skill and defensive prowess saw him attain superstar status at an early stage in his career.
Sports apparel giants Nike released the Air Jordan sneaker, which drew even more attention to Jordan and the NBA. Jordan also had several other endorsements throughout his years as a player, making him the most marketed player in basketball history. The Bulls’ shooting guard was a celebrity all around the world, and one of the most recognized athletes on earth. The NBA had never been bigger as a result.
In 1991, Jordan and the Bulls won their first championship and would go on to create one of the finest dynasties in NBA history. Prior to the roaring success of the Bulls, there was also a further expansion of teams in the league.
The 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona saw a USA team composed of NBA players for the first team in the history of basketball. Among the names were Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, and Patrick Ewing. Superior in every position, the USA beat their opponents by an average of 44 points on way to claiming the gold medal in the games.
The NBA expanded to 27 teams following the creation of the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Minnesota Timberwolves. In this period, Detroit Pistons claimed consecutive titles in 1989 and 1990, before the Bulls claimed two three-peats in eight years. Houston Rockets broke things up, winning titles in 1994 and 1995. There was a sense that competition was at an all-time high.
The NBA announced its intention to expand into Canada in ’95, adding the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors. The Grizzlies moved south of the border to Memphis in 2001, which meant that the Raptors were the sole Candian representatives in the NBA. The following year saw the creation of the Women’s National Basketball Association, providing a national basketball league for females.
NBA owners engaged in a lockout in 1998 which was settled over six months later. This led to the 1998-99 season being played at 50 games, rather than 82, with the All-Star Game being abandoned as a result. While this was a frustrating time for players, coaches, and fans alike, the San Antonio Spurs took advantage of the chaos to win their first ever NBA title.
It is fae to say that the Chicago Bulls were the dominant team of the 1990’s With Jordan and Pippen, they were simply untouchable when performing to the best of their abilities. Following the Bulls’ glory days, the power dynamic would shift to the West Coast, with the Lakers and Spurs making 13 finals in 16 seasons in the modern age of NBA. The Spurs took the last championship of the 20th century, but the Lakers would kickstart the next.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal spearheaded the charge to three title wins in a row in the early years of the NBA in the 21st century. The Spurs would take the crown in 2003, however, before the Lakers took a serious beating by the Detroit Pistons in the Finals. The Spurs were back in form again, taking the title in 2005, making the 2000’s a Lakers-Spurs shootout, which was only broken by the Pistons and Miami Heat before 2008.
In that year, the sleeping giant, the Celtics, took the crown from their old rivals, the Lakers. 2009 and 2010 saw the Lakers recapture the title before the Dallas Mavericks emerged to win their first NBA Championship. The beaten finalists, Miami Heat, featured perhaps the biggest superstar since Michael Jordan in LeBron James.
13 years following the lockout of 1998, the NBA engaged in another. On July 1, 2011, the league announced its intentions, which saw the early stages of the season canceled. An agreement between players and owners was resolved on December 8 of that year, which led to the season being played out in 66 games.
Miami Heat would find themselves back in the finals in 2011, led by NBA superstar LeBron James. Miami beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to claim their second NBA title in 6 years, which would see them also claim the NBA crown in 2013. In 2014, the Spurs would get their revenge, beating the Heat in five games to claim the championship.
James was the standout performer in the NBA at this time, drawing more attention to the NBA in a similar fashion to how Michael Jordan did in the 1990’s. James was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time at this point and was also one of the most marketable and marketed players in the history of the NBA. Upon losing in the finals in 2014, James would move back to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The basketball megastar pushed the Cavaliers to the Finals in 2015, losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games. In 2016, James and the Cavaliers would have their revenge, beating the Warriors in seven games to earn the first-ever NBA championships in the history of the franchise. The following year, the same teams were back in the Finals. The Warriors would take this one, with the free agent signing Kevin Durant playing a pivotal role in the season, picking up the Finals MVP in the process.
The Warriors would deny James in 2018, which established one of the biggest rivalries in the modern era of the NBA. James and the Warrior’s Stephen Curry would also engage in a rivalry which would be considered one of the most intense in the past few decades of the NBA.
