Curated category
NBA teams
- San Antonio SpursThe Dallas Chaparrals began play in the American Basketball Association during its inaugural 1967 season. Coached by player-coach Cliff Hagan, the team…
- Toronto RaptorsOn the 3rd of November 1995, the Toronto Raptors played their first official game against the New Jersey Nets at SkyDome.
- Houston RocketsThe San Diego Rockets debuted in the 1967, 68 season with a roster built from an expansion draft and college picks. Robert Breitbard paid $1.75 million to…
- Philadelphia 76ersIn 1946, Italian immigrant Danny Biasone established the Syracuse Nationals of the National Basketball League for $5,000.
- Cleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers opened their inaugural season in 1970 as an expansion franchise alongside the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves.
- Indiana PacersIn 1967, six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association. Attorney Richard Tinkham, John DeVoe…
- Milwaukee BucksOn the 22nd of January 1968, the National Basketball Association awarded a franchise to Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, Inc.
- Memphis GrizzliesThe Vancouver Grizzlies began play in 1995 as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. They played their home games at General Motors Place for six seasons…
- Miami HeatIn 1987, the National Basketball Association granted one of four new expansion teams to Miami. The franchise began play in November 1988 as an expansion team…
- Dallas MavericksIn 1978, a Dallas lawyer named Doug Adkins met a California businessman named Garn Eckardt to discuss moving an NBA team to Texas.
- Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns began play in the 1968, 69 season as one of two new franchises to join the National Basketball Association.
- Boston CelticsThe Boston Celtics were formed on the 6th of June 1946, by Walter A. Brown, president of the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation.
- Detroit PistonsFred Zollner owned the Zollner Corporation, a foundry that manufactured pistons primarily for car truck and locomotive engines in Fort Wayne Indiana.
- Minnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves began play on the 3rd of November 1989, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics by a score of 106, 94.
- New Orleans PelicansThe New Orleans Hornets opened their inaugural season in New Orleans on the 30th of October 2002. This game marked the return of professional basketball to…
- Oklahoma City ThunderOn the 4th of July 2016, Kevin Durant announced he was joining the Golden State Warriors. This decision followed a complex legal battle that began in 2008…
- Utah JazzOn the 7th of June 1974, the National Basketball Association admitted a new franchise called the New Orleans Jazz. The team's first owner was an ownership…
- Chicago BullsOn the 16th of January 1966, the National Basketball Association granted a franchise to Chicago. Dick Klein became the team's first general manager and…
- Brooklyn NetsThe Brooklyn Nets began their existence in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans, a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association.
- Denver NuggetsIn 1967, a group led by Southern California businessman James Trindle was awarded one of the American Basketball Association's charter franchises.
- Portland Trail BlazersOn the 6th of February 1970, the NBA board of governors granted Harry Glickman the rights to a franchise in Portland. This decision followed years of effort…
- Sacramento KingsThe Rochester Seagrams began as a semi-professional basketball team in 1923, sponsored by the Canadian distiller Seagram.
- Los Angeles ClippersThe franchise began in Western New York as the Buffalo Braves, one of three NBA expansion franchises that began play in the 1970, 71 season.
- Washington WizardsThe Chicago Packers began play in 1961 as the National Basketball Association's first expansion team. Abe Saperstein founded the organization to counter his…
- Golden State WarriorsIn 1946, a basketball team named the Philadelphia Warriors became one of the eight charter members of the Basketball Association of America. Peter A.
- New York KnicksOn the 6th of June 1946, seventeen men gathered at the Commodore Hotel in New York City to establish the Basketball Association of America.
- Los Angeles LakersThe Detroit Gems finished last in the 1946, 47 season with only four wins and forty-four losses. Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen purchased the franchise for…
- Orlando MagicIn September 1985, Orlando businessman Jim L. Hewitt approached Philadelphia 76ers general manager Pat Williams during a meeting in Texas.
- Atlanta HawksThe franchise began as the Buffalo Bisons in 1946, playing their first game on November 8 of that year against the Syracuse Nationals.
- Charlotte HornetsOn the 5th of April 1987, NBA Commissioner David Stern called George Shinn to inform him that his group had been awarded the 24th franchise.