Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Starting with the 2024–25 NBA season, the Clippers play their home games at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Before that, they played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2024, sharing the venue with several other teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers.

The team began in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, an expansion team. They moved to San Diego in 1978, becoming the San Diego Clippers, and later relocated to Los Angeles in 1984. For many years, the Clippers were known for not doing very well, often losing compared to their successful neighbors, the Lakers.

Things changed in the 2010s. With players like Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul, the team became known as Lob City and made the playoffs many times. They won their division in 2013 and 2014, but still faced challenges in the later rounds of the playoffs. So far, the Clippers are the oldest team in North American professional sports that has never reached a championship game.

History

1970–1978: Buffalo Braves

The Clippers began in Western New York as the Buffalo Braves, one of three NBA expansion teams that started in the 1970–71 season, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers. They played their home games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.

Under coach Jack Ramsay and star center Bob McAdoo, the Braves improved. McAdoo led the NBA in scoring for three seasons and was named the league's MVP in the 1974–75 season. The Braves made the playoffs three times in a row but lost each time. Despite this, owner Paul Snyder and the league had trouble scheduling games because of conflicts with another Buffalo team, the Buffalo Sabres. Eventually, Snyder sold the team to John Y. Brown, Jr., who weakened the team by trading away stars and lowering attendance. Brown then traded ownership with Celtics owner Irv Levin, who moved the team to San Diego.

1978–1984: San Diego Clippers

In 1978, San Diego welcomed the Braves, who were renamed the Clippers after a naming contest, referencing the city's famous sailing ships. The first head coach was Gene Shue, who preferred a fast-paced style. The team struggled at first but improved by the All-Star game, nearly making the playoffs.

The 1979–80 season was tough, especially with center Bill Walton missing many games due to injuries. The team continued to struggle, finishing near the bottom of the league. In 1981–82, new owner Donald Sterling faced many issues, including fines from the NBA and problems with hotels and bus companies. Sterling tried to move the team to Los Angeles but was denied. Eventually, he agreed to sell a part of the team to keep operations running.

1984–1989: Move to Los Angeles, and early struggles

In 1984, the Clippers moved to Los Angeles, beginning play at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Their early years in Los Angeles were difficult, with many injuries to key players. This period was nicknamed the "Clipper Triangle" due to the frequent injuries.

1989–1994: Playoff appearances

The Clippers made some trades and drafts that helped them become playoff contenders. They made the playoffs for the first time in 16 years during the 1991–92 season, finishing with a winning record. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Utah Jazz. They made the playoffs again the next season but lost in the first round once more.

1994–2000: Fitch, Anaheim and the move to Staples Center

The Clippers considered moving to Anaheim but stayed in Los Angeles. Under coach Bill Fitch, the team struggled but made the playoffs once. Tragic events affected several players during this time. The Clippers moved to the new Staples Center in 1999, joining the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings.

2000–2009: Further struggles at Staples Center

The Clippers made some changes but continued to struggle. They acquired Elton Brand, who was a key player, but injuries and poor team chemistry led to disappointing seasons. In 2005–06, the team improved and made the playoffs for the first time since 1997, led by Brand and new acquisitions. They won their first playoff series since moving from Buffalo but lost in the next round.

2009–2011: The arrival of Blake Griffin and steady improvement

The Clippers selected Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. Griffin impressed but broke his kneecap in the preseason and missed the entire season. The team improved slightly the next season but still missed the playoffs. In 2010–11, with Griffin healthy, the Clippers showed promise and made the playoffs, with Griffin winning Rookie of the Year.

2011–2017: Arrival of Chris Paul and "Lob City"

In 2011, the Clippers acquired Chris Paul, pairing him with Griffin. The team became known as "Lob City" and made the playoffs several times. They reached the second round in 2012 and 2014 but lost both times. In 2014, owner Donald Sterling faced serious issues that led to him being banned for life by the NBA, and Steve Ballmer purchased the team.

