Nickname - NBA

Would the 'Unicorns' have won 16 championships? How about the 'Beaches', would they have struck fear in opponents' hearts? Surely the 'Tarantulas' would have. Could I have followed the 'Skunks' and wouldn't they, by definition, have stunk? Only two of the founding BAA franchises remain in their original form. Read about their stories and more below.

ATLANTA Hawks

Relocated from St Louis in 1968. Previously relocated from Milwaukee in 1955, where it had been since 1951. Originally from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, where it commenced in 1949-50.
Championships: 1 (see St Louis Hawks).

The original franchise, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, was named after the native American Sauk leader, Chief Back Hawk, whose tribe lived in the Rock Island area. Upon relocation to Milwaukee the nickname was shortened to the 'Hawks', an identity the franchise retained over two further relocations¹.

BALTIMORE Bullets

Relocated from Chicago in 1963. Moved to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997.
See WASHINGTON Wizards.

Foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47.
Championships: 17 (1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1985-86, 2007-08).

One of only two foundation franchises playing in its original city with its original name. The legendary 'Celtics' moniker was chosen by Walter Brown, the organisation's founder and head of the Boston Garden Arena Corporation. The name reflected Boston's significant Irish heritage as well as honouring Jim Furey's "Original Celtics" pro team from the 1920s¹. Other nicknames that Brown considered included the 'Whirlwinds', the 'Olympics' and the 'Unicorns'.

Commenced in 1970-71 but moved to San Diego in 1978. The San Diego Clippers then relocated to Los Angeles in 1984.

CAPITAL Bullets

Moved to Washington DC in 1997 after playing in Landover since relocating from Baltimore in 1973. Previously relocated from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62.
See WASHINGTON Wizards.

Commenced in 2004-05.
A local "Help Name the Team" effort led to three nickname finalists - the 'Dragons', the 'Flight' and the eventual choice, the 'Bobcats'. Indigenous to the Carolinas, the team owner, Robert L. Johnson, said the team would be as athletic, fierce and hard-working as the bobcat itself.

Commenced in 1988-89. Relocated to New Orleans for season 2002-03.
See NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY Hornets.

Commenced in 1966-67.
Championships: 6 (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98)

The team's nickname was chosen by its founding owner, Richard Klein. The relentless attitude of the bull and its instinct to never quit were the qualities that Klein was looking for from the team¹.

Commenced in 1961-62. Relocated to Baltimore in 1963, to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997.
See WASHINGTON Wizards.

CHICAGO Zephyrs

Commenced in 1961-62. Relocated to Baltimore in 1963, to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997.
See WASHINGTON Wizards.

Relocated from Rochester in 1957, then moved to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972 and finally to Sacramento in 1985.
See SACRAMENTO Kings.

Commenced in 1970-71.
The 'Cavaliers' was the winning entry in the local franchise naming competition¹.

Commenced in 1980-81.
The 'Mavericks' was the local franchise naming competition winning entry, chosen because of its connection to the cowboy image of the region¹.

Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77.
One of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the team was originally known as the Denver 'Rockets' in the ABA. With the possibility of moving to the NBA looming, a name change was decided upon as the NBA already had a 'Rockets' franchise. The Denver region's gold-rush of the 19th century was the inspiration behind the 'Nuggets' nickname, adopted in 1974. The 'Nuggets' was also the moniker of Denver's first NBA team that played for one season - 1949-50¹.

Relocated from Fort Wayne in 1957 after commencing in the BAA in 1948-49.
Championships: 3 (1988-89, 1989-90, 2003-04)

The franchise started in Indiana in 1939-40 as the Fort Wayne 'Zollner Pistons'. The team's original owner, Fred Zollner, named the club after himself and his business, a piston manufacturing company. The 'Zollner' name was dropped prior to joining the BAA and, given that the franchise was moving to "Motor City" Detroit, maintaining the automotive moniker made good sense¹.

Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Detroit for the 1957-58 season.

Relocated to Oakland from San Francisco in 1971. Previously relocated from Philadelphia for the 1962-63 season. A foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47.
Championships: 3 (see Philadelphia Warriors, 1974-75).
Philadelphia's original basketball team, the 'Warriors', played in the American Basketball League in 1925. The new BAA franchise adopted the same nickname. The moniker was maintained for both relocations. Unusually, the name "Golden State" was adopted for the team when it moved from San Francisco to Oakland. This was done in an attempt to get the entire state of California involved with the basketball team¹.

