Teams Popularity: The Most Famous Basketball Teams

There is something about the game of basketball that makes it so popular. It’s a great sport played by people all over the world. It’s also a sport that awards many scholarships to new talents before becoming professionals. It’s so popular with the local communities that it has given rise to countless famous teams; it doesn’t even matter if they have won any championships or not.

As one of the most popular sports in the US and with the worldwide acceptance of the NBA, you’d expect US basketball teams to be some of the most popular in the world – and you may be right. Apart from the awesome sporting prowess of the league, NBA odds are also a major reason American basketball teams are famous globally. Bettors from around the world wager on them, and the returns after a perfect bet are massive.

8 Most Famous Basketball Teams

If you’re a lover of basketball and possibly looking for more teams to root for, this list is for you. If you’re also an experienced bettor who wants to expand your betting scope outside America or Europe, this article features some teams you can start counting on:

1. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s a professional team resident in Los Angeles, California. They play in America’s top basketball league – the NBA, and they are arguably the most popular and successful team in the league. The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships – the highest ever in the division.

They have had many great players over their long history, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal. To date, they are one of the leading teams in the NBA and one of the most famous globally.

2. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are one of the oldest teams in the NBA, founded in 1946. The team is based in Boston, and in 1959, they became an original member of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the NBA.

In total, this franchise has won 17 NBA championships and has been champions of the Eastern Conference division nine times. They have also won 5 times when playing for the conference championship title against the Western Conference division-winning team. All these exploits have led to their global fame.

3. Real Madrid Baloncesto

Real Madrid Baloncesto basketball team is a professional basketball club based in Madrid, Spain. It’s one of the best basketball teams in the world and has won the most European championships.

The team was founded in 1932 under “Madrid Central Basketball Team.” Over time, they have had various names – Asociación Deportiva Europea de Básquetbol (1946-1951), Club de Basket de Madrid (1952-1960). The current name was adopted in 1962 when they merged with Ramiro Blanco Valencia and became Real Madrid Baloncesto. They have maintained their position as the King of the sport in Europe and one of the best globally.

4. Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia

Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia is a professional basketball team located in Bilbao, Spain. The club is owned by Basque industrialist Josean Querejeta and has won one LNBP championship title (2008), three Copa del Rey titles (2009-2010), and two Spanish King’s Cup titles (2005-2006), and two Supercopa de Espana titles (2007).

This team has a huge following in Spain and many parts of Europe.

5. Australia’s Perth Wildcats

The Perth Wildcats are a basketball team from Perth, Australia. The team was founded in 1982 and has won six NBL titles, the most recent being in 2016.

The Wildcats have also won many continental awards and are regarded as arguably the biggest basketball team in Australia.

6. Australia’s Adelaide 36ers

The Adelaide 36ers are a professional basketball team based in Adelaide, South Australia. They have won five league championships to date and are one of the most successful teams in the history of Australian basketball.

They have also won six conference championships: (1986-87 Conference 1st Place Finish, 1987-88 Conference 1st Place Finish, 1988-89 Conference 1st Place Finish, 1989-90 Conference 2nd Place Finish/1990-91 Conference 3rd Place Finish). They remain a force in the Australian basketball league and are one of the most followed teams in the sport from the Asian and Oceania region.

7. Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna

The Bologna Bulls is an Italian professional basketball team based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. The team has won two EuroLeague championships and four European second-tier EuroCup titles (three times as Cup Winners’ Cup).

While Italian basketball teams are not renowned for excellence in the European scene, Virtus Bologna is one of the teams defying the odds and flying the country’s flag high in the continental scene.

8. Olimpia Milano

The Italian basketball team, Olimpia Milano, was founded in 1926. They have won the Euroleague title five times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2017). Without a doubt, the Milan-based team is the most successful basketball team in Italy.

They also won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2016 and 2017. Olimpia has been successful domestically, too, as they have won many titles at home, including four Italian League titles from 1973-74 to 1980-81.

Conclusion

These basketball teams are popular worldwide because of their achievements and history. They have great players and a great team spirit, which have delivered many titles across several competitions. 

Through their unique characteristics, these teams continue to inspire the people around them, especially the younger generation. It should be noted that there are other brilliant teams with a great reputation in basketball, but this list can only contain a few.