National Basketball Association facts for kids
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| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 6, 1946 (as BAA), New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Inaugural season | 1946–47 |
| Commissioner | Adam Silver |
| No. of teams | 30 |
| Countries | United States (29 teams) Canada (1 team) |
| Headquarters | 645 Fifth Avenue New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Oklahoma City Thunder (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Boston Celtics (18 titles) |
| TV partner(s) |
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The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. It has 30 teams, with 29 in the United States and one in Canada. The NBA is one of the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada. Many people consider it the best professional basketball league in the world. Its main office is in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
The NBA started on August 3, 1949. This happened when two leagues, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL), joined together. The NBA decided to keep the BAA's history, so it officially counts its start date as June 6, 1946. Later, in 1976, the NBA also merged with the American Basketball Association (ABA). This added four more teams to the NBA. The NBA's regular season runs from October to April. Each team plays 82 games. After the regular season, there are playoffs that go into June. These playoffs end with the NBA Finals, where a champion team is crowned.
The NBA is part of USA Basketball (USAB), which is the official group for basketball in the United States. The NBA is the second richest professional sports league in the world. Only the National Football League (NFL) earns more money. As of 2020, NBA players were the highest paid athletes on average each year.
The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships, with 18 titles. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the current champions. They won their second title in the 2025 NBA Finals. Their first title was in 1979 when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
Contents
History of the NBA
How the NBA Started (1946–1956)
The NBA began as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946. It was started by owners of large ice hockey arenas in the Northeast and Midwest U.S. and Canada. The very first NBA game was played on November 1, 1946. The Toronto Huskies played against the New York Knickerbockers in Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers scored the first basket.
At first, the BAA wasn't much better than other basketball leagues. But it was the first to play in big city arenas. Before the 1948–49 season, some teams from the NBL joined the BAA. These included the Minneapolis Lakers and Rochester Royals.
The BAA and NBL decided to merge on August 3, 1949. This created the National Basketball Association. Maurice Podoloff, who was the BAA president, became the NBA president. The NBA decided to keep the BAA's history and records as its own.
The new league started with 17 teams. Over time, the number of teams became smaller. By 1954–55, there were only eight teams left. These teams included the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. All eight of these original teams are still in the league today, though some have moved to different cities.
Japanese-American player Wataru Misaka was the first non-white player in the BAA in the 1947–48 season. He played for the New York Knicks. Later, in 1950, several African-American players joined the league. These included Chuck Cooper and Earl Lloyd. During this time, the Minneapolis Lakers won five championships. They were the league's first great team, led by star player George Mikan. To make the game faster, the league added the 24-second shot clock in 1954.
Celtics' Golden Age and League Growth (1956–1979)
In 1957, a new player named Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics. With Russell, guard Bob Cousy, and coach Red Auerbach, the Celtics won 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. Another amazing player, Wilt Chamberlain, joined the league in 1959. He became a huge star in the 1960s, setting records like scoring 100 points in one game. The competition between Russell and Chamberlain was one of the best in sports history.
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The Celtics were incredibly dominant in the 1960s. They won eight championships in a row from 1959 to 1966. This is the longest championship streak in American professional sports. They won nine out of ten championships during that decade.
During this time, teams like the Minneapolis Lakers moved to Los Angeles. The league also added new teams, expanding from 9 to 14 teams between 1966 and 1968. New teams included the Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder).
In 1967, a new league called the American Basketball Association (ABA) started. Both leagues tried to sign the best players. The NBA got Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who became one of the best players of the 1970s.
In 1969, Alan Siegel designed the modern NBA logo. It shows the outline of a player, inspired by a photo of Jerry West. The NBA doesn't say it's one specific player. The logo first appeared in 1971 and is still used today.
The ABA signed many stars in the 1970s, like Julius Erving. The NBA also grew quickly, going from 9 teams to 18 by 1974. In 1976, the ABA and NBA merged. This added four ABA teams to the NBA: the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and New York Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets). Some of the biggest stars of this time were Abdul-Jabbar, Erving, and Moses Malone.
Rising Popularity and Bulls' Success (1979–1998)
The NBA added the three-point field goal in 1979. That same year, two new players, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, joined the league. Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Johnson for the Los Angeles Lakers. Their rivalry made many more fans interested in the NBA. They played against each other in three NBA Finals. In the 1980s, Johnson led the Lakers to five championships, and Bird led the Celtics to three. The NBA also added the Dallas Mavericks in the early 1980s, bringing the total to 23 teams. David Stern became the NBA Commissioner on February 1, 1984. He helped the league grow a lot during his time.
Michael Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls in 1984, making the league even more popular. In 1988 and 1989, four new teams joined: the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Minnesota Timberwolves. This brought the total to 27 teams. The Detroit Pistons won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the Bulls to win six championships in eight years between 1991 and 1998. Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to two championships in 1994 and 1995.
The 1992 Olympic basketball team, known as the "Dream Team," was the first to include active NBA stars. It featured Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, among others. This team was very famous and helped show NBA talent to the world.
In 1995, the NBA expanded to Canada with the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. In 1996, the NBA also created a women's league, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Lakers' and Spurs' Success (1998–2014)
In 1998, the NBA owners and players had a disagreement that stopped all league business for a while. This meant the season was shorter, with only 50 games.
After the Chicago Bulls team that won many championships broke up in 1998, teams from the Western Conference became very strong. The Los Angeles Lakers, coached by Phil Jackson, and the San Antonio Spurs, coached by Gregg Popovich, were especially successful. Together, they reached the NBA Finals 13 times in 16 seasons, winning 10 championships.
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Tim Duncan and David Robinson led the Spurs to win the 1999 championship. This was the first time a former ABA team won the NBA title. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to win three championships in a row from 2000 to 2002. The Spurs won again in 2003. In 2004, the Lakers returned to the Finals but lost to the Detroit Pistons.
After the Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002, the NBA brought a new team to Charlotte, North Carolina, called the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004. The New Orleans team temporarily moved to Oklahoma City for two seasons because of damage from Hurricane Katrina. They returned to New Orleans in 2007.
The league had some issues, including a fight between players and fans in 2004. The NBA responded by increasing security and limiting alcohol sales at games.
On April 18, 2008, the NBA approved the Seattle SuperSonics' request to move to Oklahoma City. The team settled a lawsuit with the city of Seattle and moved immediately. They became the Oklahoma City Thunder and started playing in the 2008–09 season.
The Lakers won two more championships in 2009 and 2010. The 2010 NBA All-Star Game had the largest crowd ever, with over 108,000 fans.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, star players LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. This group, called the "Big Three," led the Heat to the Finals for four years in a row. They lost in 2011, won in 2012 and 2013, and lost again in 2014.
The 2011–12 season started late because of another lockout. Players and owners agreed to a new deal, and the season was shortened to 66 games.
After the 2012–13 season, the New Orleans Hornets changed their name to the Pelicans. The Charlotte Bobcats then took back the Hornets name and also got the history and records of the original Charlotte team. So, the Hornets are now seen as a team that started in 1988, stopped playing in 2002, and restarted in 2004 as the Bobcats. The Pelicans are considered a new team that started in 2002.
On February 1, 2014, Commissioner David Stern retired after 30 years. His deputy, Adam Silver, became the new Commissioner.
Warriors' Success (2014–2022)
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After playing for the Miami Heat, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2014–15 season. He led the team to the Finals with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in six games. The Warriors were led by their star shooters, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, known as the "Splash Brothers." The Cavaliers and Warriors played against each other in the Finals a record four times in a row.
In the 2015–16 season, the Warriors had the best regular season record in NBA history, winning 73 games and losing only 9. However, the Cavaliers came back from being down 3–1 in the Finals to win their first championship that season. This ended a long championship drought for the city of Cleveland. In the 2016–17 season, the Warriors added Kevin Durant to their team. They went on to win the 2017 and 2018 Finals against the Cavaliers.
After LeBron James left in 2018, the Cavaliers stopped making the playoffs. The Warriors reached their fifth straight Finals in 2019 but lost to the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors won their first championship after getting Kawhi Leonard in a trade.
The 2019–20 season was stopped on March 11, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 4, 2020, the NBA decided to finish the season with 22 teams playing in a "bubble" at Walt Disney World. No fans were present at these games.
During the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns to win their second NBA championship. The Golden State Warriors made their sixth Finals appearance and won their fourth championship in eight years, defeating the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Finals.