2017–2019: Rebuild

The Clippers began rebuilding, trading Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. They struggled but made the playoffs in 2018–19, losing in the first round to the Golden State Warriors.

2019–present: The Kawhi Leonard era

In 2019, the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard and traded for Paul George. They made deep playoff runs but faced setbacks. In 2024, they moved to their new home, Intuit Dome, and continued to build a competitive team.

Rivalries

Golden State Warriors

The Clippers and Warriors had a big rivalry from 2012 to 2015. They are close by location and played in the same division, which made their games very exciting and sometimes rough. There were some famous playoff matches and some tense moments between the star players. The Warriors have won more games in their history against the Clippers.

Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: Lakers–Clippers rivalry

The Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers have a special rivalry because they used to play in the same arena, Crypto.com Arena. But now the Clippers have moved to Intuit Dome, so no NBA teams share an arena anymore. This is one of only two rivalries in the NBA between teams from the same city, the other being between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

Many fans in Los Angeles have always supported the Lakers more than the Clippers. Some people even say it’s not a true rivalry because the Lakers have been more successful historically.

Season-by-season record

List of the last five seasons completed by the Clippers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Los Angeles Clippers seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Home arenas

The Los Angeles Clippers have played in several arenas over the years. They started at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium from 1970 to 1978, and sometimes played at Maple Leaf Gardens from 1971 to 1975. They then moved to the San Diego Sports Arena from 1978 to 1984, and later to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena from 1984 to 1999. Occasionally, they played at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim between 1994 and 1999. From 1999 to 2024, their home was the Crypto.com Arena. Starting in 2024, they began playing at the Intuit Dome.

Logos and uniforms

The Los Angeles Clippers have had many different logos and uniforms over the years. Their first logo showed three white sails to represent Southern California's sunny climate and nautical theme. In 1982–83, they changed to a logo with a moving basketball and the team name.

In 2015, they introduced a new logo shaped like a compass with the team's "LAC" monogram in the middle. The team also created new home and away uniforms. Since then, the Clippers have added several special "City" uniforms each season to honor different parts of Los Angeles and its history. These uniforms have featured many different colors and designs inspired by the city's culture and past.

Personnel

All-time roster

Current roster

Retained draft rights

The Clippers have draft rights to some players who are not currently in the NBA. These players can join any team outside the NBA, but the Clippers keep their draft rights for one year after the player's contract ends.

Retired numbers

The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all teams on August 11, 2022.

Basketball Hall of Famers

FIBA Hall of Famers

Franchise leaders

Bold names show players still with the team. Italic names show players still playing but not with the team.

Regular season (as of the end of the 2025–26 season)

Points

1. Randy Smith (12,735)
2. Blake Griffin (10,863)
3. Bob McAdoo (9,434)
4. Elton Brand (9,174)
5. Corey Maggette (8,835)
6. Kawhi Leonard (8,296)
7. Chris Paul (7,721)
8. Danny Manning (7,120)
9. DeAndre Jordan (7,078)
10. Loy Vaught (6,614)
11. Ken Norman (6,432)
12. Paul George (6,049)
13. Ron Harper (5,853)
14. Ivica Zubac (5,846)
15. Chris Kaman (5,813)
16. Jamal Crawford (5,675)
17. Benoit Benjamin (5,405)
18. Eric Piatkowski (5,269)
19. Charles Smith (4,994)
20. Lou Williams (4,975)
21. Bob Kauffman (4,847)
22. Swen Nater (4,694)
23. Freeman Williams (4,467)
24. World B. Free (4,299)
25. JJ Redick (4,208)
26. Lamond Murray (4,173)
27. Norm Nixon (4,127)
28. James Harden (4,112)
29. Michael Brooks (4,010)
30. Lamar Odom (3,986)

Single-season records

Individual awards

NBA Rookie of the Year

• Terry Cummings – 1983
• Blake Griffin – 2011

NBA Most Improved Player

• Bobby Simmons – 2005

NBA Sixth Man of the Year

• Jamal Crawford – 2014, 2016
• Lou Williams – 2018, 2019
• Montrezl Harrell – 2020

