Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Central Division was established during the 1949, 50 season when the Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League. Five teams formed this new grouping: the Chicago Stags, the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Minneapolis Lakers, the Rochester Royals and the St. Louis Bombers.
Thirteen NBA championships originated from teams within the Central Division over decades of play including six titles for the Chicago Bulls, three for the Detroit Pistons, two for the Milwaukee Bucks, one for the Baltimore Bullets and one for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Only the Indiana Pacers remain without a ring despite advancing to the 2000 Finals and reaching the 2025 NBA Finals as Eastern Conference champions.
Beginning with the 2021, 22 season, the Central Division champion receives a crystal ball trophy named after Hall of Famer Wayne Embry. Embry played for Milwaukee Bucks during the 1968, 69 NBA season before becoming the league's first African American general manager when hired by the Bucks in 1972.
Five teams formed the initial Central Division group: the Chicago Stags, the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Minneapolis Lakers, the Rochester Royals and the St. Louis Bombers. All five franchises arrived from the Western Division during a league realignment that expanded competition to 17 teams.
Four out of five current members have won an NBA title while only the Indiana Pacers remain without a ring. The division includes the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers who advanced to the 2000 Finals and reached the 2025 NBA Finals as Eastern Conference champions.