New Era of Competition (2023–Present)
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In 2023, the NBA made a new agreement with its players. This agreement makes it harder for teams to sign many superstar players to very expensive contracts. This has led to a period where many different teams have a chance to win the championship. From 2019 to 2025, seven different teams won the title. This is the longest time in NBA history that a unique champion has been crowned each year. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said this system helps more teams compete for championships.
The 2022–23 NBA season saw the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokić, reach their first NBA Finals. They defeated the Miami Heat in five games to win their first NBA championship.
In the 2023–24 NBA season, the Boston Celtics won their 18th championship. They defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals. This was their first title since 2008.
The 2025 NBA playoffs featured four teams that had not won a championship in many decades or ever. The Oklahoma City Thunder ultimately defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the 2025 NBA Finals. This was the Thunder's second title in franchise history and their first since moving to Oklahoma City.
Global Impact of the NBA
More and more international players have joined the NBA. Players like Vlade Divac (from Serbia) and Dražen Petrović (from Croatia) were pioneers in the late 1980s. Since 2006, NBA teams have played exhibition games against European teams. On November 9, 2007, over 200 million people in China watched a game between the Houston Rockets (with Yao Ming) and the Milwaukee Bucks (with Yi Jianlian). This was the most-watched NBA game ever.
The 2013–14 season started with a record 92 international players. They came from 39 different countries. The NBA considers "international" players to be those born outside the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. This means players from U.S. territories like Puerto Rico are counted as international.
The 2017–18 season had a record 108 international players from 42 countries. In 2018, the Phoenix Suns hired Igor Kokoškov as their head coach. He was the first European coach to become a head coach in the NBA.
From the 2018–19 season to the 2024–25 season, the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award has been given to an international player for seven years in a row.
Some famous international players who have won NBA awards include:
- Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) – NBA champion, MVP, Finals MVP.
- Tony Parker (France) – four-time NBA champion, Finals MVP.
- Manu Ginóbili (Argentina) – four-time NBA champion.
- Yao Ming (China) – eight-time NBA All-Star.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) – NBA champion, Finals MVP, two-time NBA MVP.
- Nikola Jokić (Serbia) – NBA champion, Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP.
- Luka Dončić (Slovenia) – NBA Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA All-Star.
Many international players also attend U.S. colleges before joining the NBA. Examples include Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria), Steve Nash (Canada), and Joel Embiid (Cameroon).
Other Important Changes
In 2001, the NBA created a minor league called the National Basketball Development League. It is now known as the NBA G League.
A new official game ball was introduced in 2006. However, many players did not like it. They said it was too sticky when dry and too slippery when wet. Commissioner Stern announced that the league would return to the traditional leather basketball in 2007.
On April 29, 2014, Donald Sterling, who owned the Los Angeles Clippers, was banned from the NBA for life. This happened after some inappropriate comments he made became public. He was also fined a large amount of money.
Becky Hammon was hired by the San Antonio Spurs on August 5, 2014. She became the first full-time female coach in any of the four major professional sports in North America.
The NBA announced in 2016 that teams could sell sponsor patches on their jerseys. This started with the 2017–18 season. The NBA was the first major North American sports league to allow corporate logos on official team uniforms.
On July 6, 2017, the NBA updated its logo slightly. It looked mostly the same but had new lettering and colors. The NBA also released new Nike uniforms for all 30 teams starting in the 2017–18 season. Teams now have different uniform types, like "Association" (white) and "Icon" (color) editions.
In 2018, Commissioner Adam Silver supported the decision to allow sports betting. He believed it would make things more open and fair. The NBA later partnered with companies like DraftKings and FanDuel for sports betting.
NBA Teams
The NBA started in 1946 with 11 teams. Through changes like teams joining, leaving, or moving, the league now has 30 teams. Twenty-nine teams are in the United States, and one is in Canada.
