Kristian Ferrell
The NBA season typically runs from October to April, with the off-season taking place during the summer months. The upcoming 2025-26 NBA season is scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and end on April 12, 2026. The NBA also has a Summer League, providing year-round basketball for fans and an opportunity for players to secure a roster spot. The college basketball season usually runs from early November to early April, with the NCAA tournament concluding in late March.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Upcoming NBA season | 2025-26 |
| Regular season start date | 21 October 2025 |
| Regular season end date | 12 April 2026 |
| NBA Cup tournament dates | 31 October 2025 – 16 December 2025 |
| NBA All-Star Game date | 15 February 2026 |
| Play-in tournament dates | 14 April 2026 – 17 April 2026 |
| Playoffs start date | 18 April 2026 |
| NBA Finals start date | 4 June 2026 |
| Possible Game 7 date | 21 June 2026 |
| NBA Draft dates | 25 June 2025 – 26 June 2025 |
| Preseason neutral site games | Domestic non-NBA markets, foreign markets |
| Preseason non-NBA teams | Yes |
| Preseason games | Hosted at NBA teams' own arenas |
| Preseason start date | 4 October 2025 |
| College basketball season | November to early April |
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What You'll Learn
The upcoming 2025-26 NBA season
The 2025-26 NBA season is the upcoming 80th season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season is scheduled to begin on 21 October 2025 and end on 12 April 2026. The third edition of the in-season NBA Cup tournament is planned to be held from 31 October through 16 December 2025. The NBA Cup will have the same basic structure as before: all games except the championship final will count towards the regular-season standings. This will be followed by the play-in tournament from 14 to 17 April 2026, with the playoffs beginning the next day. The NBA Finals are scheduled to start on 4 June, with a possible Game 7 on 21 June.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for 15 February 2026 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. ESPN Radio has the rights to select regular-season games, all playoff games, and the NBA Finals. This will be the first year of new 11-year deals with the ESPN family of networks, NBC Sports, and Amazon Prime Video.
The 2025 NBA draft took place on 25–26 June at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. On 29 June 2025, Bojan Bogdanović announced his retirement from professional basketball, citing recurring foot injuries. He played for six teams in his ten-year NBA career.
There have been several changes in head coaches ahead of the 2025-26 season. On 6 July 2025, the largest trade in NBA history was completed, involving seven teams and 13 players, with the Houston Rockets acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer on 14 April 2025, and the Sacramento Kings hired Doug Christie as their full-time head coach on 1 May 2025. Gregg Popovich stepped down as Spurs head coach on 2 May 2025, and the Memphis Grizzlies hired Tuomas Iisalo as their full-time head coach the same day. The Denver Nuggets hired David Adelman as their full-time head coach on 22 May 2025, and the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on 3 June 2025. The Phoenix Suns hired Jordan Ott as their head coach on 6 June 2025.
The Wells Fargo Center, the home of the Philadelphia 76ers, will be renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena on 1 September 2025, under a new naming rights deal with Xfinity Mobile.
ESPN's writers have reflected on what to expect in the offseason and the 2025-26 season, which is expected to be competitive and unpredictable. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2025 NBA champions and are expected to remain strong, while the Magic are predicted to make a leap in the Eastern Conference standings after a difficult 2024-25 season. The Kings will have more time to rebalance their roster after trading De'Aaron Fox for Zach LaVine, and the Raptors have also reshaped their roster over the past 18 months.
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Preseason games and training camps
For the 2024-25 season, training camps opened on September 24 for teams participating in preseason games outside of North America, such as the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets, who played preseason games in Abu Dhabi. The remaining teams' training camps opened on September 29 or October 1, depending on the source.
The preseason games serve as a warm-up for the regular season, allowing teams to fine-tune their strategies and test their mettle against other teams. These games are hosted at NBA teams' arenas or at neutral sites, including foreign markets. Each team typically plays around four to five preseason games. For the 2024-25 season, the preseason games kicked off on October 4, with the Utah Jazz facing the New Zealand Breakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves clashing with the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA preseason for the 2025-26 season is scheduled to begin on October 4 as well, with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets once again participating in the Abu Dhabi preseason games.
The preseason and training camps are not just about gameplay and strategy. Media days are an integral aspect of this period, providing teams with an opportunity to connect with the press and generate buzz around their rosters. For the 2024-25 season, media days were held in late September and early October, with most teams conducting them on September 30.
The NBA preseason typically concludes in mid-October, marking the final preparations before the commencement of the highly anticipated regular season.
