The National Basketball Association (NBA) is an American professional basketball league. The NBA is currently composed of 30 teams across the United States and one in Canada, and is headquartered in New York City. It is the world’s most popular men’s basketball league and is renowned for its fast-paced style of play. The league is also known for its star players, many of whom have gone on to become some of the most recognizable athletes in the world.
The league has seen a surge in popularity from fans around the world, and is working to capitalize on it. The NBA recently announced it would make a multiyear investment in international business, expanding the number of teams broadcast in foreign markets and investing in programs for kids. It also plans to increase its presence in India, where it already has a strong presence. The NBA expects its global business to account for 10% of its total team and league revenue this year, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
Each season starts with training camps in late September, where coaches evaluate their players, scout other teams, and prepare for the regular season. Teams select a 12-man active roster and a three-man inactive list from which to start the regular season. Inactive players are usually assigned to the NBA G League, where they can work on their game and improve their draft stock.
Regular season games begin in October, and teams play 82 regular-season games each year. The season ends in April, and the top six teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs. The top two seeds in each conference receive home-court advantage in the first round. The second- and third-place seeds play each other, and the fourth-place seed plays the fifth-place seed.
In addition to the regular season, the NBA also holds an annual All-Star Game. This is a three-day event that features a skills course, a three-point contest, and a slam dunk competition. Fans vote for All-Star Game participants, and the winners earn a championship ring.
The first team to win four of the best-of-seven games in the Finals wins the NBA championship. The winner receives the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, and its players, coaches, and front-office staff members receive a Bill Russell NBA Championship ring. The Finals typically take place in June, although there are some exceptions to this date. The NBA began as a series of mergers and contractions, with some of the original seventeen BAA franchises disappearing and others moving to larger cities (such as the Rochester Royals, Milwaukee Bullets, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, and Syracuse Nationals). The final NBA expansion in the 1950s brought the number of teams up to its current size of thirty.