NBA Basketball Facts

The sport of basketball was created in 1891 by Canadian Dr. James Naismith. The National Basketball Association (NBA) boasts 30 teams across the United States and Canada.

  1. History

    • The Basketball Association of America, the forerunner of the NBA was formed in 1946 and had 16 teams.

    Rules

    • All NBA games are 48 minutes long. A season includes 82 regular-season games followed by championship playoffs in which the top eight teams in each of two conferences compete.

    Salary Cap

    • The NBA's salary cap varies annually and is the set amount each team can spend on player salaries. The salary cap was $58.68 million for the 2008-09 season.

    Geography

    • The NBA has roots in the United States and Canada. The first NBA game was played in Toronto in 1946.

    Identification

    • In 1972 the NBA's official logo was changed from a red and white basketball to the silhouette of Jerry West---one of the greatest point guards in the NBA. Jerry West's dribbling silhouette has been the NBA's official logo for more than 30 years.

    Women's Game

    • The NBA formed the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996 with eight teams. More than 10 years after its inception, the WNBA has 13 teams across the United States.