Famous NBA One Season Wonder Teams
When a team comes up short in its quest to win a title, there's usually a sense that they'll be back the next year. But in the NBA, that's not always the case. Sometimes, the words of Sacramento Kings media relations director Troy Hanson in 2002: "What if that was it? What if that was our shot?"
For these unfortunate squads, there was no second chance to come back and do it again. Whether it was injuries, retirements, free agency or bad luck, these teams got one shot and that was it. Check out some famous NBA one-season wonder teams here!
1994-95 Orlando Magic
The Magic were supposed to be the next big dynasty in the NBA after Michael Jordan's first retirement, as they were expected to become NBA champions behind Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. But after losing the 1995 NBA Finals to the Houston Rockets in four games, the Magic fell apart soon after. The Bulls swept them the next season and O'Neal then bolted for Los Angeles, leaving the Magic's championship hopes to fade into oblivion.
2014-15 Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had a few key pieces and a brilliant young coach in Mike Budenholzer, but even the most optimistic Atlanta fan wouldn't have expected getting to 60 wins and topping the Eastern Conference. But Al Horford, Paul Millsap and others weren't quite good enough to get past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending the year in a four-game sweep.
A year later, the Hawks regressed to the mean, going from 60 wins to 48 and losing to the Cavs again. After that flameout, Horford decided he'd had enough and moved north to become the Celtics' main man in the interior.
2018-19 Toronto Raptors
When you get a championship out of the deal, being a one-season wonder isn't so bad. That's what happened with the Raptors, who had only once been beyond the conference finals. But it all came together for Toronto in one magical season. With the rest of the NBA wondering if anyone had a prayer against Golden State, the Raptors rode Kawhi Leonard's insane performances down low to beat the Warriors. But Leonard was a hired gun in Toronto, and once he moved to the Clippers, it all fell apart.
2001-02 Sacramento Kings
One-year wonders they were. Coming up short against the Lakers in the Western Conference final was devastating for this team, which had been making moves for years but never getting close enough to challenge until acquiring Mike Bibby to run the point. Some poor officiating decisions cost them in Game 6, against Los Angeles, and the team never seemed to recover. They won just two playoff series in the following 20 years after falling to the Lakers.