There are four NBA Basketball teams in California Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Kings. These teams include the league's most talented players and coaches.
Warriors, the Lakers, the Kings, and the Clippers have a successful past and have drawn attention to some of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
These teams are worth watching since they each have a distinctive history, fan base, and playing style. The state has become a must-watch location for basketball fans due to the teams' reputation for developing world-class basketball players and winning titles.
The passion and energy for the sport are evident throughout the state, from the streets of Los Angeles to the Bay Area. We have ranked California's top four NBA teams based on their overall performance, history, and fan base.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
| Founded | 1947 |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Championship Won | 17 |
| Previous Name | Minneapolis Lakers |
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the National Basketball Association's most recognized and successful teams. The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, which is second most in the league only to the Boston Celtics.
The franchise was founded in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers and relocated to Los Angeles in 1960. The team competes in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.
The Lakers signed four-time NBA MVP Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, and under the guidance of new head coach Bill Sharman and they won their sixth NBA championship in 1972.
The team won five championships in eight years with the "Showtime" teams led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The franchise won five championships including winning two out of three marquee Finals matchups against the Celtics.
The Lakers won over the Celtics in 1985 and 1987 but lost to their Boston rivals in the 1984 Finals. Throughout its history, the team has also featured several notable players, such as Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, and Pau Gasol.
The team won three straight titles between 2000 and 2002, completing the second "three-peat" for the franchise under the leadership of superstars Bryant and O'Neal and Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson.
The Lakers and Celtics faced off in the 2010 Finals, where Los Angeles defeated its historic rival in a seven-game series to earn its 16th championship.
Strong Team Members
The Los Angeles Lakers have numerous standout players. Kobe Bryant, an 18-time all-star, ended as this team's third-leading scorer.
Before retiring in 2016, he also won five championships with them. Kobe spent his 20 career years with the Los Angeles Lakers and helped the Lakers reach the NBA's peak.
Some other notable players include LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, George Mikan, Jerry West, and James Worthy.
1. LeBron James:
LeBron James has been an important member of the Lakers' team, helping them win the 2020 NBA title and providing a solid all-around performance.
He is known for his incredible athleticism and versatile skill sets. In a battle among the top teams in their respective leagues, he led the Lakers to victory over the Bucks before leading them to a record-breaking win against the Clippers.
2. Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The Lakers made the NBA Finals four times with Shaq on board, winning three straight Finals and Finals MVP Awards from 2000 to 2002.
Shaquille was selected for the American basketball Olympic team and later played on the gold-winning squad at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
In addition, all the other notable players have made history and been honored with induction into the hall of fame.
3. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis, a six-time NBA All-Star and one of the best big players in the league, joined the Lakers in 2019. Davis is regarded as the greatest power forward of all time.
He had an important role in the Lakers' campaign for the 2020 championship. He played in 62 of the 71 games during the regular season and finished in second place in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting.
4. Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder signed on with the Lakers in 2020 and has since become a solid reserve player.
He led the Lakers, playing without their top three scorers, to a comeback victory at Miami on January 4, 2023, scoring 14 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles Lakers NBA Records
The Lakers hold multiple NBA records as a team, including the most games won in a row overall and the most won in a row on the road.
Bryant has most of the team's records for longevity, including the most games played and the most minutes clocked.
Johnson holds all of the club's important assist records, including the most assists in a career; the most assists in a game, and the greatest assist average for a season.
They also hold records for having the most victories (3,027), winning percentage (61.9%), and NBA Finals appearances. The Lakers maintained the record for the most wins at home during the regular season.
28 Head Coaches For Los Angeles Lakers
The current head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers is Darvin Ham. Darvin was hired as a head coach on June 3, 2022.
According to ESPN, Darvin has spent the last 11 NBA seasons as an assistant coach, including two years with the Lakers.
John Kundla coached the Minneapolis team to its first five BAA/NBA championships from 1949 to 1954. Pat Riley is second to coach and won the regular season and postseason games in franchise history.
Jackson broke Riley's regular-season wins record in 2009, and in 2010 he also broke Riley's postseason wins and games coached records.
Byron Scott was appointed head coach in July 2014. Luke Walton, a former player for the Lakers, was appointed as Scott's replacement on April 29, 2016, and continued in that position through the completion of the 2018–19 season.
On May 13, 2019, Frank Vogel was appointed as his replacement as part of a multiyear agreement.
2. Golden State Warriors - San Francisco
| Founded | 1946 |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Championship Won | 7 |
| Previous Name | Philadelphia Warriors |
The Golden State Warriors basketball team competes in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.
The team was first founded in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They later relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, changing their name to the San Francisco Warriors.
The team changed its name to the Golden State Warriors in 1971, and under the leadership of Rick Barry and a powerful supporting cast, they won their second NBA title in 1975.
Neil Johnston, a renowned player-coach for the Warriors, led them to their first championship during the BAA's debut season. In 1976, the Warriors made it to the NBA Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics.
The Warriors maintained their control over the league in the following years, making it to the NBA Finals each year from 2015 to 2018, and winning two additional championships in 2017 and 2018.
The team has competed in the league for many years and has won seven NBA championships. The Warriors hold multiple NBA records, including best regular season, most victories in a season, and best postseason run.
Curry and Thompson are regarded as the greatest backcourts of all time. The team won three MVP award.
Golden State Splash Brother Era
The "Splash Brothers" era is the period of time when the Golden State Warriors were led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
The two players were given the nickname "Splash Brothers" due to their high level of efficiency when shooting and scoring three-pointers. When Curry and Thompson joined as teammates in the 2011–2012 season, the era officially began.
They are both NBA All-Stars who have participated in six NBA Finals games with the Warriors and won four NBA championships. Thompson was selected with the eleventh overall pick in 2011, while Curry was selected with the seventh overall pick in 2009.
They also became the first guard pair since 1979–80 to be named to the All–NBA Team in the same season. They both contributed to the Warriors' 2015 NBA Finals.
Talented Team Members
The Golden State Warriors have a great number of outstanding team players that have helped the Warriors win numerous NBA championships.
Thompson and Curry are regarded as the greatest backcourts of all time. Andre Iguodala, a defensive swingman, was awarded Finals MVP in 2015.
The other notable players are Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and James Wiseman.
1. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is known as one of the best shooters in NBA history. Curry won his first league Most Valuable Player (MVP) title and guided the Warriors to their first championship since 1975.
He has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice, won four NBA championships, and received MVP awards for the NBA Finals and NBA All-Star Game.
Curry was selected Finals MVP and led the Warriors to a fourth championship victory in 2022 over the Boston Celtics.
2. Klay Thompson
Klay has won four NBA championships with the Warriors and was selected to five NBA All-Star games.
He led the Warriors to win their first NBA Championship since 1975. Thompson helped the Warriors to win their fourth championship in eight years by assisting them to defeat the Boston Celtics in six games to win the 2022 championship.
3. Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala is known for his flexibility and defensive skills and was the NBA Finals MVP in 2015.
He was a 2012 NBA All-Star and has twice been selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team.
4. Kevon Looney
Kevon Looney has won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. He was a member of the Pac-12's all-freshman team and one of the best players in the conference.
Looney established himself in the Warriors' rotation and helped to their second consecutive championship.
25 Head Coaches For Golden State Warriors
Steve Kerr is the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
There have been many head coaches for the Golden State Warriors during their history. The Warriors franchise has 25 head coaches.
George Senesky worked as the team's head coach as the Philadelphia Warriors earned their first NBA title in the 1956 NBA Finals.
Their second championship was won in 1975 as the Golden State Warriors, led by coach Al Attles, who played for and coached the Warriors for 25 seasons.
Steve Kerr is the team's all-time leader in victories, wins in playoff games, and winning percentage for games coached. He led the Warriors to four championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.
One of the team members who has been honored as a coach in the Basketball Hall of Fame is Frank McGuire.
The NBA Coach of the Year award has been given to Nelson, Kerr, and Hannum. Attles, Johnston, George Lee, and Senesky, four former Warriors players, later became head coaches for the team.
3. Sacramento Kings
| Founded | 1923 |
| Location | Sacramento, California |
| Championship Won | 0 |
| Previous Namw | Cincinnati Royals, Rochester royals and Kansas City Kings |
The Sacramento Kings basketball team based in Sacramento California competes in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division.
The Kings are the oldest NBA franchise and the only major professional North American sports league team based in Sacramento.
The team was established in 1923 as the Rochester Seagram and they changed several names before settling in Sacramento in 1985.
They started in the National Basketball League as the Rochester Royals in 1945, winning the league title in their inaugural season.
In 1957, they moved to Cincinnati and changed their name to Cincinnati Royals. The franchise changed its name to the Kansas City-Omaha Kings in 1972 and shortened it to Kansas City Kings after three seasons.
Since joining the NBA in 1948, they have only advanced to the postseason 14 times. Despite this, the Kings have had a number of outstanding players.
De'Aaron Fox,a point guard who was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft, is one of the most valuable newcomers to the team. He is one of the team's greatest players as well as one of the top young point guards in the league.
Prestigious Sacramento Kings Team Members
The Sacramento Kings have a powerful group of players with a great balance of veterans and young players.
The Kings have the ability to advance to the playoffs and challenge for the NBA title in the future with a strong coaching staff.
Some of the notable players of the Sacramento Kings are De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell, and Terence Davis.
1. De'Aron Fox
De'Aron Fox is a guard from the University of Kentucky, and the team's highest scorer.
He has quickly established himself as a team captain and one of the top young point guards in the league. Fox is renowned for his speed, and ball-handling ability.
He played 21.3 minutes per game in four games of the 2017 NBA Summer League, averaging 11.8 points, 3 assists, and 2.3 steals.
Buddy Hield, an Oklahoma guard with power, is one of the team's other starters.
2. Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis is a two time NBA All-Star.
Sabonis became the first player in King's history since Oscar Robertson in 1965 to have at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a single game.
3. Keegan Murray
Keegan Murray was named NBA Summer League MVP and named to the All-NBA Summer League First Team.
He played in his first summer league game, winning 86-68 with 26 points and 8 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors.
4. Terrence Davis
Terrence Davis re-signed in with the Kings in 2021. He recorded a career-high 35 points in a defeat of 133-131 against the Detroit Pistons.
He started playing basketball at six and excelled as a wide receiver in football at Southaven High School.
Sucess Of Kings In NBA
The Kings have a successful track record in the NBA. They've qualified for the playoffs 33 times, including 21 years from 1998 to 2019.
The team has also found two conference crowns, in 1951 and 1952 as the Rochester Royals and in 2002 as the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings have a 2060-2138 win-loss record and a.491 winning percentage. The team's best season was 2001–02 when they finished 61–21 and reached the Western Conference Finals.
The team has had several Hall of Famers play for them, including Oscar Robertson, Bob Davies, and Nate Archibald.
28 Head Coaches For Sacramento Kings
Mike Brown is the current head coach of the Sacramento Kings.
Rick Adelman owns the franchise record for coaching the most regular season games, winning the most regular season games, and coaching the most postseason games.
NBA Coach of the Year awards was given to Phil Johnson and Cotton Fitzsimmons in the 1974–1975 and 1978–1979 seasons.
The other head coaches who led the team were Lester Harrison, Bobby Wanzer, Ed Jucker, Bob Cousy, Draff Young, Jerry Reynolds, Reggie Theus, and Kenny Natt.
4. Los Angeles Clippers
| Founded | 1970 |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Championship Won | 0 |
| Previous Name | Buffalo Braves |
The Los Angeles Clippers basketball team based in Los Angeles competes in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference.
The team was founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, and after moving to San Diego in 1978, it changed its name to the San Diego Clippers.
The team relocated to Los Angeles in 1984 and changed its name to Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers have seen some playoff success lately, but they haven't made it to the NBA Finals. However, the team has a talented team and has a reputation as one of the best in the league.
The Los Angeles Clippers only made the postseason four times in their first 27 seasons in Los Angeles, and they only won one playoff round.
Their status increased in the 2010s, which led to their development into regular postseason challengers.
From 2012 until 2017, the three players Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul assisted the team win two consecutive division titles in 2013 and 2014.
The Clippers haven't participated in the NBA finals and they are the league's oldest franchise.
The Clipper Nation
The Clippers Nation is the dedicated fanbase of the Los Angeles Clippers.
In recent years, as the team has improved its performance and success, the fan base has expanded. The fan base is renowned for its loyalty, supporting the team in both good and terrible times.
To connect with the fanbase and create a sense of community, they also plan events and get-togethers like watch parties for away games.
The fans are engaged on social media and fan forums, where they share news and updates, talk about the team's performance, and interact with other supporters.
High Profile Team Members
The Los Angeles Clippers have outstanding team members. The team has several hall-of-fame players like Oscar Robertson, Bob Davies, and Nate Archibald.
Some of the notable players of the Los Angeles Clippers are Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, and Reggie Jackson.
The team members helped the Clippers in reaching the top of the Western Conference and helping the team compete for championships.
They have made significant contributions on and off the field that have been essential to the team's overall success.
1. Kawhi Leonard
Leonard joined the Clippers in 2019 and has significantly improved his progress.
He is one of the top two-way players in the game and a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP.
In each of his first two seasons with the franchise, he played a key role in guiding the Clippers to the playoffs.
2. Paul George
Paul George joined the Clippers in 2019 and has since become a vital player in the team.
He is regarded as one of the league's top two-way players and a six-time NBA All-Star.
He has contributed to the Clippers' success in the Western Conference and has been a valued member of the team both on and off the court.
3. John Wall
John Walls signed into Los Angeles Clippers in 2022. John was named All-NBA Team in 2017.
He made his Clippers debut against the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring 15 points, pulling down four rebounds, and giving out three assists.
4. Norman Powell
Williams joined the Clippers in 2017. He has won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award three times and is regarded as one of the league's top bench players.
He got 23 of his game-high 28 points in the second half when the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Orlando Magic 120-95 in 2018.
25 Head Coaches For Los Angeles Clippers
The current head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers is Tyronn Lue.
Dolph Schayes was the first head coach who coached for 83 games throughout two seasons. Mike Dunleavy holds the record for the most regular-season games coached in the franchise.
Doc Rivers holds the team record for regular season wins, postseason games coached, and playoff wins.
Six coaches, Jack Ramsay, Larry Brown, Bill Fitch, Mike Dunleavy, Vinny Del Negro, Doc Rivers, and Tyronn Lue have led the Clippers to the postseason.
In 1996, Ramsay and Fitch were chosen as two of the top ten coaches in NBA history