Relocated from San Diego in 1971 after commencing in the NBA in 1967-68.
Championships: 2 (1993-94, 1994-95)
San Diego's theme of a "City in Motion" was the reasoning behind the nickname's original adoption. Moving to Houston, Texas, with its NASA space programme, it made sense for the nickname to remain¹.

Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77.
One of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the 'Pacers' moniker was chosen when the franchise formed in 1967, reflecting the organisation's desire to "set the pace" in professional basketball¹.

Originally from Rochester, the franchise relocated from Cincinnati to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972. The team changed to Kansas City for the 1975-76 season and finally moved to Sacramento in 1985-86.
See SACRAMENTO Kings.

Originally from Rochester, the franchise relocated from Cincinnati to play home games out of both Kansas City and Omaha for the 1972-73 season. The team changed to Kansas City in 1975 and finally moved to Sacramento in 1985.
See SACRAMENTO Kings.

Relocated from San Diego in 1984. Moved to San Diego for the 1978-79 season from Buffalo where it commenced in 1970-71.
Losing the 'Rockets' franchise to Houston in 1971, San Diego enticed the franchise from Buffalo to move west seven years later but decided that the 'Braves' moniker did not match the city's image. The 'Clippers' was the winning entry to the local franchise naming competition, reflecting San Diego's fame for great sailing ships passing through its port. The nickname remained for the relocation to LA¹.

Relocated from Minneapolis in 1960. The franchise commenced in the BAA in 1948-49.
Championships: 15 (see Minneapolis Lakers, 1971-72, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2008-09).
Minnesota's state slogan is the "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" and, when the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League moved to Minneapolis in 1947, the 'Lakers' was the logical nickname for the club officials at the time. The club won championships in five of its first six seasons in the BAA/NBA. Given this success, the nickname was kept when the franchise moved in 1960¹.

Relocated from Vancouver in 2001 after commencing in 1995-96.
Grizzly bears are indigenous to British Columbia and are prominent in the native culture and mythology of the Vancouver region. Moving to Memphis, the nickname was maintained.

Commenced in 1988-89.
Championships: 1 (2005-06).
The 'Heat' was the winning entry in the local franchise naming competition, a name chosen to reflect the city's image and weather. Amongst other names nominated were the 'Beaches', the 'Flamingos', the 'Floridians', the 'Palm Trees', the 'Shade', the 'Sharks', the 'Suntan', the 'Tornadoes', and the 'Barracudas'¹.

Commenced in 1968-69.
Championships: 1 (1970-71).

After the 'Hawks' moved to St Louis in 1955, Milwaukee won an expansion franchise over a decade later. Entries to the local franchise naming competition included the 'Badgers', the 'Beavers', the 'Hornets', the 'Ponies', the 'Stags', the 'Stallions' and, one of the most unique, the 'Skunks'. The 'Bucks' image was adopted as it reflected Wisconsin's wildlife atmosphere¹.

Relocated from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island in 1951, then moved to St Louis in 1955 and finally to Atlanta in 1968.

Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season.
Championships: 5 (1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54).

Commenced in 1989-90.
'Timberwolves' are indigenous to Minnesota, and this nickname won the nod ahead of the 'Polars' in the local franchise naming competition¹.

Relocated from New York in 1977. Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77.
Arthur J. Brown, head of the ABC Freight Forwarding Company, owned the New Jersey 'Freighters' but the nickname became the 'Americans' when the team commenced in the American Basketball Association in 1967. The nickname was changed again, this time to the 'Nets', when the team relocated to New York. As one of the four teams that moved from the ABA in 1976, the New York Nets played one season in the NBA before returning to New Jersey. Arthur Brown coined the 'Nets' moniker inspired by, you guessed it, the net!¹

NEW ORLEANS Hornets

Played as New Orleans/Oklahoma City for the 2006-07 season. In 2002 the franchise relocated from Charlotte where it had commenced in 1988-89.
The 'Spirit' was the original choice of nicknames for Charlotte's expansion franchise but it wasn't a hit with the fans and the 'Hornets' moniker won the fan vote by a landslide. The name dated back to the American Revolution when Cornwallis made reference to the area being a "hornets nest" in a report back to the Crown. The nickname had also been used by Charlotte teams in minor league baseball and American football. Amongst other names considered were the 'Gold' and the 'Knights'¹. The nickname was maintained after the franchise's relocation to New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY Hornets

Originally from Charlotte, two months into season 2005/06 the franchise was forced to play home games out of Oklahoma City due to the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. In 2006/07 the team played 85% of its home games out of Oklahoma City and used the names of both cities for the season.
See NEW ORLEANS Hornets.

