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Complete season-by-season NBA history from 1946 to present
78 championship seasons tracked · 79 total seasons
| Season | Champion | Finals MVP | MVP | Scoring Leader | DPOY | ROY | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024-25▸ | In Progress | TBD | TBD | — | TBD | TBD | Season in progress |
2023-24▸ | Boston Celtics | Jaylen Brown | Nikola Jokic | Luka Doncic 33.9 | Rudy Gobert | Chet Holmgren | Celtics win franchise-record 18th title; Jokic 3rd MVP |
2022-23▸ | Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokic | Joel Embiid | Joel Embiid 33.1 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Paolo Banchero | Nuggets win first championship in franchise history |
2021-22▸ | Golden State Warriors | Stephen Curry | Nikola Jokic | Joel Embiid 30.6 | Marcus Smart | Scottie Barnes | Warriors win 4th title in 8 years; Curry 1st Finals MVP |
2020-21▸ | Milwaukee Bucks | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Nikola Jokic | Stephen Curry 32 | Rudy Gobert | LaMelo Ball | Giannis 50-point closeout game; Bucks' first title since 1971 |
2019-20▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | LeBron James | Giannis Antetokounmpo | James Harden 34.3 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Ja Morant | NBA Bubble season at Disney World due to COVID-19 |
2018-19▸ | Toronto Raptors | Kawhi Leonard | Giannis Antetokounmpo | James Harden 36.1 | Rudy Gobert | Luka Doncic | First championship for a team outside the United States |
2017-18▸ | Golden State Warriors | Kevin Durant | James Harden | James Harden 30.4 | Rudy Gobert | Ben Simmons | Warriors sweep Cavaliers for back-to-back titles |
2016-17▸ | Golden State Warriors | Kevin Durant | Russell Westbrook | Russell Westbrook 31.6 | Draymond Green | Malcolm Brogdon | Westbrook averages triple-double; Durant joins Warriors dynasty |
2015-16▸ | Cleveland Cavaliers | LeBron James | Stephen Curry | Stephen Curry 30.1 | Kawhi Leonard | Karl-Anthony Towns | Cavs overcome 3-1 deficit; Warriors set 73-9 regular season record |
2014-15▸ | Golden State Warriors | Andre Iguodala | Stephen Curry | Russell Westbrook 28.2 | Kawhi Leonard | Andrew Wiggins | Start of the Warriors dynasty; Curry's first MVP |
2013-14▸ | San Antonio Spurs | Kawhi Leonard | Kevin Durant | Kevin Durant 32 | Joakim Noah | Michael Carter-Williams | Spurs' beautiful game dominates Heat; Duncan's 5th ring |
2012-13▸ | Miami Heat | LeBron James | LeBron James | Carmelo Anthony 28.7 | Marc Gasol | Damian Lillard | Heat win 27 straight games; LeBron repeats as MVP and Finals MVP |
2011-12▸ | Miami Heat | LeBron James | LeBron James | Kevin Durant 28 | Tyson Chandler | Kyrie Irving | Lockout-shortened 66-game season; LeBron's first championship |
2010-11▸ | Dallas Mavericks | Dirk Nowitzki | Derrick Rose | Kevin Durant 27.7 | Dwight Howard | Blake Griffin | Dirk leads Mavs past LeBron's superteam; Rose youngest MVP at 22 |
2009-10▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Kobe Bryant | LeBron James | Kevin Durant 30.1 | Dwight Howard | Tyreke Evans | Kobe wins 5th ring in rivalry rematch vs Celtics |
2008-09▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Kobe Bryant | LeBron James | Dwyane Wade 30.2 | Dwight Howard | Derrick Rose | Kobe wins 4th ring without Shaq; LeBron's first MVP |
2007-08▸ | Boston Celtics | Paul Pierce | Kobe Bryant | LeBron James 30 | Kevin Garnett | Kevin Durant | Big Three (Pierce, Garnett, Allen) deliver Celtics' 17th title |
2006-07▸ | San Antonio Spurs | Tony Parker | Dirk Nowitzki | Kobe Bryant 31.6 | Marcus Camby | Brandon Roy | Spurs sweep LeBron's first Finals; Parker's breakthrough |
2005-06▸ | Miami Heat | Dwyane Wade | Steve Nash | Kobe Bryant 35.4 | Ben Wallace | Chris Paul | Kobe scores 81 points on Jan 22; Wade leads Heat to first title |
2004-05▸ | San Antonio Spurs | Tim Duncan | Steve Nash | Allen Iverson 30.7 | Ben Wallace | Emeka Okafor | Duncan wins 3rd Finals MVP; Nash wins first of back-to-back MVPs |
