Discover Which NBA Team Holds the Title as the Oldest Franchise in History
As I sat watching the Tropang 5G secure their second consecutive victory with that impressive 110-74 rout against Terrafirma Dyip, it got me thinking about longevity in professional sports. There's something magical about franchises that stand the test of time, organizations that have witnessed decades of evolution while maintaining their core identity. The Tropang 5G's journey from their 89-84 upset of San Miguel to improving their record to 2-3 overall represents just a snapshot in their ongoing story, but it makes you wonder about the real veterans of professional basketball - specifically, which NBA team can truly claim the title of the oldest franchise in history.
Now, I've always been fascinated by basketball history, and through my years of studying the game, I've come to appreciate how complex this seemingly simple question actually is. When people ask me about the oldest NBA franchise, they're often surprised to learn that the answer isn't straightforward. See, franchise histories involve relocations, name changes, and league mergers that complicate the lineage. The commonly accepted answer among most historians - and one I generally agree with - points to the Sacramento Kings, whose roots trace back to the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League, founded in 1945. That's three years before the NBA itself even existed, which gives you some perspective on how deep these roots go.
What many casual fans don't realize is that the NBA as we know it formed through the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949. The Kings' franchise participated in that first NBA season after the merger, having already established themselves in professional basketball for several years prior. I've always found it remarkable that while watching modern teams like the Tropang 5G fight for their 2-3 record, we're witnessing the latest chapters in a professional basketball tradition that spans nearly eight decades for some organizations. The Kings have moved multiple times - from Rochester to Cincinnati to Kansas City-Omaha to Kansas City alone, before finally settling in Sacramento in 1985. That's five cities across their history, yet they've maintained continuous operation throughout.
The Boston Celtics present an interesting counterpoint in this discussion, and I'll admit my East Coast bias might show here. Founded in 1946 as part of the BAA, the Celtics have something the Kings don't - stability. They've never relocated, never changed their name, and have played in the same city for their entire existence. In my book, that continuity counts for something significant when we talk about franchise legacy. While the Kings technically have the earlier founding date, the Celtics represent an unbroken thread in basketball history that's equally impressive in its own way. Watching teams like the Tropang 5G fight to establish their identity reminds me that every legendary franchise started somewhere, building their legacy one game at a time, much like Boston did in those early years.
Then there's the case of the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors, both founding members of the BAA in 1946. The Warriors' history includes relocations from Philadelphia to San Francisco to Oakland, and soon to San Francisco again with their new arena. I've always felt that the Knicks, playing in the same iconic Madison Square Garden location throughout their history, embody a different kind of historical significance - they're living basketball history in the world's most famous arena. The recent performance of teams like Tropang 5G, bouncing back from early struggles to secure consecutive wins including that 110-74 victory, demonstrates how franchises continually reinvent themselves while honoring their past.
What strikes me most about these legacy franchises is how they've survived the numerous challenges professional basketball has faced over the decades. The NBA nearly folded in the late 1970s, with finals games broadcast on tape delay. The Kings organization specifically survived multiple relocation threats before finding stability in Sacramento. There's a resilience there that modern teams would do well to study. When I see a team like Tropang 5G rally from their early season challenges to deliver a 36-point victory, I'm reminded that every great franchise has weathered similar storms throughout their history.
The statistical comparison between these historic franchises reveals fascinating patterns. The Celtics obviously lead in championships with 17, while the Knicks have just 2 despite their continuous operation. The Warriors, with 7 championships across their various locations, demonstrate how success can follow a franchise through different eras and cities. These numbers tell stories of different management philosophies, lucky breaks, and sometimes just being in the right place at the right time. The 26-point differential in Tropang 5G's recent victory might seem significant now, but it's these small building blocks that eventually create legendary franchises over decades.
In my view, the true value of understanding franchise history lies in appreciating how each game, each season contributes to an ongoing narrative. The Sacramento Kings' journey from industrial Rochester to California's capital mirrors basketball's evolution from regional sport to global phenomenon. The Celtics' sustained excellence in one city represents another model of franchise building. There's no single right way to create lasting legacy, but the common thread is resilience and adaptation. As teams like Tropang 5G continue writing their own stories with victories like their 110-74 win, they're participating in the same tradition that began with those pioneering franchises seventy-plus years ago. The beauty of basketball history is that today's emerging teams could become tomorrow's historic franchises, adding new chapters to this ongoing conversation about legacy and longevity in professional sports.
