Denver Nuggets Win First Championship in Franchise History -- Can You Name the 10 NBA Franchises Who Have Yet to Win?

Denver Nuggets Win First Championship in Franchise History — Can You Name the 10 NBA Franchises Who Have Yet to Win?

It took 56 years, 22 head coaches, 17 general managers, 36 playoff appearances, and more than 400 players, but the Denver Nuggets can finally call themselves NBA champions. They finished the 2022-23 regular season with a league-best 53-29 record and eased their way through the 2023 NBA playoffs. 

The Denver Nuggets – led by their two stars Nikola Jokic, and Jamaal Murray – beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the First Round, the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the Conference Semifinals, the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference Finals, and the Miami Heat 4-1 in the 2023 NBA Finals.

It was quite the consolation prize for Jokic, who many believe was robbed of his third consecutive MVP award. While he came up short to Joel Embiid, Jokic ended up having the last laugh by not only winning the NBA Finals, but being named Finals MVP – adding to his impressive list of accolades and hardware. 

RELATED: Pat Riley Makes 19th Finals Appearance as Player, Coach, and Executive — Here’s a Look Back at Each One!

Which NBA Franchises Have Yet to Win a Championship? 

Denver Nuggets Win First Championship in Franchise History -- Can You Name the 10 NBA Franchises Who Have Yet to Win?
via Instagram (@nuggets)

Entering the 2022-23 season, there were 11 franchises that had never won an NBA championship and 19 franchises that had won before – the Denver Nuggets were one of the 11 franchises without one. With the team winning their first title a little over a week ago, there are now just 10 franchises without an NBA title.

It’s a similar amount to other pro leagues in the United States. The NHL has 11 active franchises without a Stanley Cup, the NFL has 12 active franchises without a Super Bowl, and the MLB has six active franchises without a World Series – combined with the NBA, there are 39 franchises in total without a title. 

Of the 10 NBA franchises without a title, only four have been to the NBA Finals on multiple occasions and one has been to the league’s biggest stage once – likewise, there are five franchises that have never been to the Finals. Let’s see how many of those 10 franchises you can name off the top of your head!

10. Phoenix Suns – 3 appearances

The Phoenix Suns are historically one of the most successful teams in NBA history to never win a title. In their 55 seasons in the league, the Suns have a 2,380-2,063 all-time record and rank fifth in NBA history with a .536 winning percentage. They’ve had plenty of opportunities, but have fallen short each time.

The team joined the NBA for the 1968-69 season. It didn’t take long before they found themselves within arm’s reach of a title – doing so in their eighth season (1975-76). They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4-2 and the Golden State Warriors 4-3 before losing to the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the 1976 NBA Finals. 

The Suns appeared in five Conference Finals over the next 16 years, but didn’t make their second NBA Finals appearance until 1993 when they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 3-2, San Antonio Spurs 4-2, and Seattle SuperSonics 4-3 before losing to the Chicago Bulls 4-2 in the 1993 NBA Finals.

The Suns made the playoffs in 14 of the next 17 seasons, but only made it to the Conference Finals three times and failed to make an NBA Finals appearance. A 10-year playoff drought ensued, but it came to an end in 2021 when they returned to the NBA Finals – unfortunately, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 4-2. 

With the Suns acquiring Bradley Beal to work alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, they’re in line for more opportunities in the future – don’t forget, they still have Deandre Ayton on their roster, too!

9. Utah Jazz – 2 appearances

Much like the Suns, the Utah Jazz are one of the most successful teams to never win a championship. In their 49 seasons in the league, the Jazz have a 2,146-1,804 all-time record and rank fourth in NBA history with a .543 winning percentage. They make the playoffs often, but haven’t achieved the ultimate prize yet. 

The Jazz failed to make the playoffs in each of their first nine seasons, but they more than made up for it with 20 consecutive playoff appearances between 1984 and 2003. During that time, they appeared in five Western Conference Finals and two NBA Finals – doing so in back-to-back years in 1997 and 1998.

The team finished the 1996-97 season with a 64-18 record and were the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs. They defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 3-0, the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1, and the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the Conference Finals before losing to the Chicago Bulls 4-2 in the 1997 NBA Finals. 

They went 62-20 the following year and were the No. 1 seed yet again. They beat the Rockets 3-2, the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, and swept the Lakers 4-0 before losing to the Bulls 4-2 in the 1998 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, they haven’t been back to the Finals in 25 years, despite making 16 playoff appearances.

The Jazz entered a rebuild last year after trading all of their star players away, so it might be a while before they return to the NBA Finals. Then again, you never know what might happen in this league.

8. Brooklyn Nets – 2 appearances

The Brooklyn Nets enjoyed a lot of success in the American Basketball Association between 1967 and 1977, making seven playoff appearances and three ABA Finals appearances in a 10-year span – they won the ABA Finals twice in 1974 and 1976. The Nets joined the NBA ahead of the 1976-77 season. 

The Nets have had their ups and downs since joining the NBA. They only made the playoffs 10 times in their first 25 years in the league and only had one playoff win to show for it. That all changed in 2002 and 2003, when the Nets played in back-to-back NBA Finals – they were 6-2 in the playoffs during that span.

Brooklyn (then-New Jersey) beat the Pacers 3-2, Hornets 4-1, and Celtics 4-2 before getting swept by the Kobe-Shaq-led Lakers in the 2002 NBA Finals. Things were going smooth a year later, beating the Bucks 4-2 and sweeping the Celtics and Pistons before losing to the Spurs in six games in the 2003 NBA Finals.

The Nets have made the playoffs in 12 of the 20 seasons since their last NBA Finals’ appearance. They have yet to make it out of the Conference Semifinals since 2003 and have lost in the First Round in each of the past two seasons. Even their Durant-Irving-Harden trio couldn’t get the job done for Brooklyn. 

7. Orlando Magic – 2 appearances

The Orlando Magic were one of the four teams who joined the NBA as an expansion team between 1988 and 1989 – the others being the Hornets, Heat, and Timberwolves. They’ve only been in the league for 34 seasons, but have had their fair share of opportunities at winning a title – it just hasn’t happened yet. 

It didn’t take long for the Magic to earn their respect. They drafted Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 and made their first playoff appearance the following year (1993-94 season). Their first playoff win came during the 1995 playoffs, when they advanced to the NBA Finals before getting swept by the Houston Rockets. 

They earned two more playoff wins the following year (1995-96), but got swept by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. They would struggle to make it out of the First Round until the 2008 playoffs, when they advanced to the Conference Semifinals before making their second appearance in the NBA Finals. 

That came in 2009, when they beat the 76ers 4-2, the Celtics 4-3, and the Cavaliers 4-2 before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the 2009 NBA Finals. They advanced to the Conference Finals in 2010, but have just four playoff appearances since 2012 and haven’t made it past the First Round. 

6. Indiana Pacers – 1 appearance

The Indiana Pacers enjoyed a lot of success in the American Basketball Association (ABA) between 1967 and 1976 – making the playoffs every single year, making five ABA Finals appearances, and winning three ABA titles. The team joined the NBA ahead of the 1976-77 season and struggled out of the gate. 

They only made the playoffs two times in their first 13 seasons in the NBA and, while they made the playoffs in four consecutive seasons between 1990 and 1993, they still had yet to make it out of the First Round. That came to an end when they appeared in two-straight Conference Finals in 1994 and 1995. 

The Pacers again went to two-straight Conference Finals in 1998 and 1999 before making their first and only NBA Finals appearance in 2000. They beat the Bucks 3-2, the 76ers 4-2, and the Knicks 4-2 before losing to the Lakers 4-2 in the 2000 NBA Finals. They were just two wins away from their first ever title. 

While they haven’t been to the Finals since, they’ve consistently made the playoffs – doing so in 15 of the past 23 seasons. Unfortunately, they haven’t played a playoff game in three years and haven’t made out out of the First Round since 2014. They’re a team that’s on the up-and-up, but still have a long way to go.

5. Los Angeles Clippers – 0 appearances

The Los Angeles Clippers have been in the league for 53 seasons now and when you consider some of the rosters they’ve assembled through the years, it’s quite surprising they don’t have a title yet. With that said, most of their history involves missing the playoffs and they only recently started winning consistently. 

The Clippers (originally known as the Buffalo Braves) joined the NBA in 1970, but only had seven playoff appearances in their first 41 seasons – and only two playoff wins to show for it. And while they made the playoffs in 10 of the past 12 years, the team only has one appearance in the Conference Semifinals. 

During that 12-year span, the Clippers had a roster that donned Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and Jamal Crawford – and their current roster that consists of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook. To be one of the franchises on this list isn’t a good look – they’ve had the talent.

With the emergence of the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference, it’s going to be hard for Kawhi and PG13 to lead this team to a title, let alone an NBA Finals appearance. It’s not totally out of the realm of possibility, but there are a lot of things standing in the Clippers’ way at the moment. 

4. Charlotte Hornets – 0 appearances

The Charlotte Hornets were one of the four teams who joined the NBA as an expansion team between 1988 and 1989 – joining the Heat, Magic, and Timberwolves. They made the playoffs in seven of their first 14 seasons, but never made it out of the Conference Semifinals before relocating to New Orleans. 

A new team, the Charlotte Bobcats, was formed in 2004 as an expansion team and they eventually changed their name to the Charlotte Hornets – reviving the franchise and gaining all of their historical records (the move came after the New Orleans Hornets changed their name to the Pelicans in 2013. 

Unfortunately, the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets haven’t managed to figure out the winning formula since re-entering the league. They only made two playoff appearances as the Bobcats, but got swept both times. Since changing the name to the Hornets, they have made one playoff appearance in nine years.

There’s a lot of hope that LaMelo Ball can help turn this franchise around – he won Rookie of the Year in 2020-21 – but his addition hasn’t resulted in a playoff berth. The team is currently on a seven-year playoff drought and they only have one winning record over that span. It’s not going to get any easier for them. 

3. New Orleans Pelicans – 0 appearances

Speaking of the New Orleans Pelicans, they have yet to win an NBA championship and haven’t even made it to their first NBA Finals. They do get a bit of a pass due to the lack of history, but they’ve had opportunities to build around Chris Paul and eventually Anthony Davis, but failed both times. 

The Pelicans (known as the Hornets between 2002 and 2013) made the playoffs in five of their first 11 seasons in the NBA, but only had one playoff win to show for it. They were hoping the name change would mark a new era for New Orleans, but it has barely resulted in a playoff win, let alone a title. 

In the 10 seasons since they became the Pelicans, New Orleans has made the playoffs just three times – despite having players such as Anthony Davis to build around and, eventually, Zion Williamson. It seems like every move they make just isn’t good enough. Their only playoff win came in 2018 when they swept Portland. 

All in all, the Pelicans have a 782-904 all-time regular season record and a 22-33 all-time playoff record. They’ve been desperate for a little success and have a quality team, but are lacking that superstar power – someone who can put the team on its back in the playoffs. Until they find that, they’ll stay on this list. 

2. Minnesota Timberwolves – 0 appearances

The Minnesota Timberwolves were one of the four teams who joined the NBA as an expansion team between 1988 and 1989 – joining the Heat, Magic, and Hornets. They’ve been in the league for 34 years now and have a 1,091-1,621 (.402) all-time regular season record and 21-42 (.333) playoff record. 

The Timberwolves failed to make the playoffs in each of their first seven seasons – their best season during that stretch was 29-53 in 1990-91 (their second season). They would go on to make the playoffs in each of the next eight seasons, but only made it out of the First Round once in the 2003-04 season. 

In fact, that 2003-04 season was the only season in franchise history that the Wolves made it past the First Round. They defeated the Denver Nuggets 4-1 in the First Round, the Sacramento Kings 4-3 in the Conference Semifinals, and the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals. 

In the 19 seasons since that magical season (which saw Kevin Garnett win MVP), the Timberwolves have only made the playoffs three times and are 4-12 in the playoffs during that stretch. The good news is they’ve made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons as they start to build a winning culture. 

1. Memphis Grizzlies – 0 appearances

The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the newest teams in the NBA, so it’s no surprise to see them on this list – it is, however, a little surprising that they have 0 trips to the NBA Finals. The team joined the NBA as the Vancouver Grizzlies ahead of the 1995-96 season – becoming one of two franchises outside the US. 

The team struggled in their first six seasons, never winning more than 23 games in a season and missing the playoffs every year. They ended up relocating to Memphis ahead of the 2001-02 season, but they continued to struggle – missing the playoffs in each of their first two seasons since changing cities. 

They finally made the playoffs for the first time in 2004 and made it three years in a row, but got swept in the First Round each time. Another four-year playoff drought ensued, but they went on a seven-year playoff streak between 2011 and 2017 – they had four playoff wins and a trip to the Conference Finals. 

The Grizzlies failed to make the playoffs in 2018, 2019, and 2020, but have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons. Two of those trips resulted in a First Round loss, but they made it out of the First Round in 2022 when they beat the Timberwolves 4-2 – unfortunately, they lost to the Warriors in the next round. 

Which NBA Franchises Have the Most Championships?

The Denver Nuggets are one of 20 NBA franchises to win a championship and, while that’s an incredible accomplishment, it’s something that has been done time and again by other teams across history. In fact, some NBA franchises have spoiled their fanbase by making championship runs a regular occurrence. 

As of 2023, there are 11 franchises with multiple titles and five franchises with at least five titles. The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are currently leading the pack with 17 championships each – which is 10 more than the next closest franchise (the Golden State Warriors are in third with 7 championships. 

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They’re followed by the Chicago Bulls with six titles and the San Antonio Spurs with five titles. The Lakers have the most NBA Finals appearances (32), which is 10 more than the Celtics (22). The Warriors are the only other team with double-digit appearances (they have 12), while the Philadelphia 76ers have nine.

NBA Players Who Won an NBA Championship With the Team That Drafted Them

Winning an NBA championship is something every basketball player dreams of – after all, hoisting that Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in the air is the ultimate play in the NBA. And while everyone has their own story, winning a chip definitely tastes a lot sweeter when doing it with the team that drafted you.

Unfortunately, it’s something not a lot of star players get to experience due to the current landscape of the NBA. The truth is most young players either aren’t loyal enough to stay with their team through thick and thin or are traded away before getting a chance to build something good enough to compete for a title.

Either way, executives often struggle when trying to win an NBA championship with homegrown talent. Some will have a hard time finding the right pieces to complement their young talent, while others might have a hard time getting the most out of their young talent – but then there are those who get it done. 

RELATED: Denver Nuggets Win First Championship in Franchise History — Can You Name the 10 NBA Franchises Who Have Yet to Win?

Players Who Won an NBA Championship With Their First Team 

When you look at the NBA today, players are getting traded and released left and right. It’s hard enough to stay on one team for an extended period of time, let alone the team that drafted you. Nonetheless, some players find a way to do it and, while it doesn’t always pay off, it certainly did for some of them!

That brings us to the question of the hour – can you think of any players who ended up winning an NBA championship with the team that drafted them? We’re not talking about the players who sat on the bench and barely played – no, we’re talking about the superstars, All-Stars, and All-NBA players in the league. 

And before you start listing off names, keep in mind that players like Dirk Nowitzki (who spent 21 years with the Dallas Mavericks) and Kobe Bryant (who spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers) won’t work on this list because they weren’t drafted by those teams – they were involved in draft day trades!

With that said, let’s take a look at 15 of the more notable players to win an NBA championship with the team that drafted them. 

15. David Robinson

David Robinson was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, but he didn’t make his debut until the 1989-90 season due to military service. He went on to spend his entire 14-year career with the Spurs and won two titles with the team towards the end of his career. 

His first NBA championship came in 1999 at the age of 33. The Spurs – who were led by a young Tim Duncan – were matched up against the Knicks in the NBA Finals. Robinson averaged 16.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game en route to a 4-1 series win over New York. 

His second NBA championship came in 2003 at the age of 37 – his final year in the league. The Spurs – who had their legendary trio of Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili – defeated the New Jersey Nets 4-2 and Robinson averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks in the Finals.

14. Bill Walton

Bill Walton was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft and spent the first four years of his career with the team. The Blazers only made the playoffs in two of those years, but it was enough for Walton to lead the team to their first and only title in franchise history. 

That title run came in 1977 when Walton was 24 – he was joined by Maurice Lucas and Lionel Hollins, who helped lead the team to a 4-2 series win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 NBA Finals. Walton averaged 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game in that series.

Walton won a second NBA championship in 1986 at the age of 33, but it wasn’t with the team that drafted him – he was a role player on the Boston Celtics during that title run. He last played in the NBA during the 1986-87 season, but was forced to end his career after just 10 seasons due to a lingering foot injury. 

13. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft and spent the first six years of his career with the team. While he’s most known for his five titles with the Lakers between 1980 and 1988, many people forget he also led the Bucks to an NBA championship. 

That title run came in 1971 when Abdul-Jabbar was just 23 years old – it was his second year in the NBA and the Bucks’ third season since joining the NBA in 1968. The Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets and Kareem won Finals MVP with 27.0 points, 18.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 42.0 minutes per game. 

After six years with the Bucks, Kareem was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers – where he spent the next 14 years. During that time, Abdul-Jabbar won another five titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) alongside Magic Johnson and became the NBA’s all-time leader in points – until LeBron passed him. 

12. Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft and spent the first 15 years of his career with the team. He helped lead the Celtics to 10 playoff appearances during that time, but they only came out on top once and he needed a lot of help in order to do so. 

That title run came in 2008 when PIerce was 30 years old – he was accompanied by Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. The dominant trio defeated the Lakers 4-2 in the 2008 NBA Finals and Pierce was named NBA Finals MVP with 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in the Finals.

It was the only title of Pierce’s career, who saw his career with the Celtics come to an end following the 2012-13 season. He spent the next four years bouncing around between the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring and being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. 

11. LeBron James

LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and spent the first seven years of his career with the team. While he didn’t win an NBA championship with the Cavs during this time, he would return to Cleveland later in his career and end the team’s title drought. 

That title run came in 2016 when James was 31 years old – he was accompanied by Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The trio found themselves down 3-1 to the Warriors in the Finals, but won the next three games to give the Cavs their first NBA championship in franchise history – James won Finals MVP. 

While he technically did win an NBA championship with the team that drafted him, it’s important to note that it came in his second stint with the team and he had already won two titles with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. He didn’t stop there – going on to win a fourth title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. 

10. Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic was drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and has spent his entire eight-year career with the team. He helped lead the Nuggets to the playoffs four years in a row between 2019 and 2022, but it wasn’t until 2023 that he led them to the promised land.

Accompanied by Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr., Jokic and the Nuggets were unstoppable in 2022-23. They finished the regular season 53-29 and entered the playoffs as a No. 1 seed before beating the Timberwolves 4-1, the Suns 4-2, and the Lakers 4-0 en route to the NBA Finals. 

There, they were matched up against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, but that proved to be quite an easy matchup for the Nuggets. They beat Miami 4-1 and Jokic averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game en route to being named Finals MVP. He might not be done, either.  

9. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and has spent his entire 10-year career with the team. He helped lead the Bucks to a playoff berth in five of his first seven years in the league, but only made it to the Conference Finals once. 

Things took a turn for the best during the 2020-21 season, which saw Giannis and the Bucks finish the regular season with a 46-26 record. They entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the East and beat the Heat 4-0, the Nets 4-3, and the Hawks 4-2 en route to their first trip to the Finals since the 1974 Finals.

There, they were matched up against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns, but the Bucks handled it well and beat them 4-2 to win the second NBA championship in franchise history. Giannis was named Finals MVP with 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game in the series. 

8. Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and spent the first 17 years of his career with the team. He led the Rockets to the playoffs in eight of his first nine years and even took them to the NBA Finals in 1986, but they lost to the Celtics in six games. 

Things took a turn for the best in 1994 and 1995 – when Olajuwon led the team to an NBA championship in back-to-back years. He averaged 26.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 3.9 blocks per game in the 1994 Finals, where the Rockets beat the Knicks 4-3 – Olajuwon was named Finals MVP.

He went on to average an impressive 32.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game in the 1995 NBA Finals, where the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic in four games – Olajuwon was named Finals MVP for the second year in a row. Houston hasn’t been back to the Finals since.

7. Isiah Thomas

Isiah Thomas was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft and spent his entire 13-year career with the team. He helped lead the Pistons to four straight Conference titles, three straight NBA Finals appearances, and two consecutive NBA titles between 1988 and 1991.

Thomas’ first NBA championship came at the end of the 1988-89 season when his Pistons were matched up against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. He averaged 21.3 points 2.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, while his Pistons swept the Lakers 4-0 – Joe Dumars was named Finals MVP. 

His second NBA championship came the following season when his Pistons were matched up against the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals. Thomas averaged 27.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game (5 games), and was named Finals MVP en route to a 4-1 series win over Portland. 

6. Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade was drafted by the Miami Heat with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and spent the first 13 years of his career with the team – he later returned to the team for another 1.5 years. It only took him three years to take the Heat from being one of the worst teams to being NBA champions.

The title run came at the end of the 2005-06 season – Wade was joined by Shaquille O’Neal, who was in his second season with the team. Wade averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, and was named Finals MVP en route to a 4-2 series win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Wade went on to win two more titles with the Heat after teaming up with LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010. The trio went to the NBA Finals four years in a row between 2011 and 2014, beating the Thunder 4-1 in 2012 and Spurs 4-3 in 2013, but losing to the Mavericks 4-2 in 2011 and Spurs 4-1 in 2014. 

5. Larry Bird

Larry Bird was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft and spent his entire 13-year career with the team. During that time, he led the Celtics to eight Conference Finals, five trips to the NBA Finals (including four in a row between 1984 and 1987), and three championships.

His first title run came in 1981, which was just his second year in the league. Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game in the 1981 NBA Finals. He helped lead his team to a 4-2 series win vs. Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets – Cedric Maxwell was named Finals MVP.

The next two titles came during the Celtics’ impressive four consecutive trips to the Finals. They first beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson 4-3 in the 1984 NBA Finals before defeating Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the 1986 NBA Finals. Bird was named Finals MVP both times.

4. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and has spent his entire 14-year career with the team. He has built quite the dynasty in Golden State and is putting together a Hall of Fame career that includes six trips to the NBA Finals and four titles.

Curry’s first three titles came during a five-year span that saw the Warriors in the Finals each year – four of which were against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers between 2015 and 2018. Curry was 3-1 against LeBron in the Finals, but he also lost to Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Despite all that winning, the one thing Curry didn’t accomplish in that five-year span was being named Finals MVP. That all changed in 2022 when he won his fourth title. He put up 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, and was named Finals MVP en route to a 4-2 win over the Celtics. 

3. Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and spent his entire 19-year career with the team. During that time, he helped lead the Spurs to 18 playoff appearances, nine Conference Finals appearances, six Finals appearances, and five championships.

Duncan’s first title came in 1999 at the age of 22 – it was just his second year in the league and he was teamed up with David Robinson. The duo would go on to win another title in 2003 when Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili entered the mix. Duncan was the Finals MVP for both of those championship runs.

Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili would team up for another three titles in 2005, 2007, and 2014 – Duncan was Finals MVP in 2005, Parker was Finals MVP in 2007, and Kawhi Leonard was Finals MVP in 2014. They also made it to the NBA Finals in 2013, but lost to James, Bosh, Wade, and the Miami Heat. 

2. Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft and spent his entire 13-year career with the team. During that time, he helped lead the Lakers to 13 playoff appearances, 10 Conference Finals appearances, nine NBA Finals appearances, and five titles.

Teamed up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it didn’t take long for Johnson to prove his worth – they won an NBA championship in Magic’s rookie year and again in his third year in the league. They went on to win five championships together before Kareem retired and Magic was the Finals MVP for three of them. 

With Kareem out of the picture, Magic won an MVP in 1990 and found his way back to the NBA Finals in 1991, but lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It was Magic’s final full season in the NBA before taking four years off to address his HIV diagnosis. He returned in 1995, but only lasted 32 games. 

1. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the team. During that time, he led the Bulls to 13 playoff appearances, eight Conference Finals appearances, six Finals appearances, and six championships. 

Jordan’s first three-peat came in 1991 (defeated Lakers 4-1), 1992 (defeated Trail Blazers 4-2), and 1993 (defeated Suns 4-2) – they made the Conference Finals in 1989 and 1990, but lost to the PIstons both times. Jordan was the regular season MVP in 1991 and 1992, and Finals MVP in 1991, 1992, and 1993.

Jordan’s second three-peat came in 1996 (defeated SuperSonics 4-2), 1997 (defeated Jazz 4-2), and 1998 (defeated Jazz 4-2) – he spent the entire 1993-94 season and most of the 1994-95 seasons playing baseball. He was the regular season MVP in 1996 and 1998, and Finals MVP in 1996, 1997, and 1998.

Players Who Might Win a Homegrown NBA Championship Soon

As you look around the NBA today, there’s a plethora of young talent who are still with the team that drafted them – we’re looking at you Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Trae Young, Bam Adebayo, LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Booker, and Karl-Anthony Towns. 

It’ll be interesting to see if these players stay with their respective teams for the foreseeable future and, perhaps more importantly, lead that team to an NBA championship in the coming years. They all have the talent to lead a team to the promised land, but they’ll need the right teammates around them to do so. 

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Of course, one player who will likely be left off that list is Damian Lillard – someone who always talked about retiring with the Portland Trail Blazers, but is in the process of demanding his way out and joining a championship-worthy squad. Who knows, maybe he’ll end up staying and achieving the improbable!

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