Commenced in 1974-75. Relocated to Salt Lake City for the 1979-80 season.
See UTAH Jazz.

Foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47.
Championships: 16 (1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1985-86).

A foundation franchise, one of only two playing in its original city with its original name. The Dutch who settled in the New York region in the 1600s wore a style of pants rolled up just below the knee that became known as knickerbockers¹. The first organised team in baseball history were from New York and called the "Knickerbocker Nine". No records have been found to confirm his exact inspiration but the basketball team's founder, Ned Irish, chose this moniker for his team. The team is most commonly known by the abbreviated name, the 'Knicks'.

Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. Relocated to New Jersey in 1977-78.
See NEW JERSEY Nets.

OKLAHOMA CITY Thunder

Relocated from Seattle in 2008. Commenced in 1967-68.
Championships: 1 (see Seattle Supersonics).
Boeing, with a large plant in the Seattle area, had plans for a new plane called the "Supersonic Transport". Whilst it did not get off the ground the idea was the inspiration behind the new local basketball team's nickname, the "Supersonics". Relocation to Oklahoma City saw the franchise adopt it's new nickname - a reference to powerful storms in the local area, known as Tornado Alley. The locally based infantry division is known as the "Thunderbirds".

ORLANDO Magic

Commenced in 1988-89.
Orlando is home to Disney World and the Magic Kingdom and the city's tourism slogan is "Come to the Magic" so the 'Magic' was the entry chosen by a select panel after a local franchise naming competition. The 'Juice' was the other name considered¹.

Relocated from Syracuse in 1963. Commenced in 1949-50.
Championships: 3 (see Syracuse Nationals, 1966-67, 1982-83).
Losing the 'Warriors' to San Francisco a year earlier, the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia commencing in season 1963-64. The U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed at Philadelphia's Independence Hall on July 4, 1776 and the city's new basketball team was named in honour of this event¹. The abbreviation "Sixers' is commonly used.

PHILADELPHIA Warriors

The inaugural BAA champion in 1946-47. Relocated to San Francisco in 1962, then to Oakland for the 1971-72 season.
Championships: 2 (1946-47, 1955-56).

See GOLDEN STATE Warriors.

Commenced in 1968-69.
Arizona's year-round sunshine was the inspiration behind the 'Suns', the winning entry to the local franchise naming competition. Other nominations included the 'Dust Devils', the 'Dudes', the 'Gems', the 'Rattlers', the 'Scorpions', the 'Sunspots' the 'Suntanos', the 'Tumbleweeds' and the 'Wrens'¹.

Commenced in 1970-71.
Championships: 1 (1976-77).
The local franchise naming competition received 10,000 entries before the team settled on the 'Trail Blazers', chosen for its uniqueness and, according to franchise founder Harry Glickman, to "reflect the ruggedness of the Pacific Northwest"¹. The shortened 'Blazers' is often used.

Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Cincinnati for the 1957-58 season, then to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972 and finally to Sacramento in 1985.
Championships: 1 (1950-51).

See SACRAMENTO Kings.

Relocated from Kansas City in 1985. Played as Kansas City-Omaha from 1972 to the end of the 1974-75 season. Previously relocated from Cincinnati where it had been since 1957. Originally from Rochester where it commenced in the BAA in 1948-49.
Championships: 1 (see Rochester Royals).

The original 'Royals' nickname was kept for the move from Rochester to Cincinnati but did not survive the franchise's next move, when the team commenced playing home games out of both Kansas City and Omaha. The 'Kings' nickname was adopted after a vote of the city's fans, maintaining the regal theme of the previous nickname. Other suggested nicknames included the 'Barons', the 'Crowns', the 'Plainsmen', the 'River Kings', the 'Regals' and the 'Steers'. With the move to Sacramento, the 'Kings' moniker stayed¹.

Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77.
Championships: 4 (1998-99, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07).
Now the most successful of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the franchise played originally as the Dallas Chaparrals when it commenced in the ABA in 1967-68. One season named the Texas Chaparrals aside, the team remained the same until it relocated to San Antonio in 1973. The 'Spurs' nickname was chosen via a local naming competition, reflecting Texas' western heritage¹.

The Buffalo Braves commenced in 1970-71 but moved to San Diego in 1978. Relocated to Los Angeles in 1984.

Commenced in 1967-68. Relocated to Houston for the 1971-72 season.

SAN FRANCISCO Warriors

Originally from Philadelphia, the franchise relocated to San Francisco in 1962 then moved to Oakland for season 1971-72.
See GOLDEN STATE Warriors.

Commenced in 1967-68. Relocated to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season.
Championships: 1 (1978-79).
See OKLAHOMA CITY Thunder.

Originally from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, the franchise relocated from Milwaukee to St Louis in 1955 and moved to Atlanta for season 1968-69.
Championships: 1 (1957-58).

Commenced in 1949-50. Relocated to Philadelphia in 1963.
Championships: 1 (1954-55).

See PHILADELPHIA 76ers.

Commenced in 1995-96.
A Canada-wide "Name Game" competition was held and ten names made the final list - the 'Beavers', the 'Bobcats', the 'Dragons', the 'Grizzlies', the 'Hogs' (Toronto is known as "Hogtown"), the 'Scorpions', the 'T-Rex', the 'Tarantulas', the 'Terriers' and the eventual winner, the 'Raptors'.

TRI-CITIES Blackhawks

Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Milwaukee in 1951, then to St Louis in 1955 and finally to Atlanta in 1968.

Relocated from New Orleans in 1979 after commencing in 1974-75.
New Orleans is the "jazz capital of the world" and the expansion franchise's officials chose the team's nickname to reflect the city's reputation. Upon moving to Salt Lake City the nickname was kept.¹

Commenced in 1995-96. Relocated to Memphis for the 2001-02 season.

WASHINGTON Bullets

Moved to Washington DC in 1997 after playing in Landover since relocating from Baltimore in 1973. Previously relocated from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62.
Championships: 1 (1977-78).

See WASHINGTON Wizards.

WASHINGTON Wizards

Relocated from Landover in 1997. Previously relocated from Baltimore in 1973 after moving from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62.
Championships: 1 (see Washington Bullets).

The original franchise, the Chicago Packers, got its name from the packing company of founding owner David Trager. Just one season later the 'Zephyrs' moniker replaced the 'Packers', playing on the Chicago's "Windy City" nickname. That too only lasted one season. The team moved to Baltimore for the 1963-64 season and adopted the name of the city's first BAA/NBA franchise, the 'Bullets', named after a local Second World War ammunition factory. The move to Landover, MD saw the team play as the Capital Bullets for one season, before playing as the Washington Bullets for the 1974-75 season¹. No change for the next 23 seasons until team owner Abe Pollin, in conjunction with the team's anti-violence campaign, decided that the time has passed for the nickname, given its violent connotation, and the 'Wizards' commenced in the 1997-98 season, now playing out of downtown Washington D.C.

Home AFL NBA Footnotes Webmaster's Notes	National Basketball Association 1946-47 to present (known as the Basketball Association of America until 1949-50) Would the 'Unicorns' have won 16 championships? How about the 'Beaches', would they have struck fear in opponents' hearts? Surely the 'Tarantulas' would have. Could I have followed the 'Skunks' and wouldn't they, by definition, have stunk? Only two of the founding BAA franchises remain in their original form. Read about their stories and more below.
	[Click on logos to go to official team home pages.]
	Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics Charlotte Bobcats Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Detroit Pistons Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Memphis Grizzlies Miami Heat Milwaukee Bucks Minnesota Timberwolves New Jersey Nets New Orleans Hornets New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Washington Wizards
	Defunct Franchises Anderson Packers 1949-50 Baltimore Bullets 1947-55 - Championships: 1 (1947-48) Chicago Stags 1946-50 Cleveland Rebels 1946-47 Denver Nuggets 1949-50 Detroit Falcons 1946-47 Indianapolis Jets 1948-49 Indianapolis Olympians 1949-53 Pittsburgh Ironmen 1946-47 Providence Steamrollers 1946-49 Sheboygan Redskins 1949-50 St Louis Bombers 1946-50 Toronto Huskies 1946-47 Washington Capitols 1946-51 Waterloo Hawks 1949-50

