The New York Knicks are the latest NBA champions. New York beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals, ending a 53-year title drought and giving the franchise its third championship.
NBA champions by year
The table below lists every BAA and NBA champion from 1947 through 2026. The BAA seasons from 1947 to 1949 are included in the NBA’s recognized historical record.
| Year | Champion |
| 2026 | New York Knicks |
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics |
| 2023 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2022 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2017 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2014 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2013 | Miami Heat |
| 2012 | Miami Heat |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2010 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics |
| 2007 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2006 | Miami Heat |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2004 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1998 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets |
| 1993 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1991 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1984 | Boston Celtics |
| 1983 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1981 | Boston Celtics |
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1978 | Washington Bullets |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1976 | Boston Celtics |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1974 | Boston Celtics |
| 1973 | New York Knicks |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1970 | New York Knicks |
| 1969 | Boston Celtics |
| 1968 | Boston Celtics |
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966 | Boston Celtics |
| 1965 | Boston Celtics |
| 1964 | Boston Celtics |
| 1963 | Boston Celtics |
| 1962 | Boston Celtics |
| 1961 | Boston Celtics |
| 1960 | Boston Celtics |
| 1959 | Boston Celtics |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1957 | Boston Celtics |
| 1956 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1955 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1947 | Philadelphia Warriors |
Which teams have won the most championships
Boston leads the official franchise count with 18 championships, followed by the Lakers franchise with 17. Golden State has seven, Chicago has six and San Antonio has five. The Knicks’ 2026 championship moved New York to three titles, level with Philadelphia, Detroit and Miami.
Historical franchise totals combine titles won before relocation. That means the Lakers’ five Minneapolis championships count toward the modern Lakers franchise, the Warriors’ Philadelphia titles count toward Golden State, the Hawks retain the 1958 St. Louis title, the Kings franchise retains Rochester’s 1951 championship and the 76ers retain the Syracuse Nationals’ 1955 title. The 1948 Baltimore Bullets are treated separately because that franchise folded in 1954 and is not the current Washington franchise.
The league’s longest title streaks
The Celtics won eight consecutive championships from 1959 through 1966, the longest run in league history. Chicago won six championships in eight seasons during the 1990s, including two three-peats. The Lakers won three straight from 2000 through 2002, while Golden State won three championships in four seasons from 2015 through 2018.
The modern league has been less concentrated. Seven different teams won the seven championships from 2020 through 2026: the Lakers, Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics, Thunder and Knicks. No team has repeated since Golden State in 2017 and 2018.