Washington Wizards · Franchise era 2 of 8
The champion Bullets: the Washington Wizards story
Franchise era
1973–74—1980–81
The champion Bullets
Washington Wizards
The story in one sentence
A veteran, physical core reached three Finals in five seasons and won the 1978 championship.
01
Unseld and Hayes reach four Finals
02
Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes and Bob Dandridge gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for the long middle.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1973–74
What came before
The Packers became the Zephyrs and then the Baltimore Bullets, reaching the 1971 Finals after Unseld's immediate MVP impact.
1975
NBA Finals: Washington Bullets vs Golden State Warriors
1978
NBA Finals: Washington Bullets vs Seattle SuperSonics
1979
NBA Finals: Washington Bullets vs Seattle SuperSonics
After 1980–81
What came next
Washington remained competitive at times but won no playoff series as injuries and turnover prevented a full rebuild.
The core