	ATLANTA Hawks Relocated from St Louis in 1968. Previously relocated from Milwaukee in 1955, where it had been since 1951. Originally from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, where it commenced in 1949-50. Championships: 1 (see St Louis Hawks). The original franchise, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, was named after the native American Sauk leader, Chief Back Hawk, whose tribe lived in the Rock Island area. Upon relocation to Milwaukee the nickname was shortened to the 'Hawks', an identity the franchise retained over two further relocations¹.
	BALTIMORE Bullets Relocated from Chicago in 1963. Moved to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997. See WASHINGTON Wizards.
	BOSTON Celtics Foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47. Championships: 17 (1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1985-86, 2007-08). One of only two foundation franchises playing in its original city with its original name. The legendary 'Celtics' moniker was chosen by Walter Brown, the organisation's founder and head of the Boston Garden Arena Corporation. The name reflected Boston's significant Irish heritage as well as honouring Jim Furey's "Original Celtics" pro team from the 1920s¹. Other nicknames that Brown considered included the 'Whirlwinds', the 'Olympics' and the 'Unicorns'.
	BUFFALO Braves Commenced in 1970-71 but moved to San Diego in 1978. The San Diego Clippers then relocated to Los Angeles in 1984. See LOS ANGELES Clippers.
	CAPITAL Bullets Moved to Washington DC in 1997 after playing in Landover since relocating from Baltimore in 1973. Previously relocated from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62. See WASHINGTON Wizards.
	CHARLOTTE Bobcats Commenced in 2004-05. A local "Help Name the Team" effort led to three nickname finalists - the 'Dragons', the 'Flight' and the eventual choice, the 'Bobcats'. Indigenous to the Carolinas, the team owner, Robert L. Johnson, said the team would be as athletic, fierce and hard-working as the bobcat itself.
	CHARLOTTE Hornets Commenced in 1988-89. Relocated to New Orleans for season 2002-03. See NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY Hornets.
	CHICAGO Bulls Commenced in 1966-67. Championships: 6 (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98) The team's nickname was chosen by its founding owner, Richard Klein. The relentless attitude of the bull and its instinct to never quit were the qualities that Klein was looking for from the team¹.
	CHICAGO Packers Commenced in 1961-62. Relocated to Baltimore in 1963, to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997. See WASHINGTON Wizards.
	CHICAGO Zephyrs Commenced in 1961-62. Relocated to Baltimore in 1963, to Landover in 1973 then to Washington DC in 1997. See WASHINGTON Wizards.
	CINCINNATI Royals Relocated from Rochester in 1957, then moved to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972 and finally to Sacramento in 1985. See SACRAMENTO Kings.
	CLEVELAND Cavaliers Commenced in 1970-71. The 'Cavaliers' was the winning entry in the local franchise naming competition¹.
	DALLAS Mavericks Commenced in 1980-81. The 'Mavericks' was the local franchise naming competition winning entry, chosen because of its connection to the cowboy image of the region¹.
	DENVER Nuggets Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. One of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the team was originally known as the Denver 'Rockets' in the ABA. With the possibility of moving to the NBA looming, a name change was decided upon as the NBA already had a 'Rockets' franchise. The Denver region's gold-rush of the 19th century was the inspiration behind the 'Nuggets' nickname, adopted in 1974. The 'Nuggets' was also the moniker of Denver's first NBA team that played for one season - 1949-50¹.
	DETROIT Pistons Relocated from Fort Wayne in 1957 after commencing in the BAA in 1948-49. Championships: 3 (1988-89, 1989-90, 2003-04) The franchise started in Indiana in 1939-40 as the Fort Wayne 'Zollner Pistons'. The team's original owner, Fred Zollner, named the club after himself and his business, a piston manufacturing company. The 'Zollner' name was dropped prior to joining the BAA and, given that the franchise was moving to "Motor City" Detroit, maintaining the automotive moniker made good sense¹.
	FORT WAYNE Pistons Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Detroit for the 1957-58 season. See DETROIT Pistons.
