There are 3 NBA teams currently in the state of Texas: the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Mavericks and the Spurs were both founded in the state of Texas and have remained there since, while the Houston Rockets relocated from San Diego, California 3 years after the franchise was founded, and have also remained in Texas ever since. Texas is one of 4 states with more than one NBA team, and one of 2 states with at least 3 NBA teams.
Are the Texas NBA teams successful?
The three Texas NBA franchises have all seen success in their respective histories. Each franchise has won at least one championship: the Spurs have 5 championships, the Rockets have 2, and the Mavericks have one. The three franchises have for long periods of time been considered perennial contenders in the Western Conference, and each have boasted many stars.
The San Antonio Spurs sustained a long period of dominance with coach Gregg Popovich at the helm, the longest active coach in the NBA. The 2000s and early 2010s were dominated by the Spurs, headed by the trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. Other notable stars to have played for the Spurs include George Gervin, David Robinson, and Kawhi Leonard.
The Houston Rockets are most notable for having won 2 back-to-back NBA championships, taking advantage of Michael Jordan’s first retirement. The Rockets haven’t been able to replicate that level of success since although they have come close, but historically injuries have hampered them. Notable stars to play for the Houston Rockets include Hakeem Olajuwon, Tracy McGrady, and James Harden.
The Dallas Mavericks have been the least successful of the 3 Texas franchises, however, the mid-2000s to mid-2010s had them as major contenders. The biggest star in franchise history, Dirk Nowitzki, led the franchise to its lone championship in 2011. Currently, the Mavericks are the best-performing NBA team in Texas, with an active owner and front office as well as another superstar in Luka Doncic.
Does every US state have an NBA team?
No, not every US state has an NBA team. As of now, only 21 states (plus Washington D.C, home of the Washington Wizards) have at least one NBA team. Of those 21 states, 4 states have more than one NBA team: California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
That leaves 29 US states without an NBA team currently. Throughout the NBA’s history, some teams did have an NBA team: the most recent example being the New Jersey Nets, which were moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2012. Before that, the Seattle Supersonics (from Washington) were moved to the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving Washington without an NBA franchise and bringing one to the state of Oklahoma. Beyond these two recent examples, many NBA franchises have moved states, while some states had franchises that then folded; this was especially true of the early years of the NBA (from around the 1950s until the 1970s).
Which US state has the most NBA teams?
The US state with the most NBA teams is California. California has four teams that play in 3 cities: the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers and the Clippers share the same city (they even share the same stadium) and the Warriors play in San Francisco (“Golden State” refers to California’s state nickname).
The NBA franchises in California vary in terms of success. The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the most storied franchise in the NBA, tied for the most championships (17) in NBA history. They have boasted some of the biggest stars of the NBA, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant, and are incredibly popular around the world. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors also have a storied past, but their best is happening right now. A global superstar in Steph Curry has boosted the popularity of basketball worldwide, and the team has won 4 championships in the last decade.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings have not been as successful; neither team has won a championship in California (the Kings won 2 championships as the Rochester Royals in New York in the 1940s and 1950s). The Clippers have long lived in the shadow of the Lakers, although the past decade has seen some good teams with high aspirations. The Kings have been woeful, especially in their recent history: 16 consecutive losing seasons (an NBA record), and the unfortunate record of being the team with the longest postseason drought across the 4 major professional leagues.
Are there any non-US NBA teams?
Currently, there is only one NBA team that is based outside of the United States: the Toronto Raptors, who are based in Canada. The Raptors are one of the newer NBA franchises, founded in 1995. Despite their relative newness to the league and years of struggling, the Raptors have already won one championship in 2019, beating out other teams with longer NBA histories. The proximity of the city of Toronto to the US-Canada border as well as other NBA franchises has allowed for the team to play in the league quite seamlessly. Canada had another NBA team founded in 1995, the Vancouver Grizzlies; however, they relocated to the US state of Tennessee and changed their names to the Memphis Grizzlies, where they still play today.
Texas is one of the biggest states in the US and is also blessed to have 3 storied NBA franchises to root for. In any given season, at least one of the franchises are towards the top of the NBA. The 2000s and 2010s were an incredible time when all 3 franchises were serious contenders most seasons.