The San Diego Clippers represented the NBA in Southern California from 1978 to 1984. Although the franchise struggled on the court and never reached the playoffs during its six seasons in San Diego, it featured several outstanding players, including Bill Walton, World B. Free, Terry Cummings, Marques Johnson, and Norm Nixon. Today, the franchise continues as the Los Angeles Clippers, but its roots in San Diego remain an important chapter in NBA history.
From Buffalo to San Diego
The franchise began life as the Buffalo Braves, one of the NBA’s 1970 expansion teams.
In 1978, following an unusual ownership swap involving the Buffalo Braves and the Boston Celtics, new owner Irv Levin relocated the franchise to San Diego, California.
The move gave San Diego its second NBA team. The city had previously been home to the San Diego Rockets, who relocated to Houston in 1971.
The team’s new nickname, “Clippers,” was inspired by the fast sailing ships that frequented San Diego Bay during the nineteenth century.
The Clippers played their home games at the San Diego Sports Arena.
Early Years
The Clippers inherited several talented players from Buffalo, including All-Star guard Randy Smith, but the team struggled to find consistent success.
During their inaugural season in San Diego (1978-79), the Clippers finished 43-39, narrowly missing the playoffs.
Despite falling short, the winning record remains one of the best seasons in franchise history before the move to Los Angeles.
Head coach Gene Shue helped make the Clippers competitive despite frequent injuries.
Bill Walton Comes Home
One of the franchise’s biggest acquisitions came before the 1979-80 season, when San Diego acquired former NBA MVP Bill Walton from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Walton, a San Diego native who had starred at nearby UCLA, was expected to become the face of the franchise.
Unfortunately, chronic foot injuries severely limited his availability.
Walton appeared in only 14 games for the Clippers over two seasons before missing the entire 1980-81 season.
His inability to stay healthy prevented San Diego from becoming a legitimate playoff contender.
World B. Free Becomes a Superstar
While Walton battled injuries, explosive guard World B. Free emerged as one of the NBA’s premier scorers.
Acquired from the Golden State Warriors in 1980, Free quickly became one of the league’s most exciting offensive players.
During the 1980-81 season, he averaged 28.8 points per game, earning his first NBA All-Star selection.
Free became one of the most popular players in franchise history because of his spectacular scoring ability.
Building Through the Draft
The Clippers continued adding talented young players throughout the early 1980s.
The franchise selected Terry Cummings with the second overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft.
Cummings made an immediate impact, averaging over 23 points and 10 rebounds per game while winning the 1983 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
San Diego also added talented forward Tom Chambers, giving the franchise one of the league’s brightest young frontcourts.
Despite the individual success of its stars, the Clippers continued to struggle defensively and remained outside the playoff picture.
Donald Sterling Purchases the Franchise
In 1981, controversial Los Angeles real estate developer Donald Sterling purchased the Clippers from Irv Levin.
Sterling soon became dissatisfied with attendance and financial performance in San Diego.
Although local support improved at times, the team faced stiff competition from the Los Angeles Lakers, whose “Showtime” dynasty dominated Southern California basketball.
The Final Season
The Clippers made one last attempt to become contenders before leaving San Diego.
The team acquired All-Star guard Norm Nixon and forward Marques Johnson, pairing them with Terry Cummings.
Although the roster featured significant talent, injuries and inconsistency again kept the Clippers out of the playoffs.
Following the 1983-84 season, Donald Sterling relocated the franchise approximately 120 miles north to Los Angeles without prior NBA approval.
The NBA initially opposed the move, leading to legal battles before ultimately allowing the Clippers to remain in Los Angeles.
Legacy in San Diego
Although the San Diego Clippers never reached the playoffs, they featured several memorable players and helped keep NBA basketball alive in San Diego following the departure of the Rockets.
Among the franchise’s notable accomplishments were:
- Bill Walton’s return to his hometown.
- World B. Free becoming one of the NBA’s top scorers.
- Terry Cummings winning the 1983 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
- Developing future stars including Tom Chambers.
- Maintaining NBA basketball in San Diego for six seasons.
The franchise also established the “Clippers” nickname, which remains in use today.
Notable Players
- Bill Walton
- World B. Free
- Terry Cummings
- Tom Chambers
- Marques Johnson
- Norm Nixon
- Randy Smith
- Swen Nater
- Sidney Wicks
- Freeman Williams
Individual Awards
| Award | Player | Year |
|---|---|---|
| NBA Rookie of the Year | Terry Cummings | 1983 |
| NBA All-Star | World B. Free | 1980 |
| NBA All-Star | Terry Cummings | 1984 |
| NBA All-Star | Marques Johnson | 1984 |
Season Results
| Season | Record | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 43-39 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1979-80 | 35-47 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1980-81 | 36-46 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1981-82 | 17-65 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1982-83 | 25-57 | Missed Playoffs |
| 1983-84 | 30-52 | Missed Playoffs |
Legacy
The San Diego Clippers occupy a unique place in NBA history. Although they never reached the playoffs, the team served as the bridge between the Buffalo Braves and the modern Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise showcased stars such as World B. Free, Bill Walton, Terry Cummings, Tom Chambers, and Marques Johnson while establishing the “Clippers” identity that continues today.
While the club’s stay in San Diego lasted only six seasons, it remains an important chapter in the evolution of one of the NBA’s oldest continuously operating franchises. Many basketball fans in San Diego still remember the Clippers fondly and continue to hope that the city will once again become home to an NBA franchise.