The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. Founded in June 1946, the NBA is the most popular basketball league in the world, with a global following and an extensive presence on social media. The NBA has a strong focus on community through its foundation, NBA Cares, which partners with renowned community-based organizations to address important social issues, including education, inclusion, youth development and health and wellness.
The NBA was formed in June 1946 when Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Garden and founder of the Boston Celtics, realized that major ice hockey arenas would be empty most nights and could be used for basketball games. The NBA began with 17 teams and played a regular season of 48 games. The best eight teams advanced to the playoffs, where they played a best-of-seven series to determine a championship winner.
In the first years of the NBA, the game relied heavily on the play of big men like George Mikan; defensive genius Bill Russell, who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters; the dazzling ball-handler Bob Cousy; and Wilt Chamberlain. More recent superstars include Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The NBA also boasts a deep roster of legends that includes the likes of Charles Barkley and Julius Erving.
Today, the NBA has a global presence and features one of the most diverse fan bases in sports. The NBA continues to innovate and expand its reach in the world of basketball. In 2022, the league introduced a new rules package that allows teams to move players from the bench into the game at any time during a timeout, as long as a player hasn’t committed a foul. This change was designed to keep the pace of the game fast and allow teams to be more flexible in their lineups.
A team can have a maximum of 15 players, with 12 active for the duration of each game. Each quarter lasts 12 minutes and each overtime period is five minutes long. Each game has a shot clock that starts at 24 seconds. The point guard, who is often referred to as the “1,” controls the ball and sets up the offense. The most valuable players are those who lead their team in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Typically, the highest scorers are awarded three points for a successful basket and two points for an additional free-throw attempt after being fouled during a shooting attempt. Exceptions are made for players born in the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico, who are granted an extra point for a successful basket (known as an “and one”). In addition, some international players from countries that have not been declared wartime allies are awarded an additional point for a successful shot. The NBA also has a limited number of time-outs, a clock stoppage requested by the coach and, for televised games, sometimes mandated. These stoppages usually last for no more than one minute.