There will be a first-time NBA champion: Which teams have never won a ring?
The Pacers defeated the Knicks, setting up a chance at getting that very first championship.
While normal conversations fly around the TV studios and ethernet cables of who is the best, the Celtics or the Lakers, not many times have we spoken about the records of those at the other end of the scale.
This is why the 2025 NBA Finals match-up has given us so much to talk about. While the Thunder have been in this position a lot more times than their opponents, for the Pacers this is a chance at glory for the second time in modern history.
OK, kind of. This needs a little more explanation...
Some of these teams listed below have, according to the record books, won an ‘NBA Championship’. However, as is the case with the Pacers, for example, these wins came before the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association merged in 1976, creating an official league that spread across the whole country.
PACERS. THUNDER. 🍿
— NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2025
The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV are officially set!
Game 1: Thursday, June 5th at 8:30pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/vkBIUyf8UO
Which teams have never won an NBA Championship?
The numbers listed in brackets represent the number of finals appearances.
Indiana Pacers (1)
Let’s start with the talk of the town. The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship, but they were a force to be reckoned with in the ABA, winning three championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973. Since joining the NBA in the 1976 merger, they’ve reached the Finals only once — in 2000, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.
WATCH THE 2025 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS: DATE, TIME, TV CHANNELS
Brooklyn Nets (2)
The Brooklyn Nets have never won an NBA championship, but they did win two ABA titles in 1974 and 1976 as the New York Nets, led by Julius Erving. Since joining the NBA after the 1976 merger, they’ve reached the NBA Finals twice — in 2002 and 2003 — but lost both times to the Lakers and Spurs.
Phoenix Suns (3)
The Phoenix Suns have never won an NBA championship either. They’ve reached the NBA Finals three times — in 1976, 1993, and 2021 — but came up short each time, losing to the Celtics, Bulls, and Bucks respectively.
Orlando Magic (2)
Founded in 1989, they’ve made two NBA Finals appearances — in 1995 with dynamic duo Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, and in 2009 with Dwight Howard — but lost both times, to the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers respectively.
Utah Jazz (2)
The Utah Jazz have never won an NBA championship in their history. Despite making back-to-back Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, led by legends Karl Malone and John Stockton, they fell short both times against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.
FINALS-BOUND. @Pacers 👏👏👏 https://t.co/1vCcWHWD2c pic.twitter.com/qh5uCBq6mF
— NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2025
And here’s a list of the teams never to reach a championship final at all in their history:
LA Clippers (0)
Memphis Grizzlies (0)
Minnesota Timberwolves (0)
New Orleans Pelicans (0)
Charlotte Hornets (0)
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