NBA Team Guide
Washington Wizards: History, Championships & Facts
The franchise began in 1961 as the Chicago Packers and played in Baltimore before settling in the Washington area in 1973. It won the NBA championship in 1978 as the Washington Bullets and became the Wizards in 1997.
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Updated live from ESPN.
Quick facts
| Founded | 1961, as the Chicago Packers |
|---|---|
| Arena | Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. (opened 1997 as MCI Center) |
| NBA titles | 1 (1978) |
| NBA Finals appearances | 4 (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979) as of 2026 |
| Name history | Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Baltimore Bullets, Capital Bullets, Washington Bullets (1974–1997), Washington Wizards (1997–) |
Championship history
The franchise has won one NBA championship, in 1978. Its four NBA Finals trips all came between 1971 and 1979.
- 1978 NBA Finals: beat the Seattle SuperSonics 4–3
- 1971 NBA Finals: lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 4–0
- 1975 NBA Finals: lost to the Golden State Warriors 4–0
- 1979 NBA Finals: lost to the Seattle SuperSonics 4–1
Franchise history
- 1961: Began play as the Chicago Packers, renamed the Zephyrs a year later.
- 1963: Moved to Baltimore as the Bullets.
- 1969: Rookie Wes Unseld won both NBA MVP and Rookie of the Year.
- 1973: Moved to the Washington area as the Capital Bullets, becoming the Washington Bullets in 1974.
- 1978: Won the NBA title over Seattle; Wes Unseld was Finals MVP.
- 1997: Renamed the Wizards and moved into the new MCI Center in downtown Washington.
- 2001: Michael Jordan, the team's president of basketball operations, returned to play two seasons (2001–03).
Franchise record holders
| Points | Elvin Hayes, 15,551 |
|---|---|
| Rebounds | Wes Unseld, 13,769 |
| Blocks | Elvin Hayes, 1,558 |
Retired numbers
- 6Bill Russell (retired across the NBA)
- 10Earl Monroe
- 11Elvin Hayes
- 25Gus Johnson
- 41Wes Unseld
- 45Phil Chenier
Hall of Famers
Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, Gus Johnson.
Biggest rivalries
- New York Knicks: the Knicks and Bullets met in six straight postseasons, 1969–1974, with the Bullets winning the 1971 conference finals.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Cleveland eliminated Washington in the first round three years in a row, 2006–2008.
- Boston Celtics: the Bullets beat Boston in the 1975 conference finals, and the Celtics won a seven-game East semifinal in 2017.
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Why did the Bullets become the Wizards?
Owner Abe Pollin announced the change in 1995 because of the violent meaning of "Bullets" at a time of high crime in Washington. The Wizards name took effect in May 1997.
How many championships have the Wizards won?
One. As the Washington Bullets, they beat the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games in the 1978 NBA Finals.
Where did the franchise play before Washington?
It started in Chicago as the Packers (1961–62) and Zephyrs (1962–63), then played in Baltimore as the Bullets from 1963 to 1973.
Who is the Wizards' all-time leading scorer?
Elvin Hayes, with 15,551 points for the franchise from 1972 to 1981.
Did Michael Jordan play for the Wizards?
Yes. After joining the front office in 2000, he came out of retirement and played for Washington from 2001 to 2003.
Sources
Facts checked September 23, 2026. Live figures above come from ESPN.