2003-04▸ | Detroit Pistons | Chauncey Billups | Kevin Garnett | Tracy McGrady 28 | Ron Artest | LeBron James | Pistons upset star-studded Lakers; LeBron named Rookie of the Year |
2002-03▸ | San Antonio Spurs | Tim Duncan | Tim Duncan | Tracy McGrady 32.1 | Ben Wallace | Amar'e Stoudemire | Duncan wins MVP and Finals MVP; historic 2003 draft class |
2001-02▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Shaquille O'Neal | Tim Duncan | Allen Iverson 31.4 | Ben Wallace | Pau Gasol | Lakers complete three-peat; Shaq 3rd consecutive Finals MVP |
2000-01▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Shaquille O'Neal | Allen Iverson | Allen Iverson 31.1 | Dikembe Mutombo | Mike Miller | Iverson's iconic step-over of Lue; Lakers go 15-1 in playoffs |
1999-00▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Shaquille O'Neal | Shaquille O'Neal | Shaquille O'Neal 29.7 | Alonzo Mourning | Elton Brand | Shaq and Kobe begin dynasty; Shaq wins MVP and Finals MVP |
1998-99▸ | San Antonio Spurs | Tim Duncan | Karl Malone | Allen Iverson 26.8 | Alonzo Mourning | Vince Carter | Lockout-shortened 50-game season; Duncan wins first of 5 titles |
1997-98▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan 28.7 | Dikembe Mutombo | Tim Duncan | Jordan's 'Last Dance' — 6th title with iconic final shot |
1996-97▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Karl Malone | Michael Jordan 29.6 | Dikembe Mutombo | Allen Iverson | Jordan's flu game in Game 5; Bulls win 5th title |
1995-96▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan 30.4 | Gary Payton | Damon Stoudamire | Bulls set 72-10 regular season record; Jordan's greatest team |
1994-95▸ | Houston Rockets | Hakeem Olajuwon | David Robinson | Shaquille O'Neal 29.3 | Dikembe Mutombo | Grant Hill | Hakeem leads Rockets to repeat as 6th seed; Jordan returns mid-season |
1993-94▸ | Houston Rockets | Hakeem Olajuwon | Hakeem Olajuwon | David Robinson 29.8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Chris Webber | First championship without Jordan since 1991; Hakeem wins MVP, DPOY, Finals MVP |
1992-93▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Charles Barkley | Michael Jordan 32.6 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Shaquille O'Neal | Bulls complete first three-peat; Jordan's famous shrug game |
1991-92▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan 30.1 | David Robinson | Larry Johnson | Jordan's 6 three-pointers in first half of Game 1; Dream Team forms |
1990-91▸ | Chicago Bulls | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan 31.5 | Dennis Rodman | Derrick Coleman | Jordan wins first championship; end of Showtime Lakers era |
1989-90▸ | Detroit Pistons | Isiah Thomas | Magic Johnson | Michael Jordan 33.6 | Dennis Rodman | David Robinson | Bad Boys repeat; Thomas wins Finals MVP with injured ankle |
1988-89▸ | Detroit Pistons | Joe Dumars | Magic Johnson | Michael Jordan 32.5 | Mark Eaton | Mitch Richmond | Bad Boy Pistons sweep Lakers; 'The Jordan Rules' era begins |
1987-88▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | James Worthy | Michael Jordan | Michael Jordan 35 | Michael Jordan | Mark Jackson | Lakers repeat; Jordan wins MVP, DPOY, and scoring title |
1986-87▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Magic Johnson | Magic Johnson | Michael Jordan 37.1 | Michael Cooper | Chuck Person | Magic's baby sky hook wins Game 4; Jordan scores 37.1 PPG |
1985-86▸ | Boston Celtics | Larry Bird | Larry Bird | Dominique Wilkins 30.3 | Alvin Robertson | Patrick Ewing | Jordan scores 63 in playoff game vs Celtics; Bird's 3rd straight MVP |
1984-85▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Larry Bird | Bernard King 32.9 | Mark Eaton | Michael Jordan | Lakers beat Celtics; first NBA Draft Lottery held |
1983-84▸ | Boston Celtics | Larry Bird | Larry Bird | Adrian Dantley 30.6 | Sidney Moncrief | Ralph Sampson | Bird vs Magic Finals; Celtics win in 7 games |
1982-83▸ | Philadelphia 76ers | Moses Malone | Moses Malone | Alex English 28.4 | Sidney Moncrief | Terry Cummings | 'Fo, Fo, Fo' — Malone predicts sweep; 76ers go 12-1 in playoffs |
