NBA 101: Breaking Down How Many Teams Are In The NBA

A map of how many teams are in the NBA positioned behind Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo

Do you know how many teams are in the NBA? One of the most well-known professional sports leagues in the world is the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since its founding in 1946, it has developed into a global phenomenon that draws followers from all over the globe.

Teams from the US and Canada compete against one another in the NBA during a 82 game season. The season is followed by a tournament style playoff and ends with the NBA Finals each year.

How many teams are in the NBA?

The NBA has 30 teams as of the 2022–2023 season. These teams are divided into the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. There are 15 clubs in the Eastern Conference, and there are 15 teams in the Western Conference. Now that you have the answer to how many teams are in the NBA let’s take a look at each conference and then divisions.

The Eastern Conference is made up of the following list of NBA 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 is made up of the following teams:

  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • LA Clippers
  • LA Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Utah Jazz

NBA Divisions

Each conference is divided into three divisions. The Eastern conference consist of the Atlantic, Central and Southeast divisions. The Western conference consist of the Northwest, Pacific and Southwest divisions.

The Atlantic Division:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • New York Knicks
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Toronto Raptors

The Central Division:

  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Milwaukee Bucks

The Southeast Division:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Miami Heat
  • Orlando Magic
  • Washington Wizards

The Northwest Division:

  • Denver Nuggets
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Utah Jazz

The Pacific Division:

  • Golden State Warriors
  • LA Clippers
  • LA Lakers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Sacramento Kings

The Southwest Division:

  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Houston Rockets
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • San Antonio Spurs

Which state has most NBA teams?

California has the most NBA teams. With a total of 4 teams the state is home to the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.

Texas has the second most NBA teams. The Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs all reside in the Lone star state.

Outside of California and Texas, Florida and New York are the only other states that have more than one team. The Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat call Florida home. The New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets are the two teams in New York.

Did the NBA ever have 32 teams?

No matter how many teams are in the NBA that amount never reached 32. Over the years, the NBA’s team count has changed. Only 11 teams were in the league when it was established in 1946. However, the league had expanded to 17 clubs by the 1950s.

The league’s size continued to grow throughout the ensuing decades, peaking at 30 clubs in 2004 with the entrance of the Charlotte Bobcats (now known as the Charlotte Hornets).

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The NBA’s expansion can be traced to several factors

The expansion of the NBA over the years can be traced to several factors. One of the most significant aspects is the growing popularity of basketball as a sport. Because basketball is increasingly played and enjoyed by people everywhere, there is an increasing need for professional basketball teams in different cities. This has played a major factor in how many teams are in the NBA today.

Financial success made it possible for the league to flourish

The NBA’s growing financial success is another aspect that has contributed to how many teams are in the NBA today and aided in its expansion. With earnings in the 2021–2022 season exceeding $10 billion (according to Forbes), the NBA is one of the most valuable sports leagues in the world. The popularity of the league and the money it makes have both increased, making it possible for the league to flourish.

A few difficulties have also resulted from the NBA’s expansion

Maintaining a balance of talent across all the league’s teams is one of the issues. There is a larger need for talented players due to how many teams are in the NBA, which can lead to some teams being at a disadvantage. However the NBA has taken a number of actions to address this issue and make sure that all teams have access to good players.

The NBA Draft

One of the measures is the NBA draft, which is held annually to provide teams the chance to choose talented players who have just graduated from college or who are competing in other professional leagues across the world.

The Salary Cap

In addition to the draft the NBA has also introduced a salary cap, which places a ceiling on the amount of money that teams can spend on player salaries. The salary cap aids in preventing teams from just outspending each other to sign the best players, which due to how many teams are in the NBA could result in an imbalance of talent throughout the league.

So, how many basketball teams are in the NBA?

Overall, the number of teams in the NBA has grown steadily over the years, and the league has become one of the most popular and lucrative sports leagues in the world. With 30 teams now competing in the league, there is no shortage of exciting basketball. Plus you know how many teams are in the NBA.

All 30 NBA teams in alphabetical order

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • LA Clippers
  • LA Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards