2023-05-13 15:12:00
NBA
Lakers, Warriors… Where does the name of the 15 Western NBA franchises come from?
Published on May 13, 2023 at 5:12 p.m.
The NBA is full of stories and the first ones were born at the same time as the franchises themselves. Often the result of local votes, the different teams in the league each have a name with a singular meaning. Do you know them ? Overview of the origin of franchises in the West.
1. Los Angeles Clippers
Named “Buffalo Braves” at the start, the franchise decided to settle in San Diego in 1978. It was then renamed and became the “San Diego Clippers” to recall a type of boat popular in the 19th century. The wealthy Donald Sterling bought the franchise in 1981, then repatriated the Clippers to Los Angeles three years later.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
It is difficult for us to dissociate the Lakers from the city of Los Angeles, and yet the franchise finds its origins on the side of Michigan in 1946, where it was named “Detroit Gems”. She moved the following season to Minneapolis. The leaders then wanted to give a local-sounding name. They decided to call themselves the “Lakers”, which means “the inhabitants of the lake” in English. This name refers to the state of Minnesota, which was nicknamed “The Land of 10,000 Lakes”. When he relocated to Los Angeles in 1960, the leaders kept the name “Lakers” to honor his glorious past in Minneapolis with 5 titles won.
3. Phoenix Suns
The name “Suns” was chosen following a public competition accompanying the creation of the franchise in 1968. Jerry Colangelo, the team’s first General Manager, preferred it to certain other names like “Scorpions”, “Rattlers or even “Thunderbirds”. The hugely popular competition received nearly 28,000 submissions. “Dudes”, “White Wing Doves”, “Sun Lovers” or even “Poobahs” were among the most extravagant proposals.
4. The Denver Nuggets
A major mining region, Colorado is home to the “Denver Rockets” franchise, which played in the ABA until 1974. It was then that Denver joined the NBA and decided to change its nickname to celebrate. A competition is organized and voters turn to the Nuggets, or nuggets (of gold), much sought following by the emblematic miners of the Gold Rush of the 1850s-60s.
5. Dallas Mavericks
On the side of the Texas franchise, the choice of name is not historic. Indeed, the owner at the time Donald Carter, will choose the name of Mavericks following having organized a public competition. This name will be retained among the following names: “Wranglers” and “Expess”. The name Mavericks refers to the series of the same name broadcast during the 50s and 60s. It told the adventures of poker players who criss-crossed the Wild West.
6. Le Thunder d’Oklahoma City
After more than 40 years in Seattle as the SuperSonics, the franchise moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. The name of the Sonics had been chosen following a competition in reference to the Boeing company strongly established in the Seattle region. After its relocation, the franchise took the name of the Thunder following a public vote. ‘Renegades’, ‘Twisters’ and ‘Barons’ were also in the running but failed to win the hearts of fans.
7. Les Grizzlies de Memphis
In 1994, the Canadian city of Vancouver obtained the right to create its franchise. The nickname “Mounties” is proposed, but the public and the local police object. Vancouver leaders are working on the choice of another name and turn to the Grizzlies rather than the “Ravens”. When relocating to Memphis in 2001, the nickname was retained. The company FedEx had yet offered $ 100 million to Memphis to rename the team “Express”, but the NBA intervened.
8. The Minnesota Timberwolves
The franchise was created in 1989 in Minnesota. The leaders put the name of the team to a public vote. It is first of all the name of “Blizzards” which is retained, but the leaders estimate that this name does not represent enough the state of Minnesota. It is finally “Timberwolves” which is chosen at the expense of “Polars”. This name refers to the omnipresence of the animal species in the region.
9. Warriors de Golden State
Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the franchise takes the name of the Warriors in homage to the old basketball team of the city. The franchise was renamed the San Francisco Warriors when it arrived in Frisco in 1962. In 1971, when it settled in Oakland, the team opted for the name of the Golden State Warriors, in reference to the popular nickname of California, more unifying for the leaders. The team retains its name when it returns to San Francisco in 2019.
10. The Portland Trail Blazers
The franchise was created in Portland, Oregon in 1970. During a contest, the nickname “Pioneers” was put forward, but Lewis & Clark University was already using it. So the leaders turn to the Trail Blazers, that is to say those who pave the way for others, the pioneers of a population. Local newspapers wondered how the nickname would fit on logos and posters. That’s why we more commonly use the single “Blazers” to describe Portland players.
11. Utah Jazz
It is difficult to see the musical reference to the Mormon culture very present in the state of Utah. It’s very simple, the name “Jazz” was introduced when the franchise was created in 1974 in New Orleans. The name was submitted to a public vote too and will hold the rope among different names all related to the world of music, the main specialty in Louisiana. When the franchise moved to Salt Lake City, the leaders decided to keep this name.
12. Les Rockets d’Houston
With the Texas city hosting a NASA center, the connection between the name “Rockets” and Houston seems pretty obvious. Yet the origin of this choice is actually on the side of California. The franchise was created in 1967 in San Diego. “Rockets”, which was chosen following a public competition, refers to the nickname of the Californian city “City in motion” and the aerospace industry present there. When the franchise moved to Houston in 1971, the name, which fits perfectly with the identity of the Texas city, was retained.
13. The Kings of Sacramento
As early as 1945, the franchise has always revolved around royalty. At the time, the Rochester Royals were founded to join the NBL and the nickname was kept when it moved to Cincinnati in 1957. The current nickname of the Kings was voted for by voters in a “name-the-team” contest in 1972. The franchise had just established itself in Kansas City, but decided to settle in California at the start of the 1985 season. Thus, the franchise became the Sacramento Kings.
14. The San Antonio Spurs
The franchise began in 1967 as the “Dallas Chaparrals”. In 1973, the Chaparrals were relocated to San Antonio following their takeover by a group of Texas investors. A public competition was organized. If the choice initially fell on “Aztecs”, the final decision stopped on “Spurs”. “Aztecs” not being considered sufficiently original. Coincidentally or not, one of the franchise’s main investors was born in the small Texas town of Spur.
15. New Orleans Pelicans
Named Hornets in 2002, when it was created, the franchise would keep this name for a decade before changing it, following the arrival of new owner Tom Benson. The latter wanted to give a name more in line with the culture of the city. The first options were “Krewe” which designates the brotherhood which organizes a parade during Mardi Gras. Then there was “Brass” which represents the brass instruments very common in the city of Cajun. It is ultimately the name of “Pelicans” that will win the day, indeed Louisiana is an important state in the reproduction of these birds.
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