When Is The Basketball Season for NBA, NCAA, WNBA, & High School Basketball?

When Is Basketball Season?

Throughout the world, there are tons of Basketball leagues for players of all ages and skill levels. While each league may be vastly different in terms of who is playing and the rules, most seasons tip off just around the beginning of winter. This isn’t a random time of the year, as James Naismith, the inventor of the sport, designed it this way to have an indoor sport during the winter so athletes wouldn’t freeze outside in the cold, snowy months. 

NBA Season

In a normal year, the NBA regular season starts around October and goes all the way until April the next year. This allows for a full 82 game season, including playoffs. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 season was delayed in March of 2020 and wasn’t concluded until October 2020, meaning the season lasted an entire year. The 2020-21 season lasted only 72 games due to NBA commissioner Adam Silver wanting to get back on track with the normal October to April schedule. The NBA also has a Summer League for players fighting for a roster spot, which is ideal for fans as they get some sort of NBA season essentially year round.

NCAA Basketball Season

The college basketball season typically begins around early November, and ends in early April. Each team has a much shorter schedule than the NBA, playing only 25-35 games per season. At the conclusion of the regular season in March, 64 teams battle it out in March Madness, one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year due to it’s shocking upsets and buzzer beaters.

WNBA Basketball Season

The WNBA is the odd one out, with their season starting in early summer (May or June) and wrapping up in October. Before the 2020 pandemic, each team played 34 games each season, however in 2020, the season started in late July, only permitting 22 games per team. The 2021 season contains only 32 games, which is also a result of the pandemic.

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High School Basketball Season

The season length in high school basketball varies depending on the school, but each team’s season typically lasts for 4-5 months. Teams often start their season in November, and conclude in March. Some teams end earlier or later depending on league size and other sport requirements. The league size also factors in when it comes to playoffs, and state championships, as this can extend the season for weeks.