You have to consider the sheer number of great players to have played in the NBA to get a true grasp of how competitive the league is. There have been some legendary stars and influencers over the years that have carried teams to NBA championships, through dynasties, and will forever be remembered for the contributions.
If you want to know who these great players are, I’d suggest you check this NBA Legends piece out to get a comprehensive breakdown of the greatest ballers to have ever featured in the league.
There is one debate when it comes to the greatest franchise in NBA history: Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers? These two legendary franchises are far and away the most successful outfits in the history of the world’s greatest basketball league. Although there is an argument for both taking the crown – and a considerably strong one at that – are they really the best of the best in NBA history?
When you consider Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls of the 1990’s, or the strength of the San Antonio Spurs, is it right to accept that one of the Celtics-Lakers historic rivalry are the best that there has ever been? Is it just lazy to assume that this is the case? Well, history would tell us otherwise. In fact, out of every franchise to have ever played in the NBA, there are five who stand out above the rest.
Founded in 1946 as Syracuse 76’ers, this franchise is one of the oldest in the history of the NBA. With such a rich tapestry of talent to have featured for the franchise over the years, it would be difficult to argue that they are not one of the most important outfits in NBA history. Names such as Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson, Billy Cunningham, Dolph Schayes and Julius Irving have worn the famous shirt of the 76’ers.
It was back in the Syracuse days when the 76’ers won their first championship, taking the NBA title in 1955. It would be another 12 years before they would capture their second, with Chamberlain leading the charge in 1967. Their third and final title came in 1983, helped by the efforts of Erving and Malone. Given that the 76’ers have been waiting a long time for another win, can we justify their greatness? The answer is yes.
While they may not have captured the lightning in a bottle that other dynasties have before them – and after them – there is no doubt that they have competed with the best. Their stats certainly back this up, given that they have made 48 playoffs (33 as Philadelphia). Their win ratio may not be jaw-dropping at 2806-2663, granted, but there is no question that they deserve their place in the top 5.
Historically, a top-class franchise should be able to attract the highest caliber of players there is. They should also have the fanbase to justify their brand. They should have a history steeped in glory and relevance. While the 76’ers may have most of that, at least, there may still be those who argue that they deserve to be regarded as one of the greatest franchises in NBA history.
Let’s talk about the most famous franchise of the 1990’s. To many, Chicago Bulls are the most famous franchise in history, especially if you grew up watching the magic of Jordan, Pippen, Kukoc, Grant, et al. As a team, they were simply incredible. Led by the marvelous and downright impossible exploits of their talisman Jordan – considered by most to be the greatest of all time – Chicago Bulls reinvented basketball for the masses.
Their global appeal was unprecedented, as kids from all four corners of the Earth tuned in to watch the legendary killers do their thing. Despite the glory and acclaim, the Bulls were just so much better than anything else at that time. Six NBA championships in six attempts is a statistic that will take some beating. Since the 90’s, the Bulls have not been able to replicate their success.
Which goes some way towards adding even further weight behind the argument for Jordan being the G.O.A.T. The more myopic fanboys would already have him canonized, labeling him as the one and only reason for the Bulls’ triumph, but you can’t disregard just how well that team gelled. Without Jordan and that period, the Bulls wouldn’t be anywhere near the level of greatness others are, but it was a once in a lifetime team.
With two three-peats following their first championship in 1991, the 90’s era of the Bulls was one of the most spectacular in any age of the NBA. In order to still remain in this list as time goes on, Chicago will need their famous red shirt to be adorned by winners. While we may never see anything like the Bulls of the 1990’s, fans will be hoping for another championship in the not too distant future. The franchise depends on it.
From the East Coast to the West Coast, there have been some extraordinary franchises throughout the 72 years of the NBA. One franchise that comes to mind when discussing the greatest of them all is the San Antonio Spurs. Why you might ask? Well, neophyte, they do have the highest winning percentage in NBA history and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Does the fact that they have only failed to make the playoffs on four occasions in their history (since their merger to the NBA) help? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. In fact, there is a lot about the Texans that scream winners. As one of the old guards of pro basketball, they have certainly contributed majorly to making the NBA the behemoth of team sports that it is today and are known around the world for their excellence.
