NBA Cup Opens With New Courts and a Championship in Indianapolis

The NBA Cup starts October 30, launching the fourth edition of the league’s in-season tournament. All 30 teams are in the competition, and specially designed courts will distinguish Cup games from teams’ regular home floors. The designs range from vivid colors to more restrained gray-based looks.

Teams are divided into six groups of five, three in each conference. Each team plays the other four in its group once. The six group winners and two wild-card teams—one from each conference—advance to the quarterfinals. Quarterfinals are scheduled for December 4 and 5, with semifinals on December 8 or 9.

The championship will be played December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, on Butler University’s campus in Indianapolis. It is the first time the Cup final will be held outside Las Vegas. Group-stage games and all knockout games except the final are included in regular-season records, while the championship game is separate.

The tournament also brings players prize money. Each player on the winning team receives $604,985, while players on the runner-up receive $241,994. Players on teams eliminated in the semifinals receive $120,997 each, and those whose teams lose in the quarterfinals receive $60,499.

New York won last season’s Cup, then went on to defeat San Antonio in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won the inaugural tournament, followed by Milwaukee in 2024 and New York in 2025. The group stage will determine which teams get a chance to pursue this year’s title.