Basketball has produced 36 memorable teams with names starting with the letter “S,” ranging from the “San Antonio Spurs” to “Stelmet Zielona Gora.” These clubs span the NBA, WNBA, college ranks, and top leagues across Europe, Asia, and Australia. You’ll find storied champions, defunct franchises with rich histories, and rising international clubs, each built around the same goal of putting a ball through a hoop more often than the other side.
Basketball teams are organized groups of players who compete together under a shared name, city, or region, representing that identity in league and tournament play. Some, like the Seattle SuperSonics, live on in fans’ memories decades after relocating or folding. Others, like the San Antonio Spurs, built dynasties around legendary coaching and star players that shaped how the modern game is played.
Below you’ll find the table with team, country, city, league, and description.
Team: the official name of the basketball team, as it’s known to fans, media, and league record books.
Country: the nation where the team is based, helping you place each club within its national basketball scene.
City: the specific city or town the team calls home, useful for understanding its local roots and fan base.
League: the competition or division the team plays in, showing you its level and geographic reach.
Description: a short summary of what makes the team notable, including history, achievements, or standout players.
Basketball Teams
| Team | country | city | league |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | United States | San Antonio | NBA |
| Sacramento Kings | United States | Sacramento | NBA |
| Seattle SuperSonics | United States | Seattle | NBA (defunct) |
| Syracuse Nationals | United States | Syracuse | NBA (defunct) |
| Seattle Storm | United States | Seattle | WNBA |
| San Antonio Stars | United States | San Antonio | WNBA (defunct) |
| Sydney Kings | Australia | Sydney | NBL |
| South East Melbourne Phoenix | Australia | Melbourne | NBL |
| Saski Baskonia | Spain | Vitoria-Gasteiz | Liga ACB / EuroLeague |
| Spartak Saint Petersburg | Russia | Saint Petersburg | VTB United League (defunct) |
| Mens Sana Basket Siena | Italy | Siena | Lega Basket Serie A (defunct) |
| SIG Strasbourg | France | Strasbourg | LNB Pro A |
| Spirou Basket Charleroi | Belgium | Charleroi | BNXT League |
| Dinamo Sassari | Italy | Sassari | Lega Basket Serie A |
| Slask Wroclaw | Poland | Wroclaw | Polish Basketball League |
| San Miguel Beermen | Philippines | Manila | PBA |
| Star Hotshots | Philippines | Manila | PBA (former name) |
| Shanghai Sharks | China | Shanghai | CBA |
| Shandong Heroes | China | Jinan | CBA |
| Shanxi Loongs | China | Taiyuan | CBA |
| Shenzhen Aviators | China | Shenzhen | CBA |
| Sichuan Blue Whales | China | Chengdu | CBA |
| Shiga Lakestars | Japan | Otsu | B.League |
| Sun Rockers Shibuya | Japan | Tokyo | B.League |
| Syracuse Orange | United States | Syracuse | NCAA (ACC) |
| Stanford Cardinal | United States | Stanford | NCAA (ACC) |
| Seton Hall Pirates | United States | South Orange | NCAA (Big East) |
| South Carolina Gamecocks | United States | Columbia | NCAA (SEC) |
| SMU Mustangs | United States | Dallas | NCAA (American) |
| Saint Mary’s Gaels | United States | Moraga | NCAA (WCC) |
| Santa Cruz Warriors | United States | Santa Cruz | G League |
| South Bay Lakers | United States | El Segundo | G League |
| Sioux Falls Skyforce | United States | Sioux Falls | G League |
| Spirits of St. Louis | United States | St. Louis | ABA (defunct) |
| San Diego Conquistadors | United States | San Diego | ABA (defunct) |
| Stelmet Zielona Gora | Poland | Zielona Gora | Polish Basketball League (former name) |
Descriptions
San Antonio Spurs
A five-time NBA champion franchise famous for stars like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Gregg Popovich’s disciplined coaching system.
Sacramento Kings
One of the oldest franchises in the NBA, known for the early-2000s “Greatest Show on Court” era led by Chris Webber.
Seattle SuperSonics
Beloved Seattle franchise that won the 1979 title before relocating to become the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008.
Syracuse Nationals
Original NBA franchise that won the 1955 championship before moving to Philadelphia to become the 76ers.
Seattle Storm
A powerhouse WNBA franchise with four league titles, headlined by stars Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart.
San Antonio Stars
Former WNBA club that relocated in 2018 to become the Las Vegas Aces.
Sydney Kings
A founding NBL club and multiple-time champion known for its passionate fanbase in Australia’s largest city.
South East Melbourne Phoenix
An NBL franchise relaunched in 2019 that quickly built a reputation for tough, physical basketball.
Saski Baskonia
A Basque club and EuroLeague regular known for developing young talent that often moves on to the NBA.
Spartak Saint Petersburg
A once-prominent Russian club that captured several national and European titles before folding.
Mens Sana Basket Siena
A dominant Italian club of the 2000s and early 2010s that won multiple Serie A titles before financial collapse.
SIG Strasbourg
A consistent French league contender known for strong youth development and steady EuroCup appearances.
Spirou Basket Charleroi
A historic Belgian club and one of the country’s most successful, with numerous domestic championships.
Dinamo Sassari
A Sardinian club that rose to prominence in the 2010s, winning Italian league and cup titles.
Slask Wroclaw
A well-established Polish club with a long history of domestic championships.
San Miguel Beermen
One of the most decorated teams in Philippine Basketball Association history, backed by the San Miguel Corporation.
Star Hotshots
A storied PBA franchise (now Magnolia Hotshots) known for a passionate fan following and multiple titles.
Shanghai Sharks
A Chinese Basketball Association club best known as the team that launched Yao Ming’s professional career.
Shandong Heroes
A CBA franchise with a solid domestic following, competing regularly in the Chinese top flight.
Shanxi Loongs
A CBA team known for aggressive, fast-paced play and a rotating cast of international imports.
Shenzhen Aviators
A modern CBA club representing the tech hub of Shenzhen in China’s top professional league.
Sichuan Blue Whales
A CBA franchise representing Sichuan province, competing in China’s premier basketball league.
Shiga Lakestars
A Japanese B.League club based near Lake Biwa, known for a loyal regional fan base.
Sun Rockers Shibuya
A Tokyo-based B.League franchise recognized for its urban branding and youthful roster approach.
Syracuse Orange
A storied college basketball program famed for its 2-3 zone defense and 2003 national championship under Jim Boeheim.
Stanford Cardinal
A prestigious college program with a strong women’s basketball dynasty under longtime coach Tara VanDerveer.
Seton Hall Pirates
A Big East program remembered for its heartbreaking loss in the 1989 NCAA championship game.
South Carolina Gamecocks
A women’s basketball powerhouse under coach Dawn Staley, winning multiple national championships in the 2020s.
SMU Mustangs
A Dallas-based college program that has enjoyed periodic tournament success across several conference eras.
Saint Mary’s Gaels
A perennial West Coast Conference contender known for disciplined, fundamentally sound basketball.
Santa Cruz Warriors
The NBA G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors, often used to develop young NBA talent.
South Bay Lakers
The G League development team for the Los Angeles Lakers, based in the South Bay region.
Sioux Falls Skyforce
One of the G League’s most successful franchises, having won multiple development-league titles.
Spirits of St. Louis
A colorful ABA franchise remembered for a lucrative “perpetuity” TV revenue deal after the 1976 NBA-ABA merger.
San Diego Conquistadors
A short-lived ABA club of the early 1970s known for briefly signing aging NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain.
Stelmet Zielona Gora
A Polish club that won consecutive national titles in the mid-2010s under its former sponsorship name.