List of NBA Champions by Year

The NBA celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022, which means its list of former champions is quite the roll of honor.

While the game has certainly changed since the first champions were crowned in 1947, the glory of winning it all remains the pinnacle of the sport. 

Below is a look back at all the previous NBA champions, along with a list of every winner from 1947 through to 2024.

Which team has won the most NBA Championships?

The Boston Celtics became the most successful franchise in NBA history in 2024, when they broke the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 18th championship in team history. 

The Lakers have won 17 championships, second-most in NBA history. The Celtics or Lakers have come out on top in almost half of the seasons in league history. They also share the record for the most frequent finals matchup, with the Celtics holding a 9-3 record across their 12 previous clashes. 

There's quite a gap between the league's two most-storied franchises and the rest, with the Golden State Warriors the third most successful side with seven titles. 

Four of those championships have come since 2015, with the Warriors marking themselves into a modern NBA dynasty. 

Of the current 30 NBA teams, 20 of them have claimed at least one championship, the latest being the Denver Nuggets, who won their first title in franchise history in 2023.

Which coach has won the most NBA Championships?

Phil Jackson is the most successful coach in NBA history, thanks to hugely successful spells in Chicago and LA. Jackson twice three-peated with the Bulls before going on to claim five titles with the Lakers between 2000 and 2010. 

His third three-peat as a coach came with the Lakers between 2000 and 2002 took him level with Red Auerbach, who led the Celtics to nine of their 17 titles between 1957 and 1966. 

Gregg Popovich is the most successful active coach, with five championships to his name. However, Steve Kerr – a five-time winner as a player – has nine total rings thanks to his spell in charge of the Golden State Warriors.

Which player has won the most NBA Championships?

The legendary Bill Russell won 11 championships in his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, making him the most decorated NBA player of all time. 

No active player is anywhere close to that, with LeBron James and four Warriors level on four rings to date.

View the latest odds to win the 2023/24 NBA Championship.

NBA Champions By Year

1947-49

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
1947	Philadelphia Warriors	4-1	Chicago Stags
1948	Baltimore Bullets	4-2	Philadelphia Warriors
1949	Minneapolis Lakers	4-2	Washington Capitols

1950-59

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

1960-69

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

1970-79

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

1980-89

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

1990-99

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

2000-09

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
2000	Los Angeles Lakers	4-2	Indiana Pacers
2001	Los Angeles Lakers	4-1	Philadelphia 76ers
2002	Los Angeles Lakers	4-0	New Jersey Jets
2003	San Antonio Spurs	4-2	New Jersey Jets
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

2010-19

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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

2020-22

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
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
2024	Boston Celtics	4-1	Dallas Mavericks