National Basketball League
Established: 1937

Folded: 1949

35 Total Franchises
5 Franchises Currently in the National Basketball Association
4 Defunct Franchises via the National Basketball Association
26 Defunct Franchises
5 Franchise movements
5 Franchise name changes

NBL Franchise History
NBL Champions
1 Akron Firestone Non-Skids (1937-1941)
2 Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (1937-1942)
3 Buffalo Bisons (1937-1938)
4 Columbus Athletic Supply (1937-1938)
5 Dayton Metropolitans (1937-1938)
6 Ft. Wayne General Electrics (1937-1938)
7 Indianapolis Kautskys (1937-1940; 1941-1942)
8 Kankakee Gallagher Trojans (1937-1938)
9 Oshkosh All-Stars (1937-1949)
10 Pittsburgh Pirates (1937-1939)
11 Richmond King Clothiers (1937-1938)
          *Cincinnati Comellos (1938)
12 Warren Penns (1937-1939)
          *Cleveland White Horses (1939)
13 Whiting Ciesar All-Americans (1937-1938) 
          Hammond Ciesar All-Americans (1938-1941)
14 Sheboygan Red Skins (1938-1949)
15 Chicago Bruins (1939-1942)
          Chicago Studabaker Flyers (1942-1943)
16 Detroit Eagles (1939-1941)
17 Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons (1941-1948)
18 @Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (1941-1942)
19 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (1943-1944)
          Cleveland Allen Transfers (1944-1946)
20 Pittsburgh Raiders (1944-1945)
21 Chicago American Gears (1944-1947)
22 Indianapolis Krautsyks (II) (1945-1948)
23 Rochester Royals (1945-1948)
24 Youngstown Bears (1945-1947)
25 Anderson Duffy Packers (1946-1949)
26 Detroit Gems (1946-1947)
27 Syracuse Nationals (1946-1949)
28 Tri-City Blackhawks (1946-1949)
29 Toledo Jeeps (1946-1948)
30 Flint Dow A.C.'s (1947)
          *Midland Dow A.C.'s (1948)
31 Minneapolis Lakers (1947-1948)
32 Denver Nuggets (1948-1949)
33 Detroit Vegabond Kings (1948)
          *Dayton Rens (1948-1949)
34 Hammond Calumet Buccaneers (1948-1949)
35 Waterloo Hawks (1948-1949)

*-Team moved in mid-season

Anderson, Denver, Ft. Wayne, Minneapolis, 
Rochester, Sheboygan, Syracuse, Tri-City,
and Waterloo all joined the NBA after leaving the NBL.

Champion
Runner-Up
1949
Anderson Duffy Packers
Oshkosh All-Stars
1948
Minneapolis Lakers
Rochester Royals
1947
Chicago American Gears
Rochester Royals
1946
Rochester Royals
Sheboygan Red Skins
1945
Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons
Sheboygan Red Skins
1944
Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons
Sheboygan Red Skins
1943
Sheboygan Red Skins
Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons
1942
Oshkosh All-Stars
Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons
1941
Oshkosh All-Stars
Sheboygan Red Skins
1940
Akron Firestone Non-Skids
Oshkosh All-Stars
1939
Akron Firestone Non-Skids
Oshkosh All-Stars
1938
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
Oshkosh All-Stars

NBL Franchise History

2
Akron Firestone Non-Skids
1939
1940
2
Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons
1944
1945
2
Oshkosh All-Stars
1941
1942
1
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
1938
1
Anderson Duffy Packers
1949
1
Chicago American Gears
1947
1
Minneapolis Lakers
1948
1
Rochester Royals
1946
1
Sheboygan Red Skins
1943
Major League Sports Almanac