The NBA has revealed that 170 million people in the United States watched regular-season games this year, marking an 86% increase fuelled by the league’s new broadcast partnerships.
This monumental growth represents the best domestic audience figures recorded by the North American basketball organisation in 24 years.
The staggering surge coincides with the first year of a groundbreaking 11-year media rights deal worth more than $76bn (£59.8bn).
New network partners drive record engagement
Fans consumed content across four primary platforms this season, including traditional stalwarts ABC and ESPN.
Amazon Prime Video joined the rotation for the very first time, bringing an entirely new streaming audience to the sport.
Meanwhile, NBC and its Peacock streaming service returned to the hardwood for the first time in a generation.
Historic milestones across multiple metrics
The positive trend extended well beyond standard television ratings, with the league releasing a series of impressive statistical milestones.
- Average network viewership jumped by 35% to reach its highest level in 13 years.
- People tuned into live basketball action for more than 920 million hours, the highest cumulative total since the 2011-12 campaign.
- The midseason All-Star Game captured an average audience of 8.8 million to secure its largest turnout since 2011.
- Interest in the in-season NBA Cup group stage skyrocketed with a 90% viewing increase.
Social media and physical attendance boom
Digital engagement easily matched the traditional broadcast success.
The organisation’s official social media channels generated an unprecedented 228 billion views over the course of the campaign.
Physical attendance over the past three seasons in arenas across the continent is now higher than any other three-year span in history.
A total of 57 individual telecasts reached an average of at least two million viewers, further cementing the sport’s growing cultural footprint.
Reigning national champions Michigan and fellow Final Four side UConn have begun aggressively rebuilding their rosters through the transfer portal following the conclusion of the NCAA tournament.
Just eight days after the showpiece event in Indianapolis, the American collegiate basketball landscape has shifted dramatically.
More than 2,000 athletes have entered the transfer portal, sparking a frantic recruitment period for top programmes.
Michigan, UConn, Arizona and Illinois have all lost key personnel since the season concluded.
Three of those national semifinalists have already moved swiftly to secure high-profile replacements.
Wolverines reload after title win
The reigning champions began their recruitment drive even before securing the national title.
Five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr committed to Dusty May’s side during the half-time interval of their semifinal victory over Arizona.
The Ann Arbor programme quickly followed that coup by securing Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella.
However, the title-winners have lost several core components of their squad, with starters Yaxel Lendeborg and Nimari Burnett exhausting their collegiate eligibility.
Draft decisions loom for Michigan
The team’s frontcourt future now hinges on the impending NBA draft decisions of Morez Johnson Jr and Aday Mara.
The Spanish centre surged into lottery contention late in the campaign, while Johnson is viewed as a potential first-round selection.
May is also seeking additional scoring power as he plots a title defence.
The Wolverines recently hosted highly sought-after Wake Forest guard Juke Harris, who is also considering North Carolina and Tennessee.
Huskies seek continued dominance
Dan Hurley has established a formidable dynasty at UConn, reaching three Final Fours in four years and securing two national titles.
The Huskies face a significant rebuilding phase following the departure of programme legend Alex Karaban.
Tournament standout Tarris Reed has also departed, alongside former highly touted recruit Eric Reibe, who opted for the transfer portal.
Despite the exodus, the Connecticut-based outfit has retained crucial backcourt experience.
Silas Demary Jr has confirmed his return, and he is expected to be joined by returning guard Solo Ball.
Deni Avdija scored 41 points to inspire the Portland Trail Blazers to a 114-110 comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns in Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament, securing the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
The visitors trailed by 11 points in the fourth quarter before rallying dramatically in Arizona.
A go-ahead three-point play from Avdija with just 16.1 seconds remaining proved decisive in a thrilling conclusion.
Jordan Goodwin had briefly restored a 110-109 advantage for Phoenix with a driving layup moments earlier.
However, the Portland forward responded with a physical drive to the basket, drawing a crucial foul while finishing the play.
Late defensive stand seals Portland progression
The Suns were given one final opportunity to salvage their evening after falling 112-110 behind.
Jalen Green failed to connect on a desperate three-point attempt to reclaim the lead for the hosts.
Goodwin managed to secure the offensive rebound but was immediately stripped of possession by Matisse Thybulle.
That vital defensive intervention from the elite perimeter defender effectively ended the contest.
