Who are the most popular NBA teams in the world? The league is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world and has become a global brand.
For varying reasons certain NBA franchises have experienced a surge in fan base numbers across different generations. These our the top ten:
10. New York Knicks
The Knicks can’t match their baseball counterparts – the Yankees – who are the most popular MLB team. Regardless, the Knicks have an aura about them and are globally one of the biggest sports brands.
Players like Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and John Starks have kept the fanfare going through the generations. Even during the mediocre times Knicks fans still turn up.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have made it work in the small market of Oklahoma City after relocating from Seattle in 2008. There’s no competition as the only major sports team in the city, but it’s the front office
Fans have been spoiled with stars such as James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Thunder also keep on nailing draft picks with Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey, and trades like Paul George and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
8. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is one of the most popular teams and it’s not hard to see why. After years of pain in the earlier years of the franchise, Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich led a dynasty which brought home five championships in 15 seasons.
Some humbling years have followed since Duncan’s retirement but the historical draft luck of the Spurs has continued. After taking generational talent Victor Wembanyama with the first pick of the 2023 draft, the loyalty of Spurs fans will barely be tested as they’re primed for a run at creating another dynasty.
7. Miami Heat
The Miami Heat joined the NBA in 1988 but it wasn’t until the arrival of Tim Hardaway in 1996 where we saw the emergence of “Heat Culture” – bringing in the right people, getting their mindset right and pushing players to their limits.
Bringing in the “Big Three” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh saw a period of dominance which brought home three titles and a load of new fans. The ferocious energy at Kaseya Center also matches what you’d expect from one of the most popular NBA teams.
6. Houston Rockets
The Texas NBA market is crowded with nearby rivals in San Antonio and Dallas but it’s the Houston Rockets who’s king of the Lone Star State and arguably the most popular team overseas.
International players launched the Rockets into one of the most popular NBA teams on a global scale and in particular Yao Ming, who played his entire career in Houston and transformed the Rockets into “China’s Team”.
5. Boston Celtics
The Celtics ended a 16-year title drought in 2024 by claiming an outright record 18th NBA championship. Boston’s historical success thanks to Bill Russell, Larry Bird and Paul Pierce has seen support for the franchise passed on down through the generations.
There’s a certain ambience that’s created at Celtic’s games at TD Gardens which you’d expect with the amount of banners having from the rafters. Even during the title drought years Celtics fans have remained passionate and created a raucous atmosphere at games.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers were once a failing franchise. Low attendances, bad trades and poor draft selections plagued the franchise for many decades. Everything changed after the 2003 NBA Draft with LeBron James selected first overall.
During Lebron’s second homecoming he helped win an NBA championship in 2016 ending a 52-year title drought for the city of Cleveland, leaving an everlasting buzz and a generation of fans in the process.
3. Chicago Bulls
Prior to Michael Jordan’s reign in Chicago the city was only about the Bears, Cubs, White Sox and the Blackhawks. The Bulls in fact almost relocated to Kansas City on the back of a record-low crowd of 891 fans in a November 1969 game against the SuperSonics.
Along came “His Airness” who along with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, completely transformed the franchise into the undisputed world’s biggest sports team throughout the 90s. Two three-peats during the decade created not only a winning culture but a generation of fans worldwide.
2. Golden State Warriors
Led by Steph Curry, Golden State’s four-title dynasty between 2015-2022 has skyrocketed the Warriors into second place for the most popular NBA team. The “Splash Brothers” duo of Curry and Klay Thompson helped build a championship mentality brand for the franchise which fans have loved.
Along with their success on the court the franchise moved from Oakland to Chase Center in San Francisco. In doing so they’ve set themselves up for ongoing financial growth and will continue to be a prime destination for NBA players, with the inevitability of even more fanfare to follow.
1. LA Lakers
The LA Lakers are the most popular NBA team of all time on the back of their ability to attract superstar players. Players including Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James have all captured the imagination of fans.
Pedigree makes the Lakers one of the most attractive teams with the franchise developing a winning culture having won 17 NBA championships. The hype around “Laker Nation” fan base extends well beyond Los Angeles with the Lakers brand one of the most well known and entertaining in world sports and deserving of our number one spot.
