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How long is the basketball season


When Does Basketball Season Typically End?

Would you like to know how long does basketball season last? If you have an interest in basketball at any level and would like to know how long a season lasts or specifically when the season will end, you are in the right place.

We understand that it is vital for you to have an idea of the length of the season so that you can plan accordingly. If you are a parent, you need the information to understand how you can involve yourself in your child’s basketball activities and create your basketball season calendar.

If you are a player, it is important to know the length of time that you will need to commit to basketball for each basketball season schedule. We are going to go through four different league’s lengths and end dates so that you can have a clear understanding of the seasons.

I. How Long Does Basketball Season Last?

II. When Does Basketball Season End?

III. Wrapping Things Up: When Does Basketball Season Typically End?

How Long Does Basketball Season Last?

Even though there are different basketball leagues, their run time is pretty much the same time of the year November into March or April of the next year.

The WNBA is the only exception as it starts after the NBA ends. We are going to look at the different levels of basketball in the United States and the length of their seasons.

High School Basketball

High school varsity basketball is one of the first stages of basketball in the country, and this is where most athletes can be identified as prospects for the collegiate and professional levels. The high school basketball league is not as long and demanding as the college and international levels because of the players’ age and physical capabilities.

In some states, the high school basketball league is scheduled around the football season, and in other states, it is scheduled around the academic requirements of the students and spring sports. There is no championship league to determine the best high school team in the country, however, there are many different state championship leagues.

These leagues are used to determine the best teams in each state. Some states will have different league formats, but for the most part, there are district tournaments that run up to mid-February, followed by regional tournaments going into the final week of February and finally state tourneys that end in March or April.

High school basketball leagues are typically five months long, but the length of each team’s participation will depend on their progression through the rounds. Even though the league may begin in November and end in March or April, there are some tournaments that are held before the official league that players can sign up for and play in.

College Basketball

College basketball is one of the most viewed leagues in the country. It is the basketball program with the highest prestige behind the NBA. College basketball athletes are divided into numerous divisions, but they have similar run times for their leagues. The college basketball season is where future professional players make their bid for a place on a roster of a professional team.

The college basketball season typically begins in the first week of November and runs through to April. There are numerous early-season tournaments that are contested before the official NCAA games. Some of the most famous tournaments are the Charleston classic, the Myrtle Beach Invitational, the Legends Classic, the Gulf Coast showcase, and The Las Vegas international. There are many other early-season tournaments as well.

The college basketball season typically runs for five months from November to April. This is plenty of time for NBA prospects to showcase their talents to scouts and other interested parties.

Unfortunately, some players do get injured over this period. Depending on when they get injured and the severity of the injuries, they may have opportunities to return to the tournament and play. The NCAA college basketball season is almost the same length as the NBA season, but the number of games is not the same.

The NBA 82-game season is a lot more rigorous than the college basketball season. The length of time that a college participates in the season is also dependent on how far they progress in each tournament.

NBA Basketball

Almost everyone is interested in this part. The NBA season. The 2019 to 2020 is one that is quite different from many others in the past. Due to the novel coronavirus, the season was placed on a hiatus in March of 2020.

It was resumed in a confined environment in August of 2020. This will result in a prolonged NBA season; however, this is not the case for most others. In general, the NBA season runs typically from October to June each season. Each NBA season consists of two major sections and the one minor section.

The regular season and the playoffs are the two major sections, and the preseason would be the minor section of the NBA season. The preseason and the summer leagues are usually when the coaches allow young players to show them what they have and work on building essential team chemistry and developing in their plays.

The regular-season, on the other hand, is very serious. Teams normally try to win as many games as they can over these 82 games to secure a spot in the top eight, allowing them to compete for the championship in the playoffs. The length of the playoffs will depend on the advancement of each team.

In each round of the playoffs, the teams play a best-of-seven series. The length and amount of games that each team plays will depend on how quickly they can win four games before their opponents. Teams that make it to the finals will play more games than teams that make it only to the first round.

WNBA Basketball

The WNBA basketball season is one of the shortest seasons in the States. It is also one that has a very different operational time when compared to other Basketball leagues. Some of the reasons for this are the fact that their players play in other leagues across the world and because they want to make sure that they are not playing while other leagues such as the NBA and NCAA leagues are going on.

This would mean fewer viewers for their league. The WNBA runs for five months from May through to September. The WNBA was also affected by the novel coronavirus this year, so the season did not run as planned. At the time of this article, in August of 2021, the WNBA regular season is ongoing.

The WNBA can enjoy a shorter season because it has fewer teams than the NBA, and they play far fewer games. The NBA has a total of 30 teams that play 82 regular-season games, and then playoffs commence while the WNBA has12 teams that play 36 games before their playoff games.

When Does Basketball Season End?

High School Basketball

There are a variety of different factors that will determine the high school basketball season end dates. Obviously, the season for individual teams will end based on how far the team progresses.

From a league perspective, the season will end based on the state’s governing body of the sport. Some states will schedule their seasons around other sports such as spring sports and the football season, while other states will schedule their seasons based on the academic requirements of the students. Most states end their seasons in March, a few end their seasons in February and fewer in April.

College Basketball

College basketball has three different divisions, however, there finishing time is quite similar. The college season typically runs for five months and culminates in the month of March. In the NCAA Division 1 championship, this period is known as March Madness.

The March Madness period is a tournament consisting of 68 Division I teams that play in a single-elimination format. This is used to determine the national championship of the NCAA Division I. This tournament is one of the most competitive and anticipated basketball tournaments each year.

