Okay, so I was wondering the other day, does Missouri have an NBA team? It’s a simple question, but it got me thinking. I decided to do a little digging.
First Steps: Checking Online
First thing I did was hit up the internet, naturally. I typed in “Missouri NBA teams” and started scrolling through the results. It wasn’t as straightforward as I thought it would be. I saw some articles about Missouri athletics, like one about a Missouri forward named Mark Mitchell who had 16 points and eight rebounds in some game. Interesting, but not quite what I was after.
Diving Deeper: Finding the History
Then, I came across some information about past teams. It turns out Missouri did have NBA teams in the past, but none currently. The history is actually pretty interesting. There were teams like the St. Louis Bombers and the St. Louis Hawks. The Hawks even won an NBA championship back in 1958! But they moved to Atlanta and became the Atlanta Hawks.
I also found out about the Kansas City Kings. They started in Rochester, then moved to Cincinnati, and finally ended up in Kansas City, Missouri in 1972. They played there until 1985 before moving to Sacramento and becoming the Sacramento Kings. So, Kansas City had a taste of the NBA too, but it didn’t last.
Conclusion: No Current Team, But a Rich History
So, after all that digging, the answer is clear: Missouri does not have an NBA team right now. It’s kind of a bummer, especially with all that basketball history in the state.
Here is what I learned in a list:
- St. Louis Bombers: Existed in the late 1940s but folded.
- St. Louis Hawks: Won an NBA championship in 1958, then moved to Atlanta.
- Kansas City Kings: Played in Kansas City from 1972 to 1985, then moved to Sacramento.
Maybe one day Missouri will get another NBA team. It would be great to see that basketball legacy continue. But for now, Missouri basketball fans will have to support teams in other states. Or maybe follow that Mark Mitchell guy. Could be the next big thing!
