The Top 5 Basketball Leagues In America
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Here are the top 5 basketball leagues in America, according to our experts. These are the leagues that offer the best competition, the most exciting players and the most die-hard fans.
NBA- National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the premier men’s Professional Basketball league in North America It is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada), and is one of the four major American professional sports leagues. The NBA is widely considered to be the premier men’s professional Basketball League in the world, and ranks among the top three most popular professional sports leagues in the world, with an average annual attendance of over 20 million spectators per year.
The NBA was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The BAA was originally composed of 11 teams, 8 from the National Basketball League (NBL) and 3 from the newly formed American Basketball league (ABL). The BAA began play in November of that year, with 3 games played between those 8 teams. At the end of the 1947–48 season, 4 teams from each league remained to form what would eventually become known as the NBA: The NBL’s Minneapolis Lakers New York Knickerbockers Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Rochester Royals; and the ABL’s Baltimore Bullets, Boston Celtics Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia Warriors
Today, the NBA is composed of 30 teams: 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. The league is structured into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference Each conference has 3 divisions; each division has 5 teams. The regular season runs from October through April; each team plays 82 games. At the end of the regular season 8 teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that culminates in a best-of-seven Championship Series between the conference champions to determine a league champion.
ABA- American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was founded in 1967 and began play in the 1968-69 season. The ABA was originally conceived as a rival to the established NBA, and caused quite a stir with its flashy style of play, colorful uniforms, and red, white, and blue ball. While the league eventually joined forces with the NBA in 1976 after several years of fierce competition, it left an indelible mark on Basketball History
Today, the ABA is home to some of the best basketball talents in America. If you’re looking for up-and-coming players and exciting games tune into one of these top five basketball leagues
1. The ABA
2. The National Basketball League
3. The American basketball League
4. The Continental Basketball Association
5. The World basketball League
WNBA- Women’s national basketball Association
The WNBA is the Women’s National Basketball Association in America. It is the world’s premier women’s professional basketball league The WNBA was founded in 1996 as the women’s counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA). As of the 2019 season, there are 12 teams in the WNBA. The season runs from May to September, with each team playing 34 games. The playoffs follow a best-of-five format, and the Finals are a best-of-five series between the two conference champions.
The WNBA has grown steadily since its inception. Television ratings have increased, and attendance has reached new highs. In recent years the league has signed several marquee players, including Candace Parker Sue Bird Brittney Griner and Maya Moore. The league is also home to some of the game’s most iconic players, such as Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles and Tamika Catchings.
NCAA- National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a non-profit organization that regulates athletes of 1,268 North American institutions and conferences. It also organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and helps more than 480,000 college student-athletes who compete annually in college sports The organization is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
NBL- National Basketball League
The National Basketball League or NBL, is America’s Premier Basketball league. It is made up of 30 teams- 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. The NBL was founded in 1937 and has been in operation for 83 years. The NBL is the oldest basketball league in America and predates the NBA by 12 years. The NBL’s 30 teams are divided into two conferences- the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference Each conference has 15 teams. The NBL is a professional league and all of its players are paid to play. The NBL is a member of USA Basketball which is the governing body for all professional basketball leagues in America.