Spurs await as Suns face sudden death
Portland’s reward for navigating the opening stage of the play-in tournament is a first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Phoenix must now regroup quickly to save their season in a do-or-die elimination game on Friday.
They will host the winner of the upcoming clash between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors.
The victor of that final fixture will claim the eighth playoff seed and advance to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
LaMelo Ball scored a decisive late layup as the Charlotte Hornets eliminated the Miami Heat from the NBA play-in tournament with a dramatic 127-126 overtime victory.
Miles Bridges then blocked Davion Mitchell’s buzzer-beating attempt to secure Charlotte’s first postseason home win in a decade.
The hard-fought result keeps the North Carolina franchise’s hopes alive for an eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Ball makes NBA play-in history
The dynamic point guard finished the night with 30 points and 10 assists to lead his team’s scoring efforts.
He becomes only the fourth player in league history to register at least 30 points and 10 assists in a play-in fixture.
Bridges contributed 28 points and nine rebounds, while mid-season signing Coby White added a vital 19 points off the bench.
White forced the extra period by draining a crucial turnaround three-pointer with just 10.8 seconds remaining in regulation time.
Late drama seals Miami’s fate
The visitors suffered a significant setback in the second quarter when Bam Adebayo left the court with a lower back injury.
Despite losing their star center, the Florida outfit stayed in contention through 28 points from Mitchell and 27 from Andrew Wiggins.
A frantic conclusion to overtime saw Tyler Herro convert three crucial free throws to give Miami a one-point lead with 8.7 seconds left.
However, the explosive Hornets playmaker responded instantly by driving the lane for a leaning right-handed finish.
A desperate final push by the visitors ended when Bridges spectacularly chased down Mitchell to swat away the winning attempt.
Charlotte will now travel to face either the Philadelphia 76ers or Orlando Magic on Friday as they seek their first full playoff appearance in 10 years.
Meanwhile, the defeated Heat will miss the postseason for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has confirmed that star guard Luka Doncic remains sidelined indefinitely as the team begins preparations for their first-round play-off series against the Houston Rockets.
The Slovenian playmaker is currently rehabilitating a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Spain, where he has received multiple injections.
He is expected to return to California on Friday to rejoin his team-mates before Game 1 on Saturday.
Fellow backcourt starter Austin Reaves is also recovering from a Grade 2 left oblique strain suffered against the Oklahoma City Thunder on 2 April.
James to shoulder offensive burden
With their primary ball-handlers unavailable, the 17-time NBA champions will rely heavily on LeBron James against Houston.
The 23-year veteran recently earned Western Conference Player of the Week honours after guiding his side to three wins in their final four regular-season games.
“I do think we have other options [other than] just him having the ball and going against a set defense every single possession,” Redick stated.
The coaching staff plans to implement varied offensive schemes to counter the defensive coverages deployed by their Texan opponents.
Rebounding battle crucial for advancement
The upcoming series presents a significant stylistic clash, particularly on the glass.
Houston dominated the league in rebounding this season, leading the NBA with 48.1 total boards and 15.0 offensive rebounds per game.
Conversely, the Los Angeles franchise struggled significantly in that department, finishing 27th overall in the regular season standings.
To address this disparity, the coaching staff subjected the roster to intensive box-out drills during Tuesday’s focused practice session.
“Taking care of the basketball and boxing out, that’s the series,” the Lakers manager explained.
“Scheme, personnel, obviously important, but if we don’t take care of the ball and we don’t box out, we’re not going to win the series.”
Scouting a formidable opponent
Preparations will intensify throughout the week as the squad studies a dangerous Houston roster.
The opposition features prolific scorer Kevin Durant, ascending Turkish centre Alperen Sengun and highly athletic wing Amen Thompson.
Despite the daunting task and injury setbacks, the technical staff remains confident that their meticulous scheduling will have the group primed for the weekend opener.
The Golden State Valkyries have traded eighth overall pick Flau’jae Johnson to the Seattle Storm just 45 minutes after drafting her in New York.
In a stunning move on WNBA draft night, the expansion franchise sent the dynamic guard to Seattle in exchange for Marta Suarez and a 2028 second-round selection.
The former LSU All-American had only just heard her name called at the podium before the unexpected transaction occurred.