NBA Basketball

The NBA basketball season is the longest basketball season in America. The NBA basketball season comprises off the regular season and the playoffs. The regular season typically begins in October and runs until April of the following year.

The NBA basketball season end dates will vary from year to year but the playoffs usually start in April and the run-up to the month of June. The NBA season would then be concluded.

WNBA Basketball

The WNBA season is the second-longest season in the US behind the NBA as it lasts for six months. The WNBA season is one that runs from May to October each year.

The season typically has its regular season up to September, and the playoffs start in the first week of that month. The playoffs are generally around a month-long, so the WNBA season ends typically in the first or second week of October.

Wrapping Things Up: When Does Basketball Season Typically End?

Basketball is played across multiple leagues at multiple levels for multiple ages in the United States. Each league has different lengths, and some operate in different months. Basketball on a whole is considered a winter sport, but at all the levels, it goes way beyond the winter months.

Basketball season ends for the high school leagues in February, March, or April. For the college level, the basketball season runs from November up to March and at the professional level in the NBA, of the regular season runs up to April, and then the playoffs commence. The playoffs consist of four seven-game series rounds.

For teams that make it to the NBA finals, the season goes all the way up to the month of June. The WNBA starts their season after the NBA, so basketball is extended past June. The WNBA season normally begins in May. The regular season runs up to the first week of September. The playoffs would start in September and then end the following month.

The WNBA is the final official League off the basketball season. Since most of the Leagues begin in the month following the end of the WNBA, it is fair to say that basketball is an all-year sport even though it is classified as a winter sport.

Did you find this helpful? Then also check out our post on the start dates of the basketball season.

Did you find this post helpful? Then also check out other basketball FAQ articles here.

> How Long is High School Basketball Season?

> When Do NCAA Basketball Rankings Come Out?

When Does Basketball Season Typically Start?

Are you looking for things to do during the offseason and missing basketball? Are you looking to create a countdown of when you can expect practices and games to start? If you’re looking to get into basketball or put your child in basketball, it is essential that you know when the basketball season starts.  

It’s important to remember that each basketball league can also have different timing. Some associations may also have more flexible schedules. If you are here looking to find any of that information, you have come to the right place. 

We will provide you with seasonal information for NBA basketball, but we will also provide information concerning various popular leagues. To answer the questions, when does basketball season typically start and how long does basketball season last all you have to do is keep reading.

What Months are Basketball Season?

Basketball season is the period of time where practice and basketball games are in full effect. During this period of time, players are fully dedicated to the game and expected to fulfill their duties as basketball players. This period of time and the rules surrounding it can differ depending on where you play the game. This season can be as long or as short as determined by the league, which it represents.  

Despite having a regular schedule, some several events and occurrences can cause the calendars of any of these entities listed below to change. For example, the COVID pandemic began at the tail end of 2019, altered season schedules for several basketball leagues and associations. 

High School Basketball

High school basketball has an exciting structure due to the already condensed school schedule. School basketball schedules will also vary based on your school sporting schedules as well. During the regular gaming season, coaches must work around students’ schedules, their studies, and even practices to ensure that they are reaching their fullest potential.

Typical high school seasons start a little before Thanksgiving. This start date allows time for students to get back acclimated with school and prepare for basketball tryouts. Typically, high schools will have a sectional midway through or closer to the end of the season. The full season will usually end around April or March.  

In high school, though you may have a shorter season schedule, it does not stop when the season ends. Unfortunately, it is only just the beginning. High school sports are highly competitive, and scholarships are far more competitive. This level of competition could mean that some students are training year-round on their basketball skills and even fitness. 

Depending on the school your child attends and the level at which they are playing the sport, the offseason may not be a big deal for them. Yet, even at the high school level, there are training camps and off-season fitness camps they are able to participate in. 

College Basketball

The college basketball scene is one that may seem the most complex to non-basketball players. When first arriving back at school in the fall, coaches will begin to have open gyms in order to prepare students for the coming season. This also helps students get back into the basketball groove. The NCAA uses entities called segments in order to break up the NCAA basketball schedule. College basketball can be broken down into four main sections. These segments include Conference play, conference tournaments, post-season tournaments, and non-conference play. 

The first period of time is non-conference play. This period happens in November and December. Non-conference play will only take place if there are scheduled events. This period generally includes tournaments played in a variety of locations and cities around the country. How well a team does in these tournaments will determine if a team will be a part of the NCAA tournament. 

During the regular season, students will generally play 25 to 35 games. This number can go up or down depending on the number of teams in the league at the start of the season. At the end of regular season play, colleges will have a single-elimination tournament. The team with the best record from the recently ended season will have the advantage of getting the number one seed. The winner will receive an invite to the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. If you’re wondering how many D1 basketball teams are in the NCAA, then you be sure to also check our guide here.

There are a number of post-season tournaments that may be available to your team. However, the number of games played for a team must not exceed the allowed amount by the NCAA for that year. 

When playing college basketball, your offseason is generally guided towards improving your skills in basketball. On rare occasions, collegiate athletes will play multiple sports and use the offseason for training on a different craft. However, since demands are already high, this is not likely. 

Basketball players will most likely take place in conditioning and training camps, depending on their commitment levels. Some players will have summer jobs; however, many will focus on getting ahead in schoolwork or developing their craft. 

NBA Basketball

There are typically three seasons in NBA basketball. These seasons include the pre-season, the offseason, and what can be referred to as “in season” or more plainly, basketball season.  

For the National Basketