Few sports prizes carry as much prestige as an NBA Championship ring. Every year, the winner of the NBA Finals writes their name into history, with plenty of teams over the decades etching themselves into folklore with dramatic performances and some sensational triumphs.
With the Denver Nuggets earning their first title last term following a victory over the Miami Heat, the question for 2024 is whether another new name can claim the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy or whether a familiar face, such as the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers, will take it instead.
So, who are the teams that have taken the biggest prize in American basketball over the years? Who has won it more than anyone else? And which players are the most decorated in the sport?
Here, GOAL guides you through the complete list of NBA champions over the years, including titles by team and players.
Full list of NBA Champions 1947 to 2023
| Year | Champion | Result | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-1 | Chicago Stags |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | 4-2 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 | Washington Capitols |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-3 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals | 4-3 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors | 4-1 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics | 4-0 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-2 | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1970 | New York Knicks | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-0 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 1973 | New York Knicks | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | 4-0 | Washington Bullets |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4-2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets | 4-3 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | 4-1 | Washington Bullets |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Houston Rockets |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers | 4-0 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics | 4-3 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Houston Rockets |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons | 4-0 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 4-3 | New York Knicks |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | 4-0 | Orlando Magic |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Utah Jazz |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls | 4-2 | Utah Jazz |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | New York Knicks |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-0 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-2 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons | 4-1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2006 | Miami Heat | 4-2 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-0 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | 4-2 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-1 | Orlando Magic |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-3 | Boston Celtics |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | 4-2 | Miami Heat |
| 2012 | Miami Heat | 4-1 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | 4-3 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs | 4-1 | Miami Heat |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-3 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors | 4-1 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | 4-0 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors | 4-2 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4-2 | Miami Heat |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4-2 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets | 4-1 | Miami Heat |
Which players have won the most NBA championships?
Getty ImagesThe former Boston Celtics great Bill Russell is the most-decorated player when it comes to NBA championships, with 11. Team-mate Sam Jones meanwhile boasts 10, while another four players from the team’s imperial phase have eight triumphs each.
- Bill Russell (11)
- Sam Jones (10)
- Tom Heinsohn (8)
- K. C. Jones (8)
- Satch Sanders (8)
- John Havlicek (8)
- Jim Loscutoff (7)
- Frank Ramsey (7)
- Robert Horry (7)
- Bob Cousy (6)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
- Michael Jordan (6)
- Scottie Pippen (6)
How many NBA championships has each team won?
| Team | No. of titles |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers / Minneapolis Lakers | 17 |
| Boston Celtics | 17 |
| Golden State Warriors / Philadelphia Warriors / San Francisco Warriors | 7 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 |
| Philadelphia 76ers / Syracuse Nationals | 3 |
| Detroit Pistons / Fort Wayne Pistons | 3 |
| Miami Heat | 3 |
| New York Knicks | 2 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 |
| Atlanta Hawks / St. Louis Hawks | 1 |
| Washington Wizards / Washington Bullets | 1 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder / Seattle SuperSonics | 1 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 |
| Baltimore Bullets | 1 |
| Sacramento Kings / Rochester Royals | 1 |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1 |
Which teams have never won an NBA championship?
Getty ImagesTen current NBA teams have never won an NBA championship, along with two other sides that folded in the league's early days. The Phoenix Suns have the toughest record, having lost in the NBA Finals on three occasions.
- Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz
- Brooklyn Nets
- Orlando Magic
- Chicago Stags
- Washington Capitols
- Indiana Pacers
- Charlotte Hornets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
FAQs
Getty ImagesWho won the 2023 NBA Finals?
The 2023 NBA Finals were won by the Denver Nuggets, who claimed a 4-1 victory over five games to defeat the Miami Heat and claim the first championship in franchise history.
Nikola Jokic was handed the 2023 NBA Finals MVP prize following his terrific game performances, which helped the Colorado outfit prevail impressively.
What player has the most NBA rings?
Former Boston Celtics center Bill Russell is the player with the most NBA rings, having won the NBA championship record with 11 wins, all with the Massachusetts franchise, during a highly successful spell between 1957 and 1969.
The only other player to reach double-digits is Russell’s Celtics compatriot Sam Jones, who has 10 rings. Jones played in all of Russell’s triumphs except for 1957.
How many NBA Finals has LeBron James been to?
LeBron James has competed in 10 NBA Finals, with eight consecutive appearances made between 2011 and 2018. He has successfully claimed victory in four of them.
Additionally, James is just one of four players to win championship rings with three separate franchises, having enjoyed success with the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Who is the most successful NBA team?
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics are the joint-most successful teams in NBA history by the number of championships, with 17 triumphs each. They are the only two teams to have registered double-digits for success and are ten ahead of the next-best franchise, the Golden State Warriors.
Between the Lakers and the Celtics, the former has made more appearances than any other side, with a total of 32 finals competed since their inception.
Who is the youngest NBA Finals MVP ever?
Magic Johnson is the youngest NBA Finals MVP in history and the only player to win the award during his rookie season. The guard won the first of three MVP awards when he competed for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, aged just 20.
Who has the rights to the 2024 NBA Finals?
The 2024 NBA Finals will begin June 6, with ABC as the exclusive broadcaster. Fans can stream ABC through FuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Plans for FuboTV start at $74.99 per month and go up to $99.99 per month as part of a rolling contract. With over 100 channels, no contract, no hidden fees, and the option to cancel anytime, fuboTV is a no-brainer for NBA and general sports fans.