Most NBA Championships by Team and Player

Whether you're a fan of the current trend of "NBA superteams" or not, it's hard to deny that top-heavy competition and a lack of parity isn't a long-established tradition in the NBA Finals history.

Four straight years of Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors finals matchups from 2015 to 2018 seems crazy. But when the NBA became the NBA in 1950, the Minneapolis Lakers played in four of the first five NBA Finals, while the New York Knicks played in three of the first four. And then, of course, the Boston Celtics won eight straight.

We don't even have to go back that far, either. Jordan's Bulls played the Utah Jazz in back-to-back Finals at the end of the 90's. The Lakers and Celtics each went to four straight (including back-to-back years playing each other) in the 80's. The top teams and the top players dominate in basketball.

Here's a look at how many NBA Championships each franchise has won in NBA history, as well as a look at which players have the most championship rings.

Most NBA Championships by Team

1. Los Angeles Lakers - 17

Championship wins: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 (as the Minneapolis Lakers), 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020

Championship losses: 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2004, 2008

2. Boston Celtics - 17

Championship wins: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008

Championship losses: 1958, 1985, 1987, 2010

3. Golden State Warriors - 6

Championship wins: 1947, 1956 (as the Philadelphia Warriors), 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018

Championship losses: 1948 (as the Philadelphia Warriors), 1964, 1967 (as the San Francisco Warriors), 2016, 2019

4. Chicago Bulls - 6

Championship wins: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998

Championship losses: N/A

5. San Antonio Spurs - 5

Championship wins: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014

Championship losses: 2013

6. Philadelphia 76ers - 3

Championship wins: 1955 (as the Syracuse Nationals), 1967, 1983

Championship losses: 1950, 1954 (as the Syracuse Nationals), 1977, 1980, 1982, 2001

7. Detroit Pistons - 3

Championship wins: 1989, 1990, 2004

Championship losses: 1955, 1956 (as the Fort Wayne Pistons), 1998, 2005

8. Miami Heat - 3

Championship wins: 2006, 2012, 2013

Championship losses: 2011, 2014, 2020

9. New York Knicks - 2

Championship wins: 1970, 1973

Championship losses: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1994, 1999

10. Houston Rockets - 2

Championship wins: 1994, 1995

Championship losses: 1981, 1986

11. Milwaukee Bucks - 2

Championship wins: 1971, 2021

Championship losses: 1974

12. Cleveland Cavaliers - 1

Championship wins: 2016

Championship losses: 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018

13. Atlanta Hawks - 1

Championship wins: 1958 (as the St. Louis Hawks)

Championship losses: 1957, 1960, 1961

14. Washington Wizards - 1

Championship wins: 1978 (as the Washington Bullets)

Championship losses: 1971, 1975, 1979

15. Oklahoma City Thunder - 1

Championship wins: 1979 (as the Seattle Supersonics)

Championship losses: 1978, 1996, 2012

16. Portland Trail Blazers - 1

Championship wins: 1977

Championship losses: 1990, 1992

17. Dallas Mavericks - 1

Championship wins: 2011

Championship losses: 2006

18. Sacramento Kings - 1

Championship wins: 1951 (as the Rochester Royals)

Championship losses: N/A

19. Toronto Raptors - 1

Championship wins: 2019

Championship losses: N/A

NBA Teams Without a Championship

• Indiana Pacers (1 appearance)
• Charlotte Hornets (0 appearances)
• Denver Nuggets (0 appearances)
• Los Angeles Clippers (0 appearances)
• Memphis Grizzlies (0 appearances)
• Minnesota Timberwolves (0 appearances)
• New Orleans Pelicans (0 appearances)

Most NBA Championships by Player

1. Bill Russell - 11: Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

2. Sam Jones - 10: Boston Celtics (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

T3. Tom Heinsohn - 8: Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)

T3. K.C. Jones - 8: Boston Celtics (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)

T3. Satch Sanders - 8: Boston Celtics (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

T3. John Havlicek - 8: Boston Celtics (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)

T7. Jim Loscutoff - 7: Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)

T7. Frank Ramsey - 7: Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)

T7. Robert Horry - 7: Houston Rockets (1994, 1995), Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002), San Antonio Spurs (2005, 2007)

T10. Bob Cousy - 6: Boston Celtics (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)

T10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 6: Milwaukee Bucks (1971), Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

T10. Michael Jordan - 6: Chicago Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

T10. Scottie Pippin - 6: Chicago Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

T14. George Mikan - 5: Minneapolis Lakers (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)

T14. Jim Pollard - 5: Minneapolis Lakers (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)

T14. Slater Martin - 5: Minneapolis Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954), St. Louis Hawks (1958)

T14. Larry Siegfried - 5: Boston Celtics (1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

T14. Don Nelson - 5: Boston Celtics (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)

T14. Michael Cooper - 5: Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

T14. Magic Johnson - 5: Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

T14. Dennis Rodman - 5: Detroit Pistons (1989, 1990), Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998)

T14. Ron Harper - 5: Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001)

T14. Steve Kerr - 5: Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003)

T14. Kobe Bryant - 5: Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

T14. Derek Fisher - 5: Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

T14. Tim Duncan - 5: San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)