I still remember the first time I saw the faded black-and-white photograph of the 1947 Philadelphia Warriors—their wool uniforms, the simple leather basketball, the genuine smiles of men who had no idea they were making history. As someone who's spent over a decade covering basketball, I've always been fascinated by origins, and that brings us to a fundamental question: who was the first NBA champion? That historic 1947 winner wasn't just a team; they were pioneers setting the tone for everything that followed, much like veteran players today must guide younger teammates toward consistency.

The Basketball Association of America, which would become the NBA three years later, was a precarious venture in its inaugural 1946-47 season. Only eleven teams competed, player salaries were modest (the highest being around $8,000-$10,000, a far cry from today's supermax contracts), and the league's very survival was uncertain. The Philadelphia Warriors, led by coach Eddie Gottlieb, emerged as the dominant force. Their star was Joe Fulks, a revolutionary player nicknamed "Jumpin' Joe," who pioneered the jump shot in an era dominated by set shots. He averaged a phenomenal 23.2 points per game in a time when entire teams often didn't reach 70 points. This context is crucial because it mirrors the dynamics modern coaches discuss with their veteran leaders. I'm reminded of a quote I came across from a Filipino coach discussing team hierarchy: "Yun naman 'yung pinag-uusapan namin ni coach LA kasi alam naming na may plano sa amin especially sa amin na nagkaka-edad. Kaya naman ineencourage namin 'yung first group na kailangan maging consistent at set ng tone sila lagi sa game." This philosophy—that the experienced core must set the standard—was just as true for the 1947 Warriors. Fulks and his teammates were that first group, establishing the aggressive, high-scoring tempo that would define professional basketball.

The playoffs were a straightforward, though grueling, affair. The Warriors finished the regular season with a solid 35-25 record, good enough for first place in the Eastern Division. They then battled through the Chicago Stags in the semifinals before facing those same Stags again in the finals (a result of a quirky early playoff format). The championship series was a best-of-five showdown. After splitting the first four games, the stage was set for a winner-take-all Game 5 in Philadelphia. The atmosphere must have been electric, albeit for a crowd of just over 8,000 spectators. The Warriors, true to their identity, secured the title with a 83-80 victory. Joe Fulks, despite an off-shooting night, still contributed 14 points, while Howie Dallmar hit the series-clinching shot. This victory answered the question "who was the first NBA champion?" with finality: it was the Philadelphia Warriors, a team built around a revolutionary scorer and a resilient, veteran-led roster.

Looking back with a modern lens, it's almost amusing how different that first championship was. There was no lavish parade, no massive media coverage, and the championship trophy itself was a modest affair compared to the Larry O'Brien trophy today. The players returned to their offseason jobs, many unaware of the legacy they had just begun. From my perspective, this humility adds to their legend. Today's superteams and superstar movements are exciting, but there's a raw purity to that 1947 title run. They weren't chasing rings; they were defining what a ring even meant. The Warriors' victory established the blueprint for championship basketball: a go-to scorer, a cohesive unit, and a collective will to set the tone every single night. It’s a blueprint that, as that coach's quote emphasizes, remains relevant. The "first group" still carries the responsibility of consistency.

In the end, the story of who was the first NBA champion is more than a trivia answer. It's the origin story of the league itself. The 1947 Philadelphia Warriors didn't just win a title; they validated a fledgling league and set a competitive standard that echoes through the decades. Every time a modern veteran leader gathers his team to demand better effort and focus, he's channeling the same spirit that propelled Jumpin' Joe Fulks and his teammates to that historic win. They were the first to climb the mountain, and in doing so, they showed everyone else the path.