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Regular season schedules
The NBA regular season typically begins in October and ends in April the following year, allowing for a full 82-game season, including playoffs. The upcoming 2025-26 NBA season will follow this schedule, with the regular season set to begin on October 21, 2025, and end on April 12, 2026. The NBA Cup, an in-season tournament, will be held from October 31 to December 16, 2025, as part of the regular season.
The NBA's regular season schedule typically involves each team playing 82 games. However, adjustments may be made to ensure all teams play an equal number of games. For example, in the 2024-25 season, the first two rounds of the tournament counted as regular-season games 81 and 82, with the championship game being an extra, non-counting game.
The NBA also hosts preseason games, which may be held at NBA teams' arenas or neutral sites, including international locations. Preseason typically begins in late September or early October, with training camps opening a few weeks prior. For the 2025-26 season, preseason games are scheduled to start on October 4, 2025, with media days and training camps opening in late September.
The college basketball season typically runs from early November to early April, with the NCAA tournament concluding in late March. This season structure is similar to the NBA's, though college teams play a shorter schedule, typically 25-35 games per season.
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Playoffs and finals
The NBA season usually begins in October and ends in April of the following year, with the playoffs taking place after the regular season concludes. The 2025-26 NBA season is scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and end on April 12, 2026. The playoffs are scheduled to start on April 18, 2026, with the NBA Finals commencing on June 4 and concluding on June 21 if a seventh game is required.
The NBA's regular season typically consists of 82 games for each team, with the playoffs taking place after the regular season ends. The playoffs typically last for around two months, with the NBA Finals determining the league champion. The playoffs and finals are a single-elimination tournament, with teams competing in best-of-seven series to advance through the rounds.
The NBA Playoffs are a thrilling time for basketball fans, as the league's top teams battle it out for a chance to win the NBA championship. The playoffs usually feature 16 teams, with eight teams from each conference qualifying based on their regular-season records. The teams with the best records in each conference are seeded against the teams with the worst records, ensuring that the best teams face off in the later rounds.
The first round of the playoffs pits the top-seeded teams against the lower-seeded teams, with the winners advancing to the next round. The second round, or conference semifinals, feature the remaining teams battling for a spot in the conference finals. The conference finals determine the champions of the Eastern and Western conferences, who then advance to the NBA Finals to compete for the championship.
The NBA Finals are the pinnacle of the NBA season, with the two conference champions facing off in a best-of-seven series to crown the league champion. The Finals are a highly anticipated event, with fans eagerly watching to see which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. The Finals usually take place in June, bringing an exciting conclusion to the NBA season.
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Summer leagues
Basketball is a year-round sport, with the NBA season typically starting in October and ending in April the following year. The 2025-26 NBA season is scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and end on April 12, 2026.
However, the NBA also has a Summer League, which provides players with an opportunity to secure a roster spot and offers fans basketball throughout the year. Summer leagues for youth basketball are also available, with organizations like i9 Sports and Gold Crown Basketball offering camps, clinics, and leagues for players of all skill levels. These programs focus on introducing young athletes to the fundamentals of the game, such as shooting, dribbling, and passing, while also emphasizing the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun.
Summer basketball leagues for youth vary in structure and duration. Some programs offer summer camps that run for a few weeks during the summer vacation period. Others may have longer seasons that span the entire summer or even multiple months, including pre-and post-summer months. These leagues often cater to different age groups, with separate divisions or brackets for younger and older participants to ensure fair competition.
The availability of summer basketball leagues can depend on various factors, including geographic location, demand, and organizational capacity. Some leagues may be city-specific, while others might cover wider regions or even operate on a national scale. The popularity of basketball in an area can also influence the number and frequency of leagues available. For example, urban areas with a higher population density might have more summer league options compared to rural areas.
Summer basketball leagues often emphasize skill development, sportsmanship, and fun. They provide an opportunity for young athletes to improve their basketball skills, make new friends, and stay active during the summer break from school. These leagues can also serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing talented players, with some leagues offering advanced programs or pathways for exceptional performers.
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Frequently asked questions
The NBA season typically starts in October and ends in April the following year. The 2025-26 season is scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and end on April 12, 2026.
James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, designed the sport to be played indoors during the winter months so that athletes wouldn't have to play outside in the cold.
Typically, each team plays 82 games during the regular season, followed by the playoffs. However, the number of games may vary due to special circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yes, the NBA has a Summer League, which provides an opportunity for players fighting for a roster spot to showcase their skills. This league offers fans some form of NBA action throughout the year.
The college basketball season usually runs from early November to early April, with the NCAA tournament concluding in March.
