Want to call yourself an NBA freak? Let’s start with a trivia question then-
Have any players played for each NBA team that play in California?
Give it a thought & we’ll get back to you later.
In total, there are 30 teams in NBA. Of them, 4 teams are coming from the state of California. Statistically, it is 13.33% of the entire league. This is a staggering number, especially when you think about the remaining 26 teams are representing 49 other states.
So today, we shall talk about every California basketball team that is playing in NBA. If you love playing with basketball hoops, then you might find some interesting facts in this article.
The 4 NBA teams in California are Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers & Sacramento Kings.
Let’s start with a brief comparison among these California NBA teams. Then we will dig deeper, take a look at their history and notable performances to date & many more.
Table of Contents
Comparison Chart for 4 California NBA Teams
Teams | Founded | Mascot | Home Venue | Division Title | Conference Title | NBA Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Los Angeles Lakers | 1947 | None | Staples Center | 23 | 31 | 16 |
2. Golden State Warriors | 1946 | None | Chase Center | 7 | 11 | 6 |
3. Los Angeles Clippers | 1970 | Chuck the Condor | Staples Center | 2 | 0 | 0 |
4. Sacramento Kings | 1923 | Slamson the Lion | Golden 1 Center | 3 | 1 | 1 |
4 NBA Teams In California
1. Los Angeles Lakers
History: They first came into the scene in 1947 as Minneapolis Lakers then they were relocated to Los Angeles Lakers in 1960s. They have a rich long history. They had a star studded squad in almost every decade. Many hall of famers (26) have featured as Los Angeles Laker Player.
We can divide the journey of Lakers in NBA into 5 segments:
They are in 2nd position with 16 NBA titles, only behind of Boston Celtics (17 titles)
NBA Championships: 16 titles
1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 (As Minneapolis Leaker)
1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 (As Los Angeles Lakers)
Notable Performance:
Renowned Players: Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Jamaal Wilkes, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol
Renowned Coaches: John Kundla, Bill Sharman, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson
Current head Coach: Frank Vogel
2. Golden State Warriors
History: They were known as Philadelphia Warriors till 1961 before changing their name into San Francisco Warriors. It was in 1971 when they got the name “Golden State Warriors”
Warriors fans have witnessed their team going through both good & bad times.
There is a quick recap:
They are in 3rd position in terms of winning NBA titles, with 6 titles in total
NBA Championships: 6 titles
1947, 1956 (As Philadelphia Warriors)
1975, 2015, 2017, 2018 (As Golden State warriors)
Notable Performance:
Renowned Players: Nate Thurmond, “Tiny” Archibald, Rick Barry, Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant
Renowned Coaches: Don Nelson, Steve Kerr
Current Head Coach: Steve Kerr
3. Los Angeles Clippers
History: Compared to the pinnacle of success their city rival Lakers have reached, Clippers are a perennial loser in the eyes of many Americans. They are yet to win a single title in their 50 years long NBA tenure.
NBA Championships: 0 title
Notable Performance: Reached 3 western conference semifinals (2012, 2014, 2015)
Renowned Players: Bob McAdoo, Elton Brand, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul
Renowned Coaches: Larry Brown, Bill Fitch, Doc Rivers
Current Head Coach: Doc Rivers
4. Sacramento Kings
History: They entered into NBA as Rochester Royals. They became Cincinnati Royals in 1957. 15 years later, they were renamed as Kansas City-Omaha Kings in 1972. Shortly after that, they started playing as Kansas City Kings. And it was in 1985, when they moved to Sacramento and are still residing there.
Although this California based basketball team changed their name quite a few times, but they haven’t been able to change their luck.
NBA Championships: 1 title - 1951 (As Rochester Royals)
Notable Performance: In the 2001-02 season, they had a winning percentage of 0.744 (61-21)
Renowned Players: Mitch Richmond, Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, DeMarcus Cousins
Renowned Coaches: Phil Johnson, Bill Russell, Rick Adelman, Mike Malone
Head Coach: Luke Walton
List Of NBA Teams By State
State Name | Number of NBA Teams | NBA Team |
|---|---|---|
Arizona | 1 | Phoenix Suns |
California | 4 | Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers & Sacramento Kings |
Colorado | 1 | Denver Nuggets |
Florida | 2 | Miami Heat, Orlando Magic |
Georgia | 1 | Atlanta Hawks |
Illinois | 1 | Chicago Bulls |
Indiana | 1 | Indiana Pacers |
Louisiana | 1 | New Orleans Pelicans |
Massachusetts | 1 | Boston Celtics |
Michigan | 1 | Detroit Pistons |
Minnesota | 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
New York | 2 | Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks |
North Carolina | 1 | Charlotte Hornets |
Ohio | 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
Oklahoma | 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
Oregon | 1 | Portland Trail Blazers |
Pennsylvania | 1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
Tennessee | 1 | Memphis Grizzlies |
Texas | 3 | Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs |
Utah | 1 | Utah Jazz |
Wisconsin | 1 | Milwaukee Bucks |
Washington DC | 1 | Washington Wizards |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the oldest team in NBA?
-Sacramento Kings founded in 1923 (as Rochester Seagrams), are the oldest team in NBA.
Which state has the most NBA teams?
-California, with 4 NBA teams.
How many NBA teams does Florida have?
-Florida has got 2 NBA teams in total, Miami Heat & Orlando Magic.
What is the name of the NBA team in Canada?
-Toronto Raptors are the only Canadian-based basketball team playing in NBA. They play their home games at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
How many states do not have an NBA team?
-29 states in total do not have an NBA team.