The league divides its 30 teams into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference has 15 teams, split into three divisions with five teams each. This setup started in the 2004–05 season. Most teams are in the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada.
| Conference | Division | Team | Location | Arena | Capacity | Coordinates | Founded | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Atlantic | Boston Celtics | Boston, Massachusetts | TD Garden | 19,156 | 42°21′59″N 71°03′44″W / 42.366303°N 71.062228°W | 1946 | |
| Brooklyn Nets | Brooklyn, New York | Barclays Center | 17,732 | 40°40′58″N 73°58′29″W / 40.68265°N 73.974689°W | 1967* | 1976 | ||
| New York Knicks | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden | 19,812 | 40°45′02″N 73°59′37″W / 40.750556°N 73.993611°W | 1946 | |||
| Philadelphia 76ers | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Wells Fargo Center | 20,478 | 39°54′04″N 75°10′19″W / 39.901111°N 75.171944°W | 1946* | 1949 | ||
| Toronto Raptors | Toronto, Ontario | Scotiabank Arena | 19,800 | 43°38′36″N 79°22′45″W / 43.643333°N 79.379167°W | 1995 | |||
| Central | Chicago Bulls | Chicago, Illinois | United Center | 20,917 | 41°52′50″N 87°40′27″W / 41.880556°N 87.674167°W | 1966 | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Arena | 19,432 | 41°29′47″N 81°41′17″W / 41.496389°N 81.688056°W | 1970 | |||
| Detroit Pistons | Detroit, Michigan | Little Caesars Arena | 20,332 | 42°20′28″N 83°03′18″W / 42.341111°N 83.055°W | 1937* | 1948 | ||
| Indiana Pacers | Indianapolis, Indiana | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 17,923 | 39°45′50″N 86°09′20″W / 39.763889°N 86.155556°W | 1967 | 1976 | ||
| Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Fiserv Forum | 17,341 | 43°02′37″N 87°55′01″W / 43.043611°N 87.916944°W | 1968 | |||
| Southeast | Atlanta Hawks | Atlanta, Georgia | State Farm Arena | 16,600 | 33°45′26″N 84°23′47″W / 33.757222°N 84.396389°W | 1946* | 1949 | |
| Charlotte Hornets | Charlotte, North Carolina | Spectrum Center | 19,077 | 35°13′30″N 80°50′21″W / 35.225°N 80.839167°W | 1988* | |||
| Miami Heat | Miami, Florida | Kaseya Center | 19,600 | 25°46′53″N 80°11′17″W / 25.781389°N 80.188056°W | 1988 | |||
| Orlando Magic | Orlando, Florida | Kia Center | 18,846 | 28°32′21″N 81°23′01″W / 28.539167°N 81.383611°W | 1989 | |||
| Washington Wizards | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena | 20,356 | 38°53′53″N 77°01′15″W / 38.898056°N 77.020833°W | 1961* | |||
| Western | Northwest | Denver Nuggets | Denver, Colorado | Ball Arena | 19,520 | 39°44′55″N 105°00′27″W / 39.748611°N 105.0075°W | 1967 | 1976 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Target Center | 18,798 | 44°58′46″N 93°16′34″W / 44.979444°N 93.276111°W | 1989 | |||
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Paycom Center | 18,203 | 35°27′48″N 97°30′54″W / 35.463333°N 97.515°W | 1967* | |||
| Portland Trail Blazers | Portland, Oregon | Moda Center | 19,393 | 45°31′54″N 122°40′00″W / 45.531667°N 122.666667°W | 1970 | |||
| Utah Jazz | Salt Lake City, Utah | Delta Center | 18,306 | 40°46′06″N 111°54′04″W / 40.768333°N 111.901111°W | 1974* | |||
| Pacific | Golden State Warriors | San Francisco, California | Chase Center | 18,064 | 37°46′05″N 122°23′15″W / 37.768056°N 122.3875°W | 1946* | ||
| Los Angeles Clippers | Inglewood, California | Intuit Dome | 18,000 | 33°56′42″N 118°20′35″W / 33.9451°N 118.3431°W | 1970* | |||
| Los Angeles Lakers | Los Angeles, California | Crypto.com Arena | 19,079 | 34°02′35″N 118°16′02″W / 34.043056°N 118.267222°W | 1947* | 1948 | ||
| Phoenix Suns | Phoenix, Arizona | PHX Arena | 16,645 | 33°26′45″N 112°04′17″W / 33.445833°N 112.071389°W | 1968 | |||
| Sacramento Kings | Sacramento, California | Golden 1 Center | 17,608 | 38°38′57″N 121°31′05″W / 38.649167°N 121.518056°W | 1923* | 1948 | ||
| Southwest | Dallas Mavericks | Dallas, Texas | American Airlines Center | 19,200 | 32°47′26″N 96°48′37″W / 32.790556°N 96.810278°W | 1980 | ||
| Houston Rockets | Houston, Texas | Toyota Center | 18,055 | 29°45′03″N 95°21′44″W / 29.750833°N 95.362222°W | 1967* | |||
| Memphis Grizzlies | Memphis, Tennessee | FedExForum | 18,119 | 35°08′18″N 90°03′02″W / 35.138333°N 90.050556°W | 1995* | |||
| New Orleans Pelicans | New Orleans, Louisiana | Smoothie King Center | 16,867 | 29°56′56″N 90°04′55″W / 29.948889°N 90.081944°W | 2002* | |||
| San Antonio Spurs | San Antonio, Texas | Frost Bank Center | 18,418 | 29°25′37″N 98°26′15″W / 29.426944°N 98.4375°W | 1967* | 1976 | ||
Notes:
- An asterisk (*) means a team moved. You can find more details in each team's article.