NBA Sportsmanship Award

• Elton Brand – 2006

NBA Hustle Award

• Montrezl Harrell – 2020

NBA Teammate of the Year

• Chauncey Billups – 2013

NBA Executive of the Year

• Elgin Baylor – 2006

All-NBA First Team

• Chris Paul – 2012–2014
• DeAndre Jordan – 2016
• Kawhi Leonard – 2021

All-NBA Second Team

• Elton Brand – 2006
• Blake Griffin – 2012–2014
• Chris Paul – 2015, 2016
• Kawhi Leonard – 2020, 2024

All-NBA Third Team

• Dominique Wilkins – 1994
• Blake Griffin – 2015
• DeAndre Jordan – 2015, 2017
• Paul George – 2021
• James Harden – 2025

NBA All-Defensive First Team

• Chris Paul – 2012–2017
• DeAndre Jordan – 2015, 2016

NBA All-Defensive Second Team

• Patrick Beverley – 2020
• Kawhi Leonard – 2020, 2021
• Ivica Zubac – 2025

NBA All-Rookie First Team

• Terry Cummings – 1983
• Charles Smith – 1989
• Lamar Odom – 2000
• Darius Miles – 2001
• Al Thornton – 2008
• Blake Griffin – 2011

NBA All-Rookie Second Team

• Brent Barry – 1996
• Maurice Taylor – 1998
• Michael Olowokandi – 1999
• Eric Gordon – 2009
• Eric Bledsoe – 2011
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 2019
• Landry Shamet – 2019

NBA All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star selections

• World B. Free - 1980
• Norm Nixon – 1985
• Marques Johnson – 1986
• Danny Manning – 1993, 1994
• Elton Brand – 2002, 2006
• Chris Kaman – 2010
• Blake Griffin – 2011–2015
• Chris Paul – 2012–2016
• DeAndre Jordan – 2017
• Kawhi Leonard – 2020–2021, 2024
• Paul George - 2021, 2023–2024
• James Harden – 2025

NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player

• Randy Smith – 1978
• Chris Paul – 2013
• Kawhi Leonard – 2020

Slam Dunk champion

• Brent Barry – 1996
• Blake Griffin – 2011

Head coaches

Main article: List of Los Angeles Clippers head coaches

The Los Angeles Clippers have had many head coaches over the years. Each coach leads the team in games and helps guide the players. A list of all the head coaches who have worked with the Clippers can be found in the main article.

ClipperVision

In the 2022–23 NBA season, the Clippers started their own streaming service for games that aren't shown on national TV. This service lets fans watch regular games and also offers special views like CourtVision, which adds stats to the screen, and BallerVision, a different way to watch games with Steve Ballmer and famous NBA players. Fans can also choose to watch in Spanish or Korean and can replay games whenever they want. The service works on Roku, iOS, Android, Apple TV, and personal computers.

Commentators and broadcast outlets

Main article: List of Los Angeles Clippers broadcasters

The Los Angeles Clippers have several people who help tell the story of the games on TV and radio. Brian Sieman does the play-by-play for both television and radio. Jim Jackson works as a color commentator for both TV and radio. Kristina Pink reports from the sidelines on television. Carlo Jiménez handles radio play-by-play. Mike Fratello and Corey Maggette help with pregame and postgame analysis on Bally Sports SoCal and also step in to commentate when needed. Adam Ausland hosts pregame and postgame shows for the KLAC/Clippers Radio Network.

Games are shown on TV stations like KTLA in Los Angeles, KUSI-TV in San Diego, KGET-TV in Bakersfield, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. FanDuel Sports Network SoCal broadcasts the games on cable TV. Radio broadcasts are on KLAC at 570 AM, and KWKW at 1330 AM for Spanish speakers. If there’s a conflict with a Los Angeles Dodgers game on KLAC, you can hear the Clippers on KEIB at 1150 AM.

Notes and references