noun
NBA
en-bee-AY
NBA (noun) means the National Basketball Association: the main professional men's basketball league in North America, made up of thirty teams from the United States and Canada. Example: “He was drafted into the NBA straight out of college.”
noun
1
The National Basketball Association: the main professional men's basketball league in North America, made up of thirty teams from the United States and Canada.
"He was drafted into the NBA straight out of college."
"The NBA season runs from October to April, followed by the play-offs."
2
Used attributively of anything belonging to that league — its players, standards or competitions.
"She is dating an NBA player."
"He has NBA-level athleticism but no jump shot."
How to use NBA
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe top professional basketball league in America.
When to use it
Standard in sport and general use. Always capitalised, and normally takes 'the'.
Memory tip
The women's equivalent is the WNBA. College basketball, a separate competition, is run by the NCAA.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
WNBA
NCAA
NFL
NHL
Common pairings
NBA Finals
NBA draft
NBA player
the NBA season
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He was drafted into the _____ straight out of college.
Etymology
An initialism of National Basketball Association.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the NBA and the NCAA?
The NBA is the professional league where players are paid employees of a franchise. The NCAA governs college sport in the United States, so its basketball players are university students, and most NBA players are drafted out of NCAA teams.
How many teams are in the NBA?
Thirty — fifteen in the Eastern Conference and fifteen in the Western Conference. All but one, the Toronto Raptors, are based in the United States.
What is the meaning of NBA?
"NBA" (noun) means the National Basketball Association: the main professional men's basketball league in North America, made up of thirty teams from the United States and Canada.
What are the different meanings of NBA?
"NBA" has 2 main meanings: 1. The National Basketball Association: the main professional men's basketball league in North America, made up of thirty teams from the United States and Canada; 2. Used attributively of anything belonging to that league — its players, standards or competitions.