- The Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, and Rochester Royals joined the NBA (BAA) in 1948 from the NBL.
- The Syracuse Nationals and Tri-Cities Blackhawks joined the NBA in 1949 when the BAA and NBL merged.
- The Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets joined the NBA in 1976 as part of the ABA–NBA merger.
- The Charlotte Hornets are seen as a continuation of the first Charlotte team. That team stopped playing in 2002 and rejoined in 2004. They were called the Bobcats from 2004 to 2014. The New Orleans Pelicans are seen as a new team started in 2002. They were first known as the New Orleans Hornets until 2013.
NBA Regular Season
Teams start training camps in late September. This is when coaches check out players, especially new ones. They also figure out the team's strengths and weaknesses. Teams prepare for the long regular season and decide on the 12 players who will be active. Players with less experience can be sent to the NBA G League. After training camp, there are some preseason games. These games are sometimes played in cities without NBA teams, both in the U.S. and other countries. The NBA regular season begins in mid-October.
During the regular season, each team plays 82 games. Half of these games are at home, and half are away. A team plays opponents in its own division four times a year. Each team plays six other teams in its conference four times. The remaining four teams in its conference are played three times. Finally, each team plays every team in the other conference twice.
Starting with the 2023–24 NBA season, the regular season includes an NBA In-Season Tournament. All games in this tournament, except the final, count towards the regular season standings.
The NBA is also the only major league that regularly schedules games on Christmas Day. The league has played games on this holiday since 1947. These games often feature the best teams and players. Christmas Day is also when the first NBA games of the season are shown on regular TV.
The NBA also plays games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day every year. This has happened since the holiday was first observed in 1986.
In February, the regular season pauses for the annual NBA All-Star Game. Fans vote for players from the U.S. and Canada. The players with the most votes in each conference become captains. Other All-Star starters are also chosen by fan votes. Coaches then pick the remaining 14 All-Stars. The best player in the All-Star Game gets an MVP award.
Other fun events during the All-Star break include:
- The Rising Stars Challenge: Top new players play in a game.
- The Skills Challenge: Players race through an obstacle course.
- The Three Point Contest: Players try to score the most three-point shots.
- The NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Players show off their best dunks.
Shortly after the All-Star break is the trade deadline. After this date, teams cannot trade players with each other. However, they can still sign or release players. Many big trades happen right before this deadline.
The regular season ends around mid-April. At this time, people vote for individual awards. These awards include:
- The NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award: For the best player who usually starts games from the bench.
- The NBA Rookie of the Year Award: For the best first-year player.
- The NBA Most Improved Player Award: For the player who has improved the most.
- The NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: For the league's best defender.
- The NBA Coach of the Year Award: For the coach who made the biggest positive difference.
- The NBA Most Valuable Player Award: For the player considered most valuable to his team.
There are also special teams chosen after the season:
- The All-NBA Team: The top players at each position.
- The All-Defensive Team: The top defenders.
- The All-Rookie Team: The top first-year players.
NBA Playoffs
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The NBA playoffs start in April, after the regular season and a special play-in tournament. The top eight teams from each conference compete for the championship. Teams are ranked based on their regular season record. A higher rank means a team usually plays a weaker opponent in the first round. The team with the better record in each series gets to play more games at home.
The playoffs are a tournament. Each team plays an opponent in a "best-of-seven" series. The first team to win four games moves on to the next round. The losing team is out of the playoffs. This continues until only one team from each conference is left. The NBA does not re-rank teams during the playoffs.
