Ayrton Oneill
Los Angeles is a city with a rich basketball history. Home to two NBA teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, the city has hosted generations of legendary athletes and historic games. The Lakers, one of the most successful teams in the NBA, have won 17 championships, while the Clippers, who moved to LA in 1981, have a rich history of their own. The city's basketball culture is also reflected in its high school system, which has produced dozens of basketball greats, and its outdoor courts, such as those at Venice Beach, featured in the film White Men Can't Jump. UCLA's basketball team has also won 11 NCAA basketball titles, and the city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games twice, with the 2028 games set to be the third.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of NBA teams | 2 |
| Names of NBA teams | Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers |
| Former names of the NBA teams | Detroit Gems, Minneapolis Lakers, Buffalo Braves |
| Home venue of the Los Angeles Lakers | Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) |
| Number of NBA Championship titles won by the Los Angeles Lakers | 17 (12 in LA) |
| Number of NBA MVP awards won by players of the Los Angeles Lakers | 8 |
| Number of NCAA basketball titles won by UCLA | 11 |
| Number of NCAA Championship crowns won by the USC Trojans women's team | 2 |
| Annual event hosted by the Los Angeles Athletic Club | John R. Wooden Award |
| Prestigious outdoor basketball tournament hosted by Nike | Nike Basketball 3ON3 |
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What You'll Learn
The Los Angeles Lakers
The franchise was founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems, playing in the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 1946–47 season. After just one season, the team was sold and relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they were renamed the Minneapolis Lakers, inspired by the state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes". In 1948, the Lakers won the NBL championship, and they joined the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) the following year, winning the 1949 BAA championship.
In 1949, the NBL and BAA merged to form the NBA, and the Lakers went on to win four out of the next five NBA championships. Despite their success on the court, the Lakers struggled financially in the late 1950s and relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season, changing their name to the Los Angeles Lakers. In the 1960s, the Lakers made the NBA Finals six times but lost each series to the Boston Celtics, sparking a long-standing rivalry between the two teams.
The Lakers have had a rich history of superstar players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O'Neal. The team holds the record for the NBA's longest winning streak of 33 straight games in the 1971–72 season. The Lakers have a celebrity-filled fanbase due to their proximity to Hollywood, with well-known fans such as Jack Nicholson and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as the Staples Center, which they shared with the Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) and the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) until 2024. The team's colours are purple, gold, and white, and their logo features the team name, "Los Angeles Lakers", written in purple on top of a gold basketball.
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The Los Angeles Clippers
The franchise was founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970 as an expansion team alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers. Led by Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo, the Braves reached the NBA playoffs three times during their first six seasons. In 1978, the Braves were part of a franchise swap when the owner of the Boston Celtics, Irv Levin, wanted to move the Celtics to California.
The team moved to Los Angeles and became the Clippers in 1978. Their early days in Los Angeles were marked by many seasons of poor performances. The team suffered systematic injuries to many of its star players, a phenomenon dubbed the "Clipper Triangle" by sportswriters. The Clippers' fortunes began to turn around in the early 1990s, making the playoffs in 1992 and 1993. In 1998, the Clippers drafted center Michael Olowokandi, who is considered one of the biggest draft busts in league history.
The Clippers made significant improvements before the 2011–12 season, trading for superstar point guard Chris Paul. That season, Paul and young All-Star power forward Blake Griffin helped the team advance to the conference semifinals. In the 2014–15 season, the Clippers won a dramatic seven-game first-round postseason series over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. However, they lost in the next round to the Houston Rockets. The Clippers continued to find success in the following seasons, making the playoffs consistently but failing to advance past the early rounds.
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UCLA's basketball success
Los Angeles is home to some of the most famous sports venues in the world. The city has hosted two Olympiads and is scheduled to host for a third time in 2028. It has also hosted eight Super Bowls, the World Series, NBA and WNBA championships, the Stanley Cup, the FIFA World Cup, the MLS Cup, and NCAA championships.