	GOLDEN STATE Warriors Relocated to Oakland from San Francisco in 1971. Previously relocated from Philadelphia for the 1962-63 season. A foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47. Championships: 3 (see Philadelphia Warriors, 1974-75). Philadelphia's original basketball team, the 'Warriors', played in the American Basketball League in 1925. The new BAA franchise adopted the same nickname. The moniker was maintained for both relocations. Unusually, the name "Golden State" was adopted for the team when it moved from San Francisco to Oakland. This was done in an attempt to get the entire state of California involved with the basketball team¹.
	HOUSTON Rockets Relocated from San Diego in 1971 after commencing in the NBA in 1967-68. Championships: 2 (1993-94, 1994-95) San Diego's theme of a "City in Motion" was the reasoning behind the nickname's original adoption. Moving to Houston, Texas, with its NASA space programme, it made sense for the nickname to remain¹.
	INDIANA Pacers Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. One of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the 'Pacers' moniker was chosen when the franchise formed in 1967, reflecting the organisation's desire to "set the pace" in professional basketball¹.
	KANSAS CITY Kings Originally from Rochester, the franchise relocated from Cincinnati to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972. The team changed to Kansas City for the 1975-76 season and finally moved to Sacramento in 1985-86. See SACRAMENTO Kings.
	KANSAS CITY-OMAHA Kings Originally from Rochester, the franchise relocated from Cincinnati to play home games out of both Kansas City and Omaha for the 1972-73 season. The team changed to Kansas City in 1975 and finally moved to Sacramento in 1985. See SACRAMENTO Kings.
	LOS ANGELES Clippers Relocated from San Diego in 1984. Moved to San Diego for the 1978-79 season from Buffalo where it commenced in 1970-71. Losing the 'Rockets' franchise to Houston in 1971, San Diego enticed the franchise from Buffalo to move west seven years later but decided that the 'Braves' moniker did not match the city's image. The 'Clippers' was the winning entry to the local franchise naming competition, reflecting San Diego's fame for great sailing ships passing through its port. The nickname remained for the relocation to LA¹.
	LOS ANGELES Lakers Relocated from Minneapolis in 1960. The franchise commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Championships: 15 (see Minneapolis Lakers, 1971-72, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2008-09). Minnesota's state slogan is the "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" and, when the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League moved to Minneapolis in 1947, the 'Lakers' was the logical nickname for the club officials at the time. The club won championships in five of its first six seasons in the BAA/NBA. Given this success, the nickname was kept when the franchise moved in 1960¹.
	MEMPHIS Grizzlies Relocated from Vancouver in 2001 after commencing in 1995-96. Grizzly bears are indigenous to British Columbia and are prominent in the native culture and mythology of the Vancouver region. Moving to Memphis, the nickname was maintained.
	MIAMI Heat Commenced in 1988-89. Championships: 1 (2005-06). The 'Heat' was the winning entry in the local franchise naming competition, a name chosen to reflect the city's image and weather. Amongst other names nominated were the 'Beaches', the 'Flamingos', the 'Floridians', the 'Palm Trees', the 'Shade', the 'Sharks', the 'Suntan', the 'Tornadoes', and the 'Barracudas'¹.
	MILWAUKEE Bucks Commenced in 1968-69. Championships: 1 (1970-71). After the 'Hawks' moved to St Louis in 1955, Milwaukee won an expansion franchise over a decade later. Entries to the local franchise naming competition included the 'Badgers', the 'Beavers', the 'Hornets', the 'Ponies', the 'Stags', the 'Stallions' and, one of the most unique, the 'Skunks'. The 'Bucks' image was adopted as it reflected Wisconsin's wildlife atmosphere¹.
	MILWAUKEE Hawks Relocated from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island in 1951, then moved to St Louis in 1955 and finally to Atlanta in 1968. See ATLANTA Hawks.
	MINNEAPOLIS Lakers Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season. Championships: 5 (1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54). See LOS ANGELES Lakers.
	MINNESOTA Timberwolves Commenced in 1989-90. 'Timberwolves' are indigenous to Minnesota, and this nickname won the nod ahead of the 'Polars' in the local franchise naming competition¹.
	NEW JERSEY Nets Relocated from New York in 1977. Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. Arthur J. Brown, head of the ABC Freight Forwarding Company, owned the New Jersey 'Freighters' but the nickname became the 'Americans' when the team commenced in the American Basketball Association in 1967. The nickname was changed again, this time to the 'Nets', when the team relocated to New York. As one of the four teams that moved from the ABA in 1976, the New York Nets played one season in the NBA before returning to New Jersey. Arthur Brown coined the 'Nets' moniker inspired by, you guessed it, the net!¹
	NEW ORLEANS Hornets Played as New Orleans/Oklahoma City for the 2006-07 season. In 2002 the franchise relocated from Charlotte where it had commenced in 1988-89. The 'Spirit' was the original choice of nicknames for Charlotte's expansion franchise but it wasn't a hit with the fans and the 'Hornets' moniker won the fan vote by a landslide. The name dated back to the American Revolution when Cornwallis made reference to the area being a "hornets nest" in a report back to the Crown. The nickname had also been used by Charlotte teams in minor league baseball and American football. Amongst other names considered were the 'Gold' and the 'Knights'¹. The nickname was maintained after the franchise's relocation to New Orleans.
	NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY Hornets Originally from Charlotte, two months into season 2005/06 the franchise was forced to play home games out of Oklahoma City due to the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. In 2006/07 the team played 85% of its home games out of Oklahoma City and used the names of both cities for the season. See NEW ORLEANS Hornets.
	NEW ORLEANS Jazz Commenced in 1974-75. Relocated to Salt Lake City for the 1979-80 season. See UTAH Jazz.
	NEW YORK Knickerbockers Foundation member of the BAA in 1946-47. Championships: 16 (1956-57, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1980-81, 1983-84, 1985-86). A foundation franchise, one of only two playing in its original city with its original name. The Dutch who settled in the New York region in the 1600s wore a style of pants rolled up just below the knee that became known as knickerbockers¹. The first organised team in baseball history were from New York and called the "Knickerbocker Nine". No records have been found to confirm his exact inspiration but the basketball team's founder, Ned Irish, chose this moniker for his team. The team is most commonly known by the abbreviated name, the 'Knicks'.
	NEW YORK Nets Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. Relocated to New Jersey in 1977-78. See NEW JERSEY Nets.
	OKLAHOMA CITY Thunder Relocated from Seattle in 2008. Commenced in 1967-68. Championships: 1 (see Seattle Supersonics). Boeing, with a large plant in the Seattle area, had plans for a new plane called the "Supersonic Transport". Whilst it did not get off the ground the idea was the inspiration behind the new local basketball team's nickname, the "Supersonics". Relocation to Oklahoma City saw the franchise adopt it's new nickname - a reference to powerful storms in the local area, known as Tornado Alley. The locally based infantry division is known as the "Thunderbirds". ORLANDO Magic Commenced in 1988-89. Orlando is home to Disney World and the Magic Kingdom and the city's tourism slogan is "Come to the Magic" so the 'Magic' was the entry chosen by a select panel after a local franchise naming competition. The 'Juice' was the other name considered¹.
	PHILADELPHIA 76ers Relocated from Syracuse in 1963. Commenced in 1949-50. Championships: 3 (see Syracuse Nationals, 1966-67, 1982-83). Losing the 'Warriors' to San Francisco a year earlier, the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia commencing in season 1963-64. The U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed at Philadelphia's Independence Hall on July 4, 1776 and the city's new basketball team was named in honour of this event¹. The abbreviation "Sixers' is commonly used.
	PHILADELPHIA Warriors The inaugural BAA champion in 1946-47. Relocated to San Francisco in 1962, then to Oakland for the 1971-72 season. Championships: 2 (1946-47, 1955-56). See GOLDEN STATE Warriors.
	PHOENIX Suns Commenced in 1968-69. Arizona's year-round sunshine was the inspiration behind the 'Suns', the winning entry to the local franchise naming competition. Other nominations included the 'Dust Devils', the 'Dudes', the 'Gems', the 'Rattlers', the 'Scorpions', the 'Sunspots' the 'Suntanos', the 'Tumbleweeds' and the 'Wrens'¹.
	PORTLAND Trail Blazers Commenced in 1970-71. Championships: 1 (1976-77). The local franchise naming competition received 10,000 entries before the team settled on the 'Trail Blazers', chosen for its uniqueness and, according to franchise founder Harry Glickman, to "reflect the ruggedness of the Pacific Northwest"¹. The shortened 'Blazers' is often used.