The final round is called the NBA Finals. It is a best-of-seven series between the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Finals are held every year in June. The team that wins the NBA Finals gets the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. Each player and important person on the winning team gets a championship ring. The best player in the Finals series also receives the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
NBA Championships
The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships, with 18 titles. The Los Angeles Lakers are second with 17 titles. The Golden State Warriors have seven titles, and the Chicago Bulls have six.
| Teams | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 18 | 5 | 23 | 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008, 2024 | 1958, 1985, 1987, 2010, 2022 |
| Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers | 17 | 15 | 32 | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020 | 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2004, 2008 |
| Philadelphia/San Francisco/Golden State Warriors | 7 | 5 | 12 | 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 | 1948, 1964, 1967, 2016, 2019 |
| Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 | — |
| San Antonio Spurs | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 | 2013 |
| Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1955, 1967, 1983 | 1950, 1954, 1977, 1980, 1982, 2001 |
| Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1989, 1990, 2004 | 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2006, 2012, 2013 | 2011, 2014, 2020, 2023 |
| New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1970, 1973 | 1951, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1994, 1999 |
| Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1979, 2025 | 1978, 1996, 2012 |
| Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1994, 1995 | 1981, 1986 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1971, 2021 | 1974 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2016 | 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
| St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1958 | 1957, 1960, 1961 |
| Baltimore/Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1978 | 1971, 1975, 1979 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1977 | 1990, 1992 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2011 | 2006, 2024 |
| Baltimore Bullets (original) (folded in 1954) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1948 | — |
| Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1951 | — |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2019 | — |
| Denver Nuggets | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2023 | — |
| Phoenix Suns | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | 1976, 1993, 2021 |
| Utah Jazz (formerly New Orleans Jazz) | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1997, 1998 |
| New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 2002, 2003 |
| Orlando Magic | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 1995, 2009 |
| Indiana Pacers | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 2000, 2025 |
| Chicago Stags (folded in 1950) | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1947 |
| Washington Capitols (folded in 1951) | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1949 |
Current teams that have not appeared in the NBA Finals:
- Charlotte Hornets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
Media Coverage
The NBA has a long history of showing its games on TV in the United States. The first national TV deal was in the 1953–54 season with DuMont Television Network. Later, NBC took over the rights. Starting with the 2025–26 season, ABC, NBC, ESPN, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video will show games nationally. Games not shown nationally are usually on local sports channels.
International Games
The NBA has played games against international club teams. From 1987 to 1999, an NBA team played against championship teams from Asia, Europe, and South America in the McDonald's Championship. The NBA team won this tournament every time.
Ticket Prices and Viewers
In 2022, an average NBA ticket cost about $77.75. Prices can change a lot depending on the city and if it's a regular season or playoff game. Tickets can range from $10 to $100,000.
In 2020, tickets for the NBA All-Star Game became very expensive, averaging around $2,600.
Who Watches the NBA?
According to a 2013 survey, the NBA had the youngest audience. About 45% of its viewers were under 35 years old. As of 2022, women make up about 30% of the viewership. As of 2014, 45% of viewers were African American, and 40% were white. This made it the only major North American sport without a white majority audience.
Outside the U.S., China is the NBA's biggest international market. About 800 million people in China watched the 2017–18 NBA season.
Important People in the NBA
Presidents and Commissioners
- Maurice Podoloff, President from 1946 to 1963
- Walter Kennedy, President from 1963 to 1967 and Commissioner from 1967 to 1975
- Larry O'Brien, Commissioner from 1975 to 1984
- David Stern, Commissioner from 1984 to 2014
- Adam Silver, Commissioner from 2014 to present
Players
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- Lists of National Basketball Association players
- List of foreign NBA players (players not from the United States)
Coaches
- List of current NBA head coaches
- List of NBA championship head coaches
- List of foreign NBA coaches
- List of female NBA coaches
NBA Cares
The NBA has a program called NBA Cares. This program works to help with important social issues around the world.
See also
In Spanish: National Basketball Association para niños
- List of NBA regular season records
- List of NBA awards
- List of NBA seasons
- NBA cheerleading
- List of NBA rivalries
- NBA salary cap
- List of NBA playoff series
- NBA Summer League
- List of NBA franchise post-season droughts
- List of NBA franchise post-season streaks
- NBA Store
