The Basketball Season: Return And Restart Dates

when does basketball start again

The 2024-25 NBA season will tip off on October 22, 2024, with the Boston Celtics hosting the New York Knicks, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. The preseason will run until October 18, with teams playing neutral site preseason games in domestic non-NBA markets, foreign markets, or against non-NBA teams. The season will feature new logos and uniforms for several teams, including the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, and Memphis Grizzlies. The NBA Cup, formerly known as the In-Season Tournament, will start on November 12, with the championship game taking place on December 17. The NBA All-Star Game will be held in San Francisco, CA, from February 14-16, 2025.

Characteristics Values
2024-25 NBA season start date October 22, 2024
NBA preseason end date October 18, 2024
NBA Jersey Day October 21, 2024
NBA G League Draft October 26, 2024
NBA Mexico City Game 2024 November 2, 2024
NBA G League Training Camp October 28, 2024 - November 7, 2024
NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament November 8, 2024
Emirates NBA Cup November 12, 2024
Emirates NBA Cup Championship December 17, 2024
World Basketball Day December 21, 2024
NBA Paris Games January 23 & 25, 2025
NBA Trade Deadline February 6, 2025
NBA All-Star Game February 14-16, 2025

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The 2024-25 NBA preseason and regular season start dates

The 2024-25 NBA preseason will begin on October 4 and end on October 18. The preseason will feature games in Abu Dhabi, Montreal, Melbourne, Sacramento, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, and London. The NBA preseason will also include the California Classic Summer League and the Salt Lake City Summer League.

The 2024-25 NBA regular season will start on October 22. The regular season will include the NBA Cup, formerly known as the In-season tournament, which will feature six intraconference pools of five (three pools per conference). The NBA Cup group games will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays between November 12 and December 3. The NBA Playoffs are set to begin on April 19, 2025, with the first round starting on this date. The NBA Regular Season will conclude on April 13, 2025, with all 30 teams playing. The rosters for the NBA Playoffs will be set on April 14, 2025, at 3 p.m. ET.

The NBA preseason is an important period for teams to evaluate their rosters, experiment with new strategies, and prepare for the upcoming competitive regular season. It offers an opportunity for players to get accustomed to each other and for coaches to try out different lineups and tactics.

The regular season, on the other hand, is the primary phase of the NBA calendar, featuring a series of games played by all 30 teams in the league. It usually spans several months, with teams competing to secure a spot in the playoffs and ultimately strive for the NBA championship. During the regular season, teams travel across the country to face their opponents, and fans get to witness the skills, strategies, and star players of their favorite teams in action.

The 2024-25 NBA season promises to be an exciting one, with key dates including the NBA Mexico City Game on November 2, NBA G League Draft on October 26, and the NBA All-Star break from February 14 to 19. The season will also feature the NBA Christmas Day games, which will be aired on ESPN and ABC, and the NBA Draft, taking place from June 25 to 26, 2025.

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2024 NBA draft

The 2024 NBA draft was the 78th edition of the annual event. It took place over two nights, making it the first draft to be held over multiple nights since being shortened to two rounds. The first round was held on June 26, 2024, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and the second round took place on June 27 at ESPN's Seaport District Studios in Manhattan.

The 2024 NBA draft consisted of 58 picks, instead of the usual 60, due to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns losing a second-round pick for violating the NBA's tampering rules during free agency. The Atlanta Hawks selected French teenager Zaccharie Risacher as the No. 1 overall pick. France produced three of the top 10 picks, with Risacher being joined by Alex Sarr and Tidjane Salaün. This made France only the second nation after the US to have at least three native players picked in the top 10 spots of any NBA draft.

Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, was selected 55th overall in the second round, becoming the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA. The NBA G League regular season began on December 27, with 10-day contracts allowed to be signed from January 5, 2025. The NBA All-Star break took place from February 14-19, 2025.

The 2024-25 NBA season began on October 22, 2024, with the Kia NBA Tip-Off. The NBA Preseason ended on October 18, and rosters were set for the NBA Opening Day on October 21.

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2024-25 NBA schedule

The 2024-25 NBA season is an exciting and busy one, with plenty of key dates for fans to keep in mind. The regular season will conclude on April 13, 2025, with all 30 teams playing. The NBA G League Playoffs will begin on April 1, with the final game of the regular season taking place on April 13. The NBA Play-In Tournament will then take place from April 15-18, with the top six teams from each conference automatically qualifying for the playoffs. The remaining teams, from 7-10 seeds, will compete in the Play-In Tournament for their chance to continue in the postseason.

The first round of the NBA Playoffs will start on April 19, with the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV beginning on June 5, 2025, and exclusively broadcast on ABC. The NBA Draft will take place on June 25-26, with the NBA Preseason: Melbourne Series—New Orleans Pelicans vs. NBL teams—on October 3 and 5 in Melbourne, Australia.

The NBA Cup, formerly the In-Season Tournament, will return for the 2024-25 season, with Tuesdays and Fridays between November 12 and December 3 featuring group games. ESPN will air games primarily on Wednesday and Friday nights, with some games on other nights. ABC will air NBA Saturday Primetime games on eight Saturdays between December and March, and NBA Sunday Showcase games on five Sunday afternoons in February and March. ESPN will also have exclusive coverage of NBA games on Christmas Day.

