Ayrton Oneill
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America with 30 teams, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the US and Canada and is considered the premier men's basketball league in the world. The NBA was created on 3 August 1949, through the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA has since expanded internationally, with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories and merchandise sold on all seven continents.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 30 (29 in the US, 1 in Canada) |
| Founding date | 3 August 1949 (as the NBA) |
| Founding date (original league) | 6 June 1946 (as the BAA) |
| Headquarters | Midtown Manhattan, New York City |
| Number of franchises at founding | 17 |
| Number of teams in 1954-55 | 8 |
| Number of teams in 1966 | 9 |
| Number of teams in 1968 | 14 |
| Current champions | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Number of games per team | 82 |
| Number of languages programming is available in | 50+ |
| Number of countries and territories programming is available in | 215 |
| Number of countries and territories merchandise is sold in | 200+ |
| Number of social media followers | 2.1 billion |
| Number of grants awarded by the NBA Foundation | 227 |
| Amount awarded by the NBA Foundation | $100 million+ |
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What You'll Learn
The NBA's formation in 1949
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league formed in the United States in 1949. The NBA was created on August 3, 1949, after a three-year battle to win players and fans, when the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) and National Basketball League (NBL) merged. The BAA had established itself in bigger cities than the NBL, which existed in small Midwestern cities. The BAA and the nine-year-old NBL agreed on a merger when several teams faced financial difficulties.
The new NBA was made up of 17 teams that represented both small towns and large cities across the country. The inaugural 1949–50 NBA season featured these 17 teams, including the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics, as well as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and Waterloo Hawks. The early NBA was far from glamorous, with modest crowds, low salaries, and many teams operating on shoestring budgets. Games were often marred by rough play and low scoring, with the infamous tactic of stalling—holding the ball to run down the clock—making contests drag.
The NBA later adopted the BAA's history and considers its founding on June 6, 1946, as its own. The Syracuse Nationals and Tri-Cities Blackhawks joined the NBA in 1949 as part of the BAA-NBL merger. The NBA transformed the game in 1949 with the creation of the 24-second clock, making play faster-paced and more fun to watch. Fans returned, and the league, now financially solvent, expanded throughout the 1960s and '70s.
Today, the NBA attracts players and millions of fans from around the world. It represents the highest level of competition in the world of basketball.
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The NBA's international presence
The NBA has established a significant international presence, with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories and in over 50 languages. Merchandise is sold in over 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers across all league, team, and player platforms.
The NBA defines an "international" player as someone born outside the US. In the 2013-14 season, there were 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and comprising over 20% of the league. This trend has continued, with the 2017-18 season featuring 108 international players from 42 countries, and each team having at least one international player. The NBA has also seen success in recruiting international players, with stars such as Luca Doncic, Kristap Porzingis, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Atentokounmpo helping to grow the league's international fanbase.
The NBA has implemented several strategies to promote its international presence, including the "Basketball Without Borders" program, which involves hosting basketball camps globally to train and scout young players. The league also hosts show matches and regular-season games in foreign countries, and uses its players as foreign ambassadors to attract foreign audiences. The NBA has also invested resources in entering growing markets, such as China, where the league exploded in popularity in the mid-2000s with the help of Chinese player Yao Ming.
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The NBA's media and broadcasting
The NBA has a long history of broadcasting and media deals, with games being televised nationally in the United States since 1953. The league has signed numerous deals with major media companies over the years, with the goal of increasing the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans both in the US and worldwide.
In 2024, the NBA signed new 11-year media agreements with The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, and Amazon. These deals, worth $77 billion, represent a significant increase from the NBA's previous media rights deals. As part of these new agreements, ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video will telecast NBA games from the 2025-26 season through the 2035-36 season. This will see an increase in the number of games on free-to-air TV, with approximately 75 games per season being broadcast across ABC and NBC, up from a minimum of 15.
The new deals also include the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in reach for WNBA games across broadcast, cable, and streaming. NBC, in particular, has secured an 11-year media rights deal worth $2.5 billion per season, marking its return to NBA broadcasting after a 23-year absence. NBC will air regional broadcasts on Tuesdays and will also stream games exclusively on its streaming platform, Peacock.
The NBA has also emphasized that all games will be accessible from the NBA app, regardless of the platform they are on. With Amazon's entry into the NBA media landscape, there is potential for new features and viewing options for fans. The increased value of the media rights deals also underscores the league's growing popularity and the increasing value of live sports content.
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The NBA's teams and players
The NBA, or National Basketball Association, was formed in 1949 through the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA's regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The league currently consists of 30 teams, which are divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.
The Eastern Conference includes the following teams:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- New York Knicks
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors
- Washington Wizards
The Western Conference includes the following teams:
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
Over the years, the NBA has seen some of the most talented basketball players in the world. Some notable current and former players include:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- LeBron James
- Michael Jordan
- Kobe Bryant
- Magic Johnson
- Larry Bird
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Stephen Curry
- James Harden
The NBA is also known for its rich history and iconic teams, such as the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, who have a storied rivalry, and the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, who dominated the league in the 1990s.
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The NBA's social initiatives
The NBA has a long history of social activism and has launched several initiatives to address social issues and strengthen communities. One of these initiatives is the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, which aims to advance social justice and dismantle systemic racial inequality. The Coalition has partnered with various organizations to support more than 150 formerly incarcerated individuals. As part of its commitment to racial equality, the Coalition has awarded the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award to players who exemplify this spirit, such as Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
NBA Cares is another global social responsibility program that addresses important social issues and works to positively impact communities worldwide. It does this through partnerships with nationally and internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. Some of the organizations they work with include Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Vera Institute of Justice, UNICEF, Special Olympics, and more. NBA Cares also has an Employee Volunteer Program that offers opportunities for employees to give back to their communities while developing relationships with colleagues.
In addition to these initiatives, the NBA also has a Social Entrepreneurship program that encourages and supports the development of innovative faith-rooted social enterprises. These enterprises focus on creating new possibilities for communities and addressing health-related issues. The NBA's partnerships with these social enterprises help nurture an environment of support for nonprofit leaders, promoting sustainability and the growth of their impact.
Through these comprehensive initiatives, the NBA demonstrates its commitment to using basketball as a platform to bring about positive social change and strengthen communities globally.
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Frequently asked questions
The NBA is a professional basketball league in North America. It was founded in 1949 through the merger of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
The NBA currently has 30 teams, 29 of which are in the United States and 1 in Canada.
The NBA season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The league's playoff tournament then extends into June.
Notable NBA teams include the Boston Celtics, who have won the most NBA championships (18), the Los Angeles Lakers (17 championships), the Golden State Warriors, and the Chicago Bulls.