There is another surprising statistic when it comes to the legacy of the Spurs. They have won 5 NBA championships in 6 appearances in the finals, with the only blip on their record being the loss to LeBron James’ Miami Heat in 2013. Had they won that year, they would be on par with the Chicago Bulls in terms of wins per appearances records in the NBA finals. Not bad at all.
Perhaps the most bewildering statistic that works against the Spurs is their paltry level of All-Stars. The majority of their success came from a small pool of players, making things look even more confusing. All in all, their subpar number of All-Stars in their many years of active play, which, for a franchise of its standing, is pretty, well, odd.
OK, we acknowledge that some will be screaming at the top of their lungs at declaring the Lakers the second greatest franchise in the history of the NBA. What we would like to say to those fans is, well, there is not a great deal to separate the Lakers from the top spot. In fact, there is a very tempting argument for Los Angeles’ gold and purple taking the crown. Let’s take a look at that argument in a little detail.
The players they have attracted over the years suggests that they are a team with a compelling ability to lure anyone to Los Angeles. A high percentage of the greatest basketball players to have ever lived have represented the Lakers at some point in their careers. Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor… the list goes on and on. And on. And on a little more…
Given that the Lakers have the second-highest All-Star count of all time reinforces the belief that they have had an ungodly level of talent over the years. The Lakers-Celtics rivalry is also another major reason for this franchise being considered at the absolute forefront of basketball royalty. During the golden age of NBA, it was this contest that helped draw global attention to a sport that really needed it at the time.
As a franchise, the Lakers take some beating. Their sheer level of championships wins is no mean feat. The Lakers are far more than their NBA championships, however, and are probably only second to the Chicago Bulls in terms of global fame over the past few decades. Would it be right to label the Lakers as an institution? Yes, it would. Are they the greatest franchise in the history of basketball?
Almost. If it wasn’t for one team from Boston, Massachusetts, there would be no competition.
The greatest franchise in the history of the NBA is the Boston Celtics. There are many Lakers fans who will scoff at the suggestion that there has ever been a greater outfit than their beloved franchise, but the case for the Celtics is just too strong and compelling to ignore. For a start, the Celtics have been able to brag about holding the record for the highest number of NBA championships for decades.
The undisputed home of basketball is Massachusetts. The game was invented in Springfield by James Naismith, which is fitting for the Celtics. This is the first every franchise to dominate on a ridiculous level, practically owning the decade of NBA in the 60’s with 9 championships in 10. They collected 8 consecutive titles from 1956 to 1966 and set the standard for how pro basketball should be played.
That famous green jersey became synonymous with the NBA. Players like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Kevin McHale, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Paul Pierce have passed through the hallowed halls of the Celtics. The franchise’s greatest days may be behind them, but there is no competing with their greatness. The world-renowned Celtics are still known as one of the most recognizable teams in global sports.
While the impact of the Celtics on NBA in the 90’s, 2000’s, and 2010’s has never come close to their best, there is always a chance of basketball’s greatest franchise finding its feet again. The sleeping giant is still in something of a snooze, but who can ever rule out a franchise with so much history awaking and swallowing everything before it? To many fans of the NBA, the Celtics are untouchable.
The NBA has grown from a loosely-arranged collection of teams to one of the most tightly-knit sporting institutions known to man. NBA players are, on average, the highest-paid athletes on the planet, and some of the most marketable athletes to have ever played sports. The fanbase has never been larger, with more and more viewers from around the world tuning in, week after week, to get their fix.
You could say that the NBA is like a drug, to some. There are no fans as fanatical about their franchises than basketball fans. The game seems to grip young, impressionable kids like no other sport around the world. The giants that play the game are among the most recognizable and imitated human beings to walk the face of the Earth. When the league was put together, surely no one would have predicted just how far it would go.
The most exciting part is that it is not done yet. Not by a longshot. The NBA will continue to expand across each and every continent, drawing new fans to the allure of the world-class competition and exhibition of superhuman skill every single day. For this, we must thank James Naismith and those 18 boys who – despite not being enthusiastic about the game – stuck with it and led to the formation of the people’s league, the NBA.