Some notable moments from the 2024-25 NBA season so far include the Boston Celtics tying the record for the most three-pointers made in a single game on October 22, 2024, with 29 wins over the New York Knicks. On the same night, LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant for the most field goals missed in NBA history. On October 25, LeBron James became the first player to record a triple-double in his 22nd season and the oldest player to lead both teams in points, rebounds, and assists in a game. On October 28, Kevin Durant became the eighth player to score 29,000 points.

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2024-25 NBA key dates

The NBA season typically runs from October to April, with the league's playoff tournament extending into June. Here are the key dates for the 2024-25 NBA season:

July 2024

The NBA season tips off in July with the France Basketball Olympic exhibition games, which are held from July 3 to July 21. The California Classic Summer League and the Salt Lake City Summer League also take place in July, along with several USA Basketball Showcases in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, and London.

September 2024

The month of September is marked by the start of training camps and media days for the NBA teams. The first allowable date for players participating in preseason games is the 24th, with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets holding their media days on the 24th and 26th, respectively. The remaining 28 NBA teams hold their media day on the 30th.

October 2024

October is a busy month for the NBA, with the start of the regular season and several key events:

  • 1st: NBA Training Camps open
  • 4th: NBA Preseason games and the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 begin
  • 6th: NBA Canada Series (Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards in Montreal)
  • 10th: WNBA Finals, Game 1
  • 12th-13th: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend and Nets vs. Suns Preseason Game
  • 13th: WNBA Finals, Game 2
  • 15th: WNBA Finals, Game 3
  • 16th: WNBA Finals, Game 4
  • 18th: NBA Preseason ends and WNBA Finals, Game 5
  • 21st: NBA Jersey Day and Rosters set for NBA Opening Day
  • 22nd: Start of the 2024-25 NBA regular season and Kia NBA Tip-Off 2024
  • 26th: NBA G League Draft and NBA Mexico City Game 2024 (Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards)

November 2024

In November, the NBA season continues with all 30 teams in action:

  • 2nd: NBA Mexico City Game 2024 (Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards)
  • 4th: All 30 teams in action, with the first game tipping off at 7 p.m. ET
  • 5th: Election Day (no games)
  • 8th: NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
  • 12th: Emirates NBA Cup begins
  • 30th: Rosters set for NBA G League Opening Day

December 2024

The holiday season in December brings some exciting matchups and the start of the NBA G League regular season:

  • 3rd: Emirates NBA Cup Group Stage concludes
  • 10th-11th: Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals
  • 21st: World Basketball Day
  • 25th: Christmas Day games, featuring Spurs at Knicks, Timberwolves at Mavericks, Sixers at Celtics, Lakers at Warriors, and Nuggets at Suns
  • 27th: NBA G League 34-game regular season begins

January 2025

The new year kicks off with contract signings and Martin Luther King Jr. Day games:

  • 5th: 10-day contracts may now be signed
  • 10th: All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
  • 17th: 3-for-1 All-Star Voting Day
  • 20th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day games: Mavericks at Hornets, Timberwolves at Grizzlies, and Celtics at Warriors

February 2025

The NBA Trade Deadline and the All-Star break highlight the month of February:

  • 4th: Castrol Rising Stars Draft
  • 6th: NBA Trade Deadline and All-Star Draft
  • 14th-19th: NBA All-Star break

April 2025

The NBA Regular Season ends in April, followed by the start of the NBA Playoffs:

  • 13th: NBA Regular Season ends
  • 14th: Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2025
  • 15th-18th: The 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
  • 19th: The first round of the NBA Playoffs
  • 26th: NBA Early Entry Deadline

May 2025

The NBA Playoffs continue in May, with the Conference Semifinals and Finals taking place:

  • 5th-6th: Conference Semifinals begin
  • 16th: Western Conference Finals – Game 3
  • 17th: Eastern Conference Finals – Game 3
  • 18th: Western Conference Finals – Game 4

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2024-25 NBA new uniforms and logos

The 2024-25 NBA season has brought several changes in uniforms and logos for many teams. While some teams have undergone a complete rebrand, others have made minor adjustments to their uniforms and logos.

The Los Angeles Lakers, for instance, unveiled their 2024-25 City Edition uniforms, dubbed the "California Destiny" set. These uniforms feature a black-to-purple gradient effect on the jerseys and shorts and a "Lake Show" wordmark across the chest. However, after a 1-9 start to the season, the Lakers scrapped these uniforms for the remainder of the season.

The Clippers also revealed a new logo and wordmark, showcasing their new home in Inglewood after 25 seasons in downtown Los Angeles. Their updated NBA Cup court features this new logo, while their City Edition uniforms swap the navy blue from last year's design for light blue.

The Utah Jazz is in the process of transitioning to a new uniform design over two seasons. They debuted their new Statement Edition set during a game against the Atlanta Hawks. Additionally, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves have also unveiled their 2024-25 City Edition uniforms, celebrating the unique characteristics of their respective cities.

The NBA has also renamed the In-Season Tournament as the Emirates NBA Cup, following a multi-year partnership with the global airline company. The league has unveiled the court design for the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup semifinals and championship game, taking place in December at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Frequently asked questions

The 2024-25 NBA preseason started in June 2024 and the regular season will start on October 22, 2024.

The NBA offseason started in April 2024, following the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBA season.

The NBA preseason started in July 2024 and will end on October 18, 2024.

The NBA regular season will start on October 22, 2024, with the Boston Celtics hosting the New York Knicks.

The NBA All-Star break will take place from February 14 to February 19, 2025.

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