- 1978
- 1980
- 1984
-
Relocation to San Diego
In 1978, San Diego welcomed the relocation of the Buffalo Braves franchise because the city had lost their Rockets to Houston seven years earlier. San Diego team officials did not think Braves was a representative nickname for the club. A contest decided on Clippers because the city was known for the great sailing ships that passed through San Diego Bay. ... -
Add Homegrown Bill Walton
The 1979 – 1980 season saw the Clippers begin to struggle despite adding center Bill Walton, a San Diego native who was two years removed from an NBA Championship with the Trail Blazers. Walton missed 68 games due to foot injuries (which he also suffered in his final years in Portland). San Diego finished 35–47 as key players missed games ... -
Leaving San Diego for LA
The 1981 – 1982 season brought changes to the franchise as Irv Levin sold the team to Los Angeles-area real estate developer and attorney Donald Sterling for US$12.5 million. The Clippers’ poor play in the final years in San Diego resulted in averaging only 4,500 fans a game. Sterling lobbied the NBA to relocate the team to his native Los ...
History of the Clippers
The San Diego Clippers are a professional basketball team that has been part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 1970. The team was founded in Buffalo, New York, as the Buffalo Braves and moved to San Diego in 1978 before settling in Los Angeles for good as the LA Clippers. Despite their long history, success has eluded them throughout most of it, with no NBA championships or conference titles for their efforts.
However, things have changed drastically for this franchise recently, with two consecutive Pacific Division titles and six playoff appearances since the 2011-12 season under head coach Doc Rivers’ leadership. This new era is highlighted by stars such as Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan, who led the Clips to an impressive 57-25 record during the 2014–15 season, which was also their first 50+ win campaign ever! Furthermore, they made it all way up to Western Conference Semifinals, where they faced off against eventual champions Golden State Warriors, who eventually eliminated them from playoffs after a hard-fought series that went all seven games deep into deciding a match between these two sides!
Overall this newfound success is quite remarkable considering how far behind other teams were when compared back then, but now, thanks largely due changes within the organization itself along with additional key players mentioned above, San Diego Clippers have become one premier franchise within the entire league today making them even more enjoyable watch each night out on the court while still hoping to reach ultimate goal championship banner someday soon!
Established
1970
City
Buffalo – San Diego – Los Angeles
League History
1970 – Present / National Basketball Association
Team History
1984 – Present / Los Angeles Clippers
1978 – 1984 / San Diego Clippers
1970 – 1978 / Buffalo Braves
Nickname
Clippers – For sports fans, the San Diego Clippers are a beloved NBA franchise with decades of history. But where did this team's nickname come from? Let’s look at the origins of one of basketball's most iconic nicknames.
The San Diego Clippers trace their roots back to 1970, founded as part of the American Basketball Association (ABA). At that time, they were known as “the Buffalo Braves” and played in Buffalo, New York, until 1978, when they moved to San Diego and became known as “the San Diego Clippers." The name was chosen by then-owner Donald Sterling, who wanted something that would reflect his love for sailing and represent his new home city on California’s coast. Thus he chose "Clippers" - an old term for fast sailing ships - due to its connection with maritime history in Southern California.
Since then, the team has undergone many changes, but their nickname has remained constant – even after moving again in 1984 from sunny SoCal up north to Los Angeles! As such, it stands today as an important reminder about this storied franchise's past and a symbol representing how far professional basketball has come since those early days in ABA almost five decades ago!
Championship
NBA Championships 0
Arena
1999 – Present / Staples Center
1984 – 1999 / Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
*San Diego*
1978 – 1984 / San Diego Sports Arena
*Buffalo*
1970 – 1978 / Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Owner
2014 – Present / Steve Balmer
1981 – 2014 / Donald Sterling
1978 – 1981 / Irv Levin
1976 – 1978 / John Y. Brown, Jr.
1970 – 1976 / Paul Snyder
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history