Basketball

List of NBA Teams That Have Never Won a Championship

All current NBA franchises that have never won an NBA Championship as of 2026.

10 itemsUpdated Mar 20, 2026

Despite decades of competition, several NBA franchises are still searching for their first championship banner. Some have come agonizingly close while others have never even reached the Finals. For fans of these teams, each new season carries the hope of finally breaking the drought.

#	Name	Founded	Closest year	Finals appearances
1	Utah Jazz Salt Lake City, Utah The Jazz came closest in 1997 and 1998, both Finals appearances ending in losses to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in heartbreaking fashion.	1,974	1,998	2
2	Phoenix Suns Phoenix, Arizona The Suns reached the Finals three times in 1976, 1993 and 2021 without ever winning the title, the most Finals appearances without a championship.	1,968	2,021	3
3	Indiana Pacers Indianapolis, Indiana The Pacers reached the 2000 Finals against the Shaq-Kobe Lakers but lost in six games and have not returned to the Finals since.	1,967	2,000	1
4	Orlando Magic Orlando, Florida The Magic reached the Finals in 1995 and 2009, losing to Houston and the Lakers respectively. Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard both came close to bringing a title.	1,989	2,009	2
5	Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City, Oklahoma The Thunder reached the 2012 Finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook but lost to LeBron's Miami Heat in five games.	1,967	2,012	1
6	New Orleans Pelicans New Orleans, Louisiana The Pelicans have never reached the NBA Finals despite fielding exciting teams around Anthony Davis and later Zion Williamson.	2,002	—	0
7	Memphis Grizzlies Memphis, Tennessee The Grizzlies have never reached the NBA Finals despite several deep playoff runs during their beloved Grit-and-Grind era.	1,995	—	0
8	Minnesota Timberwolves Minneapolis, Minnesota The Timberwolves have never made the NBA Finals, making the conference finals twice in 2004 and 2024 as their best postseason runs.	1,989	—	0
9	Charlotte Hornets Charlotte, North Carolina The Hornets have never made it past the second round of the playoffs, making them one of the least successful franchises in league history.	1,988	—	0
10	Sacramento Kings Sacramento, California The Kings famously lost to the Lakers in a controversial 2002 conference finals and have not made the postseason consistently since.	1,948	—	0

This list is compiled from verified public records and reference sources. Last verified: March 20, 2026.

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