	ROCHESTER Royals Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Cincinnati for the 1957-58 season, then to Kansas City-Omaha in 1972 and finally to Sacramento in 1985. Championships: 1 (1950-51). See SACRAMENTO Kings.
	SACRAMENTO Kings Relocated from Kansas City in 1985. Played as Kansas City-Omaha from 1972 to the end of the 1974-75 season. Previously relocated from Cincinnati where it had been since 1957. Originally from Rochester where it commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Championships: 1 (see Rochester Royals). The original 'Royals' nickname was kept for the move from Rochester to Cincinnati but did not survive the franchise's next move, when the team commenced playing home games out of both Kansas City and Omaha. The 'Kings' nickname was adopted after a vote of the city's fans, maintaining the regal theme of the previous nickname. Other suggested nicknames included the 'Barons', the 'Crowns', the 'Plainsmen', the 'River Kings', the 'Regals' and the 'Steers'. With the move to Sacramento, the 'Kings' moniker stayed¹.
	SAN ANTONIO Spurs Commenced in the NBA in 1976-77. Championships: 4 (1998-99, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07). Now the most successful of the four teams that moved from the American Basketball Association in 1976, the franchise played originally as the Dallas Chaparrals when it commenced in the ABA in 1967-68. One season named the Texas Chaparrals aside, the team remained the same until it relocated to San Antonio in 1973. The 'Spurs' nickname was chosen via a local naming competition, reflecting Texas' western heritage¹.
	SAN DIEGO Clippers The Buffalo Braves commenced in 1970-71 but moved to San Diego in 1978. Relocated to Los Angeles in 1984. See LOS ANGELES Clippers.
	SAN DIEGO Rockets Commenced in 1967-68. Relocated to Houston for the 1971-72 season. See HOUSTON Rockets.
	SAN FRANCISCO Warriors Originally from Philadelphia, the franchise relocated to San Francisco in 1962 then moved to Oakland for season 1971-72. See GOLDEN STATE Warriors.
	SEATTLE Supersonics Commenced in 1967-68. Relocated to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season. Championships: 1 (1978-79). See OKLAHOMA CITY Thunder.
	ST LOUIS Hawks Originally from the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, the franchise relocated from Milwaukee to St Louis in 1955 and moved to Atlanta for season 1968-69. Championships: 1 (1957-58). See ATLANTA Hawks.
	SYRACUSE Nationals Commenced in 1949-50. Relocated to Philadelphia in 1963. Championships: 1 (1954-55). See PHILADELPHIA 76ers.
	TORONTO Raptors Commenced in 1995-96. A Canada-wide "Name Game" competition was held and ten names made the final list - the 'Beavers', the 'Bobcats', the 'Dragons', the 'Grizzlies', the 'Hogs' (Toronto is known as "Hogtown"), the 'Scorpions', the 'T-Rex', the 'Tarantulas', the 'Terriers' and the eventual winner, the 'Raptors'.
	TRI-CITIES Blackhawks Commenced in the BAA in 1948-49. Relocated to Milwaukee in 1951, then to St Louis in 1955 and finally to Atlanta in 1968. See ATLANTA Hawks.
	UTAH Jazz Relocated from New Orleans in 1979 after commencing in 1974-75. New Orleans is the "jazz capital of the world" and the expansion franchise's officials chose the team's nickname to reflect the city's reputation. Upon moving to Salt Lake City the nickname was kept.¹
	VANCOUVER Grizzlies Commenced in 1995-96. Relocated to Memphis for the 2001-02 season. See MEMPHIS Grizzlies.
	WASHINGTON Bullets Moved to Washington DC in 1997 after playing in Landover since relocating from Baltimore in 1973. Previously relocated from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62. Championships: 1 (1977-78). See WASHINGTON Wizards.
	WASHINGTON Wizards Relocated from Landover in 1997. Previously relocated from Baltimore in 1973 after moving from Chicago in 1963, where it had commenced in 1961-62. Championships: 1 (see Washington Bullets). The original franchise, the Chicago Packers, got its name from the packing company of founding owner David Trager. Just one season later the 'Zephyrs' moniker replaced the 'Packers', playing on the Chicago's "Windy City" nickname. That too only lasted one season. The team moved to Baltimore for the 1963-64 season and adopted the name of the city's first BAA/NBA franchise, the 'Bullets', named after a local Second World War ammunition factory. The move to Landover, MD saw the team play as the Capital Bullets for one season, before playing as the Washington Bullets for the 1974-75 season¹. No change for the next 23 seasons until team owner Abe Pollin, in conjunction with the team's anti-violence campaign, decided that the time has passed for the nickname, given its violent connotation, and the 'Wizards' commenced in the 1997-98 season, now playing out of downtown Washington D.C.