Los Angeles has two National Basketball Association (NBA) teams: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams shared the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) from 1999 to 2024. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships, the second-most in the league behind the Boston Celtics. The Lakers hold the record for the NBA's longest winning streak, with 33 straight wins in 1971-1972. The team has had 26 Hall of Famers, while four have coached the team. The Lakers' success is partly due to their superstar players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant.
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball team has also had significant success. Under coach John Wooden, UCLA won 10 national championships between 1964 and 1975, and another in 1995 under coach Jim Harrick. UCLA has produced the most NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners, with six awards going to Abdul-Jabbar, one to Bill Walton, and one to Russell Westbrook. UCLA was the first school to have a top winner in both basketball and football in the same year, with Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) winning the US Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year award in 1968.
In recent years, UCLA men's basketball has continued to find success. In 2013, under coach Ben Howland, the Bruins finished undefeated at home for the first time in 22 years, winning the Pac-10 conference title. In 2023, UCLA's success was attributed in part to junior forward Tyler Bilodeau, and the team was seen as a prominent threat.
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The city's basketball venues
Los Angeles is a city steeped in basketball history, with a rich culture of outdoor basketball and streetball. The city is home to some of the most famous basketball venues in the world, including the Crypto.com Arena, the Intuit Dome, and the SoFi Stadium.
Crypto.com Arena
Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as the Staples Center, is a multi-purpose arena located in Downtown Los Angeles. It is home to the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, and the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. The arena has hosted numerous legendary athletes and historic games, and is also a popular venue for concerts and other entertainment events.
Intuit Dome
The Intuit Dome is a new arena in Inglewood, California, that opened in August 2024. It is the permanent home venue of the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA, who previously shared the Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers. The Intuit Dome is set to host basketball at the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be the third time Los Angeles has hosted the games.
SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Inglewood, California, and is home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL. While it is primarily a football stadium, SoFi Stadium has also hosted basketball events, including the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
Other Notable Basketball Venues in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is also home to several other notable basketball venues, including the Galen Center, home of the USC Trojans women's and men's basketball teams, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which has hosted the Olympic Games multiple times. The city also boasts iconic outdoor basketball courts, such as Venice Beach, Watts Towers, Pan Pacific Park, and the Westchester Recreation Center.
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The sport's celebrity fans
Los Angeles is home to two National Basketball Association (NBA) teams: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams previously shared the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center), with the Lakers still playing their home games there. The Clippers have since moved to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships, the second-most in the league. The team's proximity to Hollywood means that their fanbase includes numerous celebrities, many of whom are often spotted at Crypto.com Arena during home games.
One of the most well-known celebrity Lakers fans is Jack Nicholson, who has held season tickets since the 1970s. Nicholson's dedication to the team is evident, as he has supported them through their ups and downs, even before they moved to the Staples Center. He is often seen courtside, yelling at refs and chatting with the players.
Other celebrity Lakers fans include actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Andy Garcia, and Jack Black, as well as musicians Anthony Kiedis and Michael "Flea" Balzary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band even wrote a song titled "Magic Johnson", a tribute to the former point guard. Michael B. Jordan, another actor, is also a big fan of the NBA and makes time to watch Lakers games whenever he is in Los Angeles.
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Frequently asked questions
Los Angeles has two basketball teams: the Lakers and the Clippers.
The Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) hosted both the Lakers and the Clippers from 1999 to 2024. The Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, is the new permanent home venue of the Clippers. The Lakers continue to play their home games at the Crypto.com Arena.
The UCLA Bruins have won 11 NCAA basketball titles, and the USC Trojans men's basketball team also has a storied history, with alumni including NBA Hall of Famer Bill Sharman.
The Lakers franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). After one season, the team was relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and renamed the Minneapolis Lakers. The team moved to Los Angeles before the 1960-61 season.
The Clippers began as the Buffalo Braves in 1970 and joined the NBA as an expansion franchise. The team was sold to Los Angeles real estate mogul Donald Sterling in 1981, and the team moved to Los Angeles soon after.
