The Top Five Longest Championship Droughts in NBA History

For some NBA teams, winning championships have become a norm. Some fans have grown accustomed to seeing certain teams face off in the NBA Finals just because they've been winning the cup for a certain number of years.

However, some teams have yet to win a championship since joining the league. And for some, it has been decades since they last hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy. 

In this article, we're enumerating the top five longest championship drought in NBA history.

Sacramento Kings (72 Years)

The last time the Sacramento Kings won an NBA title, they weren't known as the Kings but rather as the Rochester Royals. 

In the 1951 NBA Finals, the Royals defeated the New York Knicks for the franchise's first and only title so far. That championship-winning team was coached by Les Harrison and had players like Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, Al Cervi, Red Holzman, and Arnie Risen- all went on to become Hall of Famers. 

Since then, the franchise hasn't even reached the NBA Finals. That's 72 years- the longest active title drought in history. And if De'Aaron Fox and company can't do the trick this year, the fans will endure another year of helpless waiting. 

Today in 1951: @rochester Royals win #NBA Championship, defeat NY Knicks 4 games to 3 @SacramentoKings @rachbarnhart pic.twitter.com/SCZ9z9VOpD

— John Kucko (@john_kucko) April 21, 2015

Atlanta Hawks (65 Years)

The Atlanta Hawks last won a championship in 1958 as the St. Louis Hawks after beating the Boston Celtics led by Bill Russell and Bob Cousy.

The Hawks were led by Slater Martin, Ed Macauley, Cliff Hogan, and Bob Pettit, who scored 50 points in the championship-clinching Game Six victory. 

Since then, the Hawks haven't been to the championship round. They came close on three occasions when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times since 1958 but always fell short of a trip to the finals. 

On this day in 1958... Bob Pettit dropped 50 points to lead the St. Louis Hawks to their first and only NBA Championship! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/xQ6hDafEc5

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 12, 2022

Phoenix Suns (55 Years)

Even though the Phoenix Suns surprised everyone when an NBA Finals stint in 2021, Devin Booker and company still lost against the Milwaukee Bucks, who ended a 49-year title drought of their own.

And believe it or not, the Suns have yet to win a championship even though they own the fifth-best winning percentage and the second-best winning percentage among teams without a championship. 

☀️ PHOENIX IS IN THE FINALS ☀️

The Suns advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993! pic.twitter.com/UdHh1yMUoX

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) July 1, 2021

Before 2021, the Suns reached the NBA Finals in 1976 and 1993. In the 1993 NBA Finals, the Suns faced the Micahel Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and lost in six games. 

Los Angeles Clippers (53 Years)

Unlike their crosshall rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers have yet to win an NBA championship since joining the league. The Clippers are among the six NBA franchises yet to play a game in the NBA Finals. 

They came close to an NBA Finals trip in 2021 when they reached the Western Conference Finals but ultimately lost to the Phoenix Suns. 

This season, the quartet of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden are aiming to give the Clippers its first-ever NBA championship. The Clippers currently own the fourth-best record in the West at 37-20. Ending a 53-year title drought will depend on how the crew will fare come the postseason. 

Good morning #ClipperNation

After a well deserved break, your Los Angeles Clippers play basketball today

Let’s start this second half of the season with a dub‼️❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/kOArfm1V0D

— Kash (@TheKashKingston) February 22, 2024

New York Knicks (51 Years)

Despite being one of the most-valued franchises in the NBA, the New York Knicks also own one of the longest title droughts in NBA history as it has been 51 years since the Knicks beat a Los Angeles Lakers side that had the dynamic duo of Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in the 1973 NBA Finals.

The last time the Knicks reached the finals, was in 1999 and they lost to the San Antonio Spurs of a young Tim Duncan. 

You know what, if Patrick Ewing did play in the 1999 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks could've won the NBA title thus giving him that elusive championship. pic.twitter.com/PcDvZQfrPh

— Carl Johnson (@AirRusher) December 12, 2017

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