Valkyries remain tight-lipped over trade
Golden State general manager Ohemaa Nyanin declined to provide specific reasons for the rapid departure of the 2023 national champion.
I’m going to take a beat to be able to eloquently give a response. I don’t have a lot of detail to share.
Nyanin added that she wanted to be thoughtful when discussing players and their abilities, while refusing to comment on whether salary cap implications played a role.
The Valkyries will now welcome Suarez, a 6ft 3in post player who averaged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for TCU this season.
Storm secure an unexpected star
Seattle will pair their new acquisition with third overall pick Awa Fam Thiam as they look to build a formidable young core.
Storm general manager Talisa Rhea expressed her delight at securing the high-profile talent, who is also a signed Roc Nation recording artist.
The opportunity to add Flau’jae was really exciting and incredible for us. We didn’t think that she would be available at that point.
Rhea confirmed the Pacific Northwest side had been exploring opportunities to move up in the draft for an impact player.
The guard leaves college basketball tied for the second-most wins in LSU history, having averaged 14.2 points and 2.5 assists during her senior campaign.
National champions UCLA have made WNBA Draft history in New York after becoming the first team to see five players selected in the opening round on Monday night.
Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice led the historic evening by being taken with the fourth, fifth and sixth overall picks respectively.
The remarkable achievement comes barely a week after the Bruins secured their first NCAA championship following a dominant 37-1 season.
Draft dominance follows NCAA success
The Washington Mystics selected the 6-foot-7 Betts at number four to significantly bolster their frontcourt.
Jaquez was immediately drafted next by the Chicago Sky, before expansion franchise Toronto Tempo made Rice their first draft pick at number six.
Angela Dugalic then joined her former centre in Washington after being chosen ninth overall, leaving the squad anxiously waiting for one more milestone selection.
Gianna Kneepkens sealed the record-breaking moment when the Connecticut Sun drafted her with the 15th and final pick of the first round.
Surpassing a historic UConn benchmark
The Californian side shattered the previous benchmark of four first-round selections set by the undefeated 2002 UConn Huskies.
That legendary 39-0 Huskies squad saw Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams all drafted within the top six.
Head coach Cori Close sat alongside her players throughout the event, watching her title-winning roster successfully transition to the professional ranks.
“These are like my sisters, and getting to watch your family do something like that is amazing,” Betts said.
The newly drafted Mystics player admitted she was entirely unsurprised by the recognition given her teammates’ relentless work ethic.
“We knew the type of players that we had on the team, and to really just have this night showcase all of the things that we’ve worked on all season is just amazing,” she added.
A sixth championship winner, Charlisse Leger-Walker, concluded the celebrations when she was taken 18th overall by Connecticut in the second round.
Former UConn star Azzi Fudd has been selected as the number one overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA draft, securing a landmark $500,000 rookie salary and a reunion with former team-mate Paige Bueckers.
The highly rated guard’s selection marks the second consecutive year the Texas franchise has used the top pick on a University of Connecticut standout.
Bueckers, who went first overall to the Wings last year, was in attendance in New York alongside several other collegiate team-mates to celebrate the milestone.
“I’m excited to play again with Paige, she’s an incredible player,” Fudd said.
Landmark CBA delivers record salaries
The newly ratified collective bargaining agreement has drastically altered the financial landscape for incoming professionals.
As the premier selection, the talented shooter will earn nearly seven times the amount her former Huskies colleague received during her debut campaign.
The updated financial structure guarantees the second and third selections will receive $466,913 and $436,016 respectively.
Even players chosen in the second and third rounds are guaranteed a base salary of $270,000, surpassing the maximum veteran threshold under the previous system.
Miles heads to Minnesota
The Minnesota Lynx secured TCU guard Olivia Miles with the second overall selection.
The dynamic playmaker had opted to return for a final collegiate season rather than entering last year’s draft pool.
Having previously transferred from Notre Dame, she subsequently guided the Horned Frogs to a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance.
The Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky completed the top five selections of the evening.
Expansion franchises enter the fray
Newly formed franchises the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire occupied the subsequent positions in the drafting order.
The Tempo won a crucial coin toss to secure priority in the collegiate draft, while conceding the primary expansion draft choice to the Fire earlier this month.
Golden State followed in eighth, with Washington making two further first-round selections alongside picks for the Indiana Fever, Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream.