What Was That Basketball Team Called Again? Quiz

Answer: New Jersey Americans

The New Jersey Americans were established as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association in 1967. Over the years, the team has undergone multiple name changes (New York Nets from 1968-1977, New Jersey Nets from 1977 to 2012) and moved to several locations in the greater New York City area (Teaneck, NJ in 1967; Commack, NY in 1968; West Hempstead, NY in 1969; Uniondale, NY in 1972; Piscataway, NJ in 1977; East Rutherford, NJ in 1981; Newark NJ in 2010) before moving to Brooklyn for the 2012-2013 season.

The then New York Nets were one of four teams from the ABA that joined the National Basketball Association when the two leagues merged at the end of the 1975-1976 season. The Nets won ABA championships in 1974 and 1976.

Answer: Syracuse Nationals

The Syracuse Nationals began play in the National Basketball League in 1946. In 1949, the Nationals were one of seven teams from the NBL that joined with teams in the Basketball Association of America to for the National Basketball Association. In 1963, the Nationals changed their name to the Seventy Sixers moved to Philadelphia to replace the recently departed Philadelphia Warriors.

The Nationals won the first NBA championship for the franchise in 1955 and the Seventy Sixers won the next two NBA championships for the franchise in 1967 and 1983. Fans and media of the Seventy Sixers often use the shortened "Sixers" to refer to the team.

Answer: Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons

The Zollner Pistons began play in the National Basketball League in 1941. The team got its name from owner Fred Zollner who was co-owner of a company that manufactured pistons. In 1948, the team changed its name to the Pistons and moved to the Basketball Association of America and then to the National Basketball Association the next year.

In 1957, the Pistons moved to Detroit. The Zollner Pistons won NBL championships in 1944 and 1945 and the Pistons won their first NBA championship in 1989.

Answer: Buffalo Bisons

The Buffalo Bisons began in the National Basketball League in 1946 but moved in the middle of their first season to Moline, IL, where they became the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Joining the National Basketball League in 1949, they moved to Milwaukee, WI, in 1951, and became the Hawks.

After four years there, the team moved to St. Louis, MO but kept the Hawks name. In 1968, the Hawks moved to Atlanta, GA. The Hawks won their first NBA championship in 1958.

Answer: Chicago Packers

The Chicago Packers were an National Basketball League expansion team in 1961 and named for Chicago's meatpacking industry. The next year, the Packers became the Zephyrs. In 1963, the Zephyrs moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets. After 10 years in Baltimore, the Bullets moved to the Washington, DC area.

In their first season there, the team was called the Capital Bullets (1973-1974) and from 1974-1997, the Washington Bullets. In 1997, the Bullets became the Wizards. From 1973-1997, the team played in Landover, MD and since 1997 in Washington, DC.

The Washington Bullets won their first NBA championship in 1978.

Answer: Dallas Chaparrals

The Dallas Chaparrals were an charter member of the American Basketball Association in 1967. The team kept the name and location of Dallas until 1973 except for the 1970-1971 season when they were known as the Texas Chaparrals and played home games in three Texas cities (Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock). Moving to San Antonio, TX, in 1973, the team was briefly known as the Gunslingers before they became the Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs joined the National Basketball Association in 1976 as part of the NBA-ABA merger.

The San Antonio Spurs won their first NBA championship in 1999.

Answer: Rochester Royals

The Rochester (NY) Royals actually trace their roots back to an independent semi-professional team called the Rochester Seagrams in 1925. They took the Royals name when they joined the National Basketball League in 1945. They moved to the Basketball Association of America in 1948 and the National Basketball Association the next year.

In 1957, the Royals moved to Cincinnati, OH. In 1972, the team changed its name to the Kings and split its home games between Kansas City, MO, and Omaha, NE. Three years later, the Kings moved full-time to Kansas City where they would spend the next ten years.

In 1985, the team moved to Sacramento, CA. The Rochester Royals won the first NBA championship for the franchise in 1951.

Answer: Buffalo Braves

The Buffalo Braves were an 1970 expansion team in the National Basketball Association. After eight season in New York state, the team moved to San Diego, CA, and became the Clippers in 1978. Six years later, in 1984, the Clippers moved to Los Angeles, CA. Beginning in 1999, the Clippers shared the Staples Center with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Answer: Seattle SuperSonics

The Seattle SuperSonics were an expansion team in the National Basketball Association in 1967. After 41 season, in 2008, a contentious move brought the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City, OK, where they became the Thunder. While in Seattle, the team won their first NBA championship in 1979.

Answer: Denver Rockets

One of the American Basketball Association's charter franchises in 1967 was an unnamed team to be located in Kansas City, MO, that moved to Denver before play began. The team initially chose the name Larks but changed it to Rockets before stepping onto the court.

The team spent its first seven seasons playing as the Denver Rockets before changing its name to the Nuggets. The team has won three ABA division titles (1970, 1975, 1976) and their first NBA division title in 1977.