menu

Professinal Basketball Team Names and Franchise Histories

Including professional American basketball leagues, past and present

 Abbreviations    Go to end 

NBA Franchises  (Current teams shown in bold.)

1968- now, Atlanta Hawks; NBA

1955-1967, St. Louis Hawks; NBA

1951-1954, Milwaukee Hawks; NBA

1949-1951, Tri-Cities Blackhawks; NBA

1947-1949, Tri-Cities Blackhawks; NBL

1946-1946, Buffalo Bisons; NBL

1950- now, Boston Celtics; NBA

1946-1949, Boston Celtics; BAA

2012- now, Brooklyn Nets; NBA

1977-2012, New Jersey Nets; NBA

1976-1977, New York Nets; NBA

1968-1975, New York Nets; ABA

1967-1968, New Jersey Americans; ABA

2014- now, Charlotte Hornetss; NBA

2004-2013, Charlotte Bobcats; NBA

1988-2002, Charlotte Hornets; NBA

1966- now, Chicago Bulls; NBA

1949-1950, Chicago Stags; NBA

1946-1948, Chicago Stags; BAA

1970- now, Cleveland Cavaliers; NBA

1946-1946, Cleveland Rebels; BAA

1980- now, Dallas Mavericks; NBA

1976- now, Denver Nuggets; NBA

1974-1975, Denver Nuggets; ABA

1967-1974, Denver Rockets {Larks}; ABA

1957- now, Detroit Pistons; NBA

1950-1956, Fort Wayne Pistons; NBA

1948-1949, Fort Wayne Pistons; BAA

1941-1947, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons; NBL

1971- now, Golden State Warriors; NBA

1967-1970, San Francisco Warriors; ABA

1962-1966, San Francisco Warriors; NBA

1950-1961, Philadelphia Warriors; NBA

1946-1949, Philadelphia Warriors; BAA

1971- now, Houston Rockets; NBA

1967-1970, San Diego Rockets; NBA

1976- now, Indiana Pacers; NBA

1967-1975, Indiana Pacers; ABA

1984- now, Los Angeles Clippers; NBA

1978-1984, San Diego Clippers; NBA

1970-1977, Buffalo Braves; NBA

1960- now, Los Angeles Lakers; NBA

1949-1959, Minneapolis Lakers; NBA

1948-1948, Minneapolis Lakers; BAA

1947-1947, Minneapolis Lakers; NBL

1946-1946, Detroit Gems; NBL

2002- now, Memphis Grizzlies; NBA

1995-2001, Vancouver Grizzlies; NBA

1988- now, Miami Heat; NBA

1968- now, Milwaukee Bucks; NBA

1989- now, Minnesota Timberwolves; NBA

2013- now, New Orleans Pelicans; NBA

2002-2012, New Orleans Hornets; NBA

1988-2001, Charlotte Hornets; NBA

1950- now, New York Knicks; NBA

1946-1949, New York Knickerbockers; BAA

2009- now, Oklahoma City Thunder; NBA

1967-2008, Seattle SuperSonics; NBA

1989- now, Orlando Magic; NBA

1963- now, Philadelphia 76ers; NBA

1950-1962, Syracuse Nationals; NBA

1946-1949, Syracuse Nationals; NBL

1968- now, Phoenix Suns; NBA

1970- now, Portland Trail Blazers; NBA

1985- now, Sacramento Kings; NBA

1975-1984, Kansas City Kings; NBA

1972-1974, Kansas City-Omaha Kings; NBA

1957-1971, Cincinnati Royals; NBA

1950-1956, Rochester Royals; NBA

1948-1949, Rochester Royals; BAA

1945-1947, Rochester Royals; NBL

1976- now, San Antonio Spurs; NBA

1973-1975, San Antonio Spurs; ABA

1971-1972, Dallas Chaparrals; ABA

1970-1970, Texas Chaparrals; ABA

1967-1969, Dallas Chaparrals; ABA

1995- now, Toronto Raptors; NBA

1979- now, Utah Jazz; NBA

1997- now, Washington Wizards; NBA

1974-1996, Washington Bullets; NBA

1973-1973, Capital Bullets; NBA

1963-1972, Baltimore Bullets; NBA

1962-1962, Chicago Zephyrs; NBA

1961-1961, Chicago Packers; NBA

Advertisement

Defunct franchises once playing in various professional leagues

1950-1951, Anderson Packers; NPBL

1949-1949, Anderson Packers; NBA

1947-1948, Anderson Duffey Packers; NBL

1975-1975, Baltimore Claws; ABA

1975-1975, Baltimore Hustlers; ABA

1974-1974, Memphis Sounds; ABA

1972-1973, Memphis Tams; ABA

1970-1971, Memphis Pros; ABA

1967-1969, New Orleans Buccaneers; ABA

1950-1954, Baltimore Bullets; NBA

1948-1949, Baltimore Bullets; BAA

1944-1947, Baltimore Bullets; ABL

1951-1951, Evansville Agogans; NPBL

1950-1951, Denver Frontier Refiners; NPBL

1949-1949, Denver Nuggets; NBA

1948-1948, Denver Nuggets; NBL

1947-1947, Detroit Falcons; BAA

1946-1946, Indianapolis Olympians; BAA

1970-1972, The Floridians; ABA

1968-1970, Miami Floridians; ABA

1967-1968, Minnesota Muskies; ABA

1949-1953, Indianapolis Olympians; NBA

1948-1949, Indianapolis Jets; BAA

1945-1947, Indianapolis Kautsky; NBL

1967-1975, Kentucky Colonels; ABA

1974-1978, New Orleans Jazz; NBA

1970-1971, Pittsburgh Condors; ABA

1967-1967, Pittsburgh Pipers; ABA

1968-1968, Minnesota Pipers; ABA

1969-1969, Pittsburgh Pipers; ABA

1946-1947, Pittsburgh Ironmen; BAA

1946-1948, Providence Steam Rollers; BAA

1974-1975, Spirits of St. Louis; ABA

1969-1973, Carolina Cougars; ABA

1967-1968, Houston Mavericks; ABA

1975-1975, San Diego Sails; ABA

1972-1974, San Diego Conquistadors; ABA

1950-1951, Sheboygan Red Skins; NPBL

1949-1949, Sheboygan Red Skins; NBA

1938-1948, Sheboygan Red Skins; NBL

1950-1950, St. Louis Bombers; NBA

1946-1949, St. Louis Bombers; BAA

1946-1947, Toronto Huskies; BAA

1970-1975, Utah Stars; ABA

1968-1970, Los Angeles Stars; ABA

1967-1968, Anaheim Amigos; ABA

1970-1975, Virginia Squires; ABA

1969-1969, Washington Caps; ABA

1967-1968, Oakland Oaks; ABA

1946-1950, Washington Capitols; BAA

1950-1951, Waterloo Hawks; NPBL

1949-1949, Waterloo Hawks; NBA

1948-1948, Waterloo Hawks; NBL

National Basketball League Teams, 1937-1949

1937-41, Akron Firestone Non-Skids

1937-42, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots

1946-49, Anderson Duffey Packers

1937-38, Buffalo Bisons

1939-42, Chicago Bruins

1942-43, Chicago Studebaker Flyers

1944-47, Chicago American Gears

1937-38, Cincinnati Comellos

1943-44, Cleveland Chase Brassmen

1944-46, Cleveland Allmen Transfers

1938-39, Columbus Athletic Supply

1937-38, Dayton Metropolitans

1948-49, Denver Nuggets

1939-41, Detroit Eagles

1946-47, Detroit Gems

1948-49, Detroit Vagabond Kings/Dayton Rens

1947-48, Flint Dow A.C.'s/Midland Dow A.C.'s

1937-38, Fort Wayne General Electrics

1941-48, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons

1938-41, Hammond Ciesar All-Americans

1948-49, Hammond Calumet Buccaneers

1937-48, Indianapolis Kautskys

1937-38, Kankakee Gallagher Trojans

1947-48, Minneapolis Lakers

1937-49, Oshkosh All-Stars

1937-39, Pittsburgh Pirates

1944-45, Pittsburgh Raiders

1937-38, Cincinnati Comellos

1945-48, Rochester Royals

1938-49, Sheboygan Redskins

1946-49, Syracuse Nationals

1941-43, Toledo Jim White Chevrolets

1946-48, Toledo Jeeps

1946-49, Tri-Cities Blackhawks

1937-38, Warren Penns

1938-39, Warren Penns/Cleveland White Horses

1948-49, Waterloo Hawks

1937-38, Whiting Ciesar All-Americans

1945-47, Youngstown Bears



The new American Basketball Association

(League in transition. See Wikipedia for members.)

American Basketball League Teams, 1925-1955

1936-1937, Atlantic City Sandpipers

1926-1927, Baltimore Orioles

1939-1941, Baltimore Clippers

1944-1947;Baltimore Bullets

1925, Boston Whirlwinds

1934-1935, Boston Trojans

1948-1952, Bridgeport Roesslers

1933-1934, Bronx Americans

1925-1927, Brooklyn Arcadians

1927-1931;Brooklyn Visitations

1940-1941, Brooklyn Celtics

1942-1944, Brooklyn Indians

1944-1949, Brooklyn Gothams

1945-1946, New York Gothams

1925-1926, Buffalo Bisons

1950-1951, Carbondale Aces

1925-1931, Chicago Bruins

1925-1931, Cleveland Rosenblums

1925-1927, Detroit Lions

1927-1928, Detroit Cardinals

1951-1953, Elmira Colonels

1925-1931, Fort Wayne Hoosiers

1949-1950, New York Harlem Yankees

1942-1943, Harrisburg Senators

1946-1950, Hartford Hurricanes

1933-1940, Jersey Reds

1935-1940, Kingston Colonials

1947, Lancaster Roses

1951-1953, Manchester British-Americans

1933-1935, New Britain Mules

1926-1938, New York Celtics

1928-1929, New York Hakoahs

1933-1943, New York Jewels

1937-1938, New York Yankees

1943-1944, New York Americans

1933-1935, Newark Mules

1935-1936, Passaic Red Devils

1928-1931, Paterson Crescents

1945-1951, Paterson Crescents

1952-1953, Pawtucket Slaters

1926-1929, Philadelphia Warriors

1933-1949, Philadelphia Hebrews

1925-1931, Rochester Centrals

1949, Schenectady Packers

1946-1953, Scranton Miners

1930, Syracuse All-Americans

1930, Toledo Red Men Tobaccos

1928, Trenton Bengals

1933-1934, Trenton Moose

1941-1950, Trenton Tigers

1946-1947, Troy Celtics

1950-1951, Utica Pros

1925-1928, Washington Palace Five

1938-1942, Washington Brewers

1951-1952, Washington Capitols

1938-1940, Wilkes-Barre Barons

1947-1953, Wilkes-Barre Barons

1941-1942, Wilmington Blue Bombers

1943-1947, Wilmington Bombers

1946-1947, Yonkers Chiefs


Advertisement

Also see franchise histories for Football Teams, or Hockey Team, or Baseball Team. Also see a complete list of College Teams.

The source of this information is primarily from Wikipedia.