he National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York City, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to become the NBA.
The NBA currently consists of 30 teams, divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is further divided into three divisions.
Michael Jordan, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, played the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls. He won six NBA championships and earned five MVP awards during his illustrious career.
The Boston Celtics hold the record for the most NBA championships, with a total of 17 titles. Their dominance in the 1950s and 1960s, led by players like Bill Russell, contributes to their storied history.
On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored an astounding 100 points in a single game while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks. This remains the highest-scoring game by an individual player in NBA history.
The NBA has a massive global fan base, with broadcasts in over 200 countries and territories. International players, like Dirk Nowitzki and Yao Ming, have helped grow the league's popularity worldwide.
The three-point line was introduced to the NBA in the 1979-1980 season. The three-point shot has since become a crucial aspect of the game, revolutionizing strategies and contributing to higher-scoring matchups.
The NBA uses a draft lottery system to determine the order in which teams select players in the annual NBA Draft. This system aims to prevent teams from intentionally losing games to secure a better draft position.
On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest point total in a single game in NBA history.