1981-82▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Magic Johnson | Moses Malone | George Gervin 32.3 | — | Buck Williams | Magic wins second Finals MVP; Showtime Lakers in full swing |
1980-81▸ | Boston Celtics | Cedric Maxwell | Julius Erving | Adrian Dantley 30.7 | — | Darrell Griffith | Bird leads Celtics to title in his 2nd season |
1979-80▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Magic Johnson | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | George Gervin 33.1 | — | Larry Bird | Rookie Magic plays center in Game 6, scores 42 points |
1978-79▸ | Seattle SuperSonics | Dennis Johnson | Moses Malone | George Gervin 29.6 | — | Phil Ford | SuperSonics win only championship in franchise history |
1977-78▸ | Washington Bullets | Wes Unseld | Bill Walton | George Gervin 27.2 | — | Walter Davis | Unseld wins Finals MVP; only championship for Washington franchise |
1976-77▸ | Portland Trail Blazers | Bill Walton | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Pete Maravich 31.1 | — | Adrian Dantley | Walton leads Blazers from 0-2 down to win in 6; Blazermania born |
1975-76▸ | Boston Celtics | Jo Jo White | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Bob McAdoo 31.1 | — | Alvan Adams | Triple-OT Game 5 considered greatest Finals game ever; ABA-NBA merger |
1974-75▸ | Golden State Warriors | Rick Barry | Bob McAdoo | Bob McAdoo 34.5 | — | Keith Wilkes | Warriors sweep Bullets as heavy underdogs |
1973-74▸ | Boston Celtics | John Havlicek | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Bob McAdoo 30.6 | — | Ernie DiGregorio | Havlicek wins Finals MVP at age 34; Celtics' 12th title |
1972-73▸ | New York Knicks | Willis Reed | Dave Cowens | Nate Archibald 34 | — | Bob McAdoo | Knicks win 2nd title; Archibald leads league in scoring AND assists |
1971-72▸ | Los Angeles Lakers | Wilt Chamberlain | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34.8 | — | Sidney Wicks | Lakers win 33 straight games — still an NBA record |
1970-71▸ | Milwaukee Bucks | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 31.7 | — | Geoff Petrie | Bucks win title in just their 3rd season; Kareem dominates |
1969-70▸ | New York Knicks | Willis Reed | Willis Reed | Jerry West 31.2 | — | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Willis Reed's iconic Game 7 entrance; first Finals MVP awarded |
1968-69▸ | Boston Celtics | Jerry West | Wes Unseld | Elvin Hayes 28.4 | — | Wes Unseld | Russell's last season; Jerry West only Finals MVP from losing team |
1967-68▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Wilt Chamberlain | Dave Bing 27.1 | — | Earl Monroe | Russell becomes first Black head coach to win a championship |
1966-67▸ | Philadelphia 76ers | — | Wilt Chamberlain | Rick Barry 35.6 | — | Dave Bing | 76ers go 68-13, ending Celtics' 8-year title streak |
1965-66▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Wilt Chamberlain | Wilt Chamberlain 33.5 | — | Rick Barry | Red Auerbach's last season as coach; Russell named player-coach |
1964-65▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bill Russell | Wilt Chamberlain 34.7 | — | Willis Reed | Celtics win 7th straight title; Havlicek steals the ball |
1963-64▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Oscar Robertson | Wilt Chamberlain 36.9 | — | Jerry Lucas | Celtics win 6th straight; Oscar averages triple-double for 3rd year |
1962-63▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bill Russell | Wilt Chamberlain 44.8 | — | Terry Dischinger | Celtics' dynasty at peak — 5th straight championship |
1961-62▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bill Russell | Wilt Chamberlain 50.4 | — | Walt Bellamy | Wilt averages 50.4 PPG and scores 100 in a single game |
1960-61▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bill Russell | Wilt Chamberlain 38.4 | — | Oscar Robertson | Oscar Robertson averages a triple-double in his rookie season |
1959-60▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Wilt Chamberlain | Wilt Chamberlain 37.6 | — | Wilt Chamberlain | Rookie Wilt Chamberlain wins MVP and scoring title |
1958-59▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bob Pettit | Bob Pettit 29.2 | — | Elgin Baylor | Celtics sweep Lakers; start of Boston dynasty |
1957-58▸ | St. Louis Hawks | — | Bill Russell | George Yardley 27.8 | — | Woody Sauldsberry | Pettit scores 50 in Game 6 to win title for Hawks |
1956-57▸ | Boston Celtics | — | Bob Cousy | Paul Arizin 25.6 | — | Tom Heinsohn | Celtics win first championship; Russell's rookie year |
1955-56▸ | Philadelphia Warriors | — | Bob Pettit | Bob Pettit 25.7 | — | Maurice Stokes | Bill Russell drafted by Celtics — franchise-altering pick |
1954-55▸ | Syracuse Nationals | — | Bob Cousy | Neil Johnston 22.7 | — | Bob Pettit | Shot clock introduced this season — game transformed forever |
1953-54▸ | Minneapolis Lakers | — | Bob Cousy | Neil Johnston 24.4 | — | Ray Felix | Lakers win 3rd title in 4 years; Mikan dynasty peaks |
1952-53▸ | Minneapolis Lakers | — | Bob Cousy | Neil Johnston 22.3 | — | Don Meineke | Lakers win back-to-back; first ROY award given |
1951-52▸ | Minneapolis Lakers | — | Bob Cousy | Paul Arizin 25.4 | — | — | Mikan leads Lakers to dominant run; Cousy dazzles in Boston |
1950-51▸ | Rochester Royals | — | Ed Macauley | George Mikan 28.4 | — | — | Royals (now Kings) win only championship in franchise history |
1949-50▸ | Minneapolis Lakers | — | George Mikan | George Mikan 27.4 | — | — | NBA's first season after BAA-NBL merger; Mikan dominates |
1948-49▸ | Minneapolis Lakers | — | George Mikan | George Mikan 28.3 | — | — | Lakers win BAA title; league expands to 12 teams |
1947-48▸ | Baltimore Bullets | — | — | Max Zaslofsky 21 | — | — | Baltimore wins BAA championship in just the 2nd season |
1946-47▸ | Philadelphia Warriors | — | — | Joe Fulks 23.2 | — | — | First BAA season — birth of what becomes the NBA |
View NBA scores from any date in history (1996-present)
CourtVision's NBA League History timeline covers every season from the founding of the Basketball Association of America in 1946-47 through the current 2025-26 season. For each year, you can see the champion, Finals MVP, regular season MVP, scoring leader, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. The data spans the George Mikan era, the Bill Russell Celtics dynasty, the Wilt Chamberlain scoring revolution, the Magic-Bird rivalry, Michael Jordan's dominance, the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, and the modern analytics era.
Use the era selector at the top to filter seasons by decade. Each tab shows only the relevant seasons, making it easy to compare dynasties within a specific era. Click on any season row to expand details on mobile, including runner-up, scoring stats, and notable events. Champion names link directly to their team pages for deeper franchise history.
The NBA has evolved dramatically across nearly eight decades. Scoring leaders have ranged from Joe Fulks' 23.2 PPG in 1947 to Wilt Chamberlain's otherworldly 50.4 PPG in 1962. The introduction of the shot clock in 1954, the three-point line in 1979, and the analytics revolution of the 2010s each transformed how the game is played. Use the quick stats sidebar to see which franchises and players have accumulated the most championships, MVPs, and scoring titles across all eras.
The Boston Celtics lead with 18 championships, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers with 17. The Golden State Warriors are third with 7 titles. The complete franchise rankings are available in the "Most Championships" sidebar.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with 6 MVP awards, followed by Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with 5 each. LeBron James has won 4 MVPs. See the full rankings in the sidebar.
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was founded in 1946 and played its first season in 1946-47. It merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to form the NBA. Our timeline covers all seasons from the BAA's founding.