From George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers to last season’s history-making Knicks, the NBA Finals have crowned champions for more than 75 years. Here’s a look back at the modern era’s title winners.
The Most Recent Champions
- 2025-26: New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 — Jalen Brunson won Finals MVP, ending New York’s championship drought dating back to 1973
- 2024-25: Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won Finals MVP
- 2023-24: Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 — Jaylen Brown won Finals MVP
- 2022-23: Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 — Nikola Jokic won Finals MVP
The League’s Most Storied Franchises
The Boston Celtics hold the record for most championships in league history, while Bill Russell remains the all-time leader in total rings won as a player. Michael Jordan’s six Finals MVP awards remain the standard by which modern greats are measured, with LeBron James — now entering his 24th season, detailed in our players to watch guide — sitting second on that list.
A Notable Historical Quirk
Jerry West remains the only player in history to win Finals MVP while playing for the losing team, a distinction from the award’s inaugural 1969 ceremony that still stands today.
Where This Season Fits In
The Knicks now enter 2026-27 as defending champions, a storyline central to our championship favorites breakdown heading into the new season.
A League Defined by Parity
The stretch of championships from 2019 through last season produced a different title-winning franchise nearly every single year, a run of parity rarely seen in NBA history. Whether the Knicks can break that trend and become the first repeat champion in years is one of the defining questions of the new season.
Bottom Line
Every Finals adds another chapter to one of sports’ richest championship histories, and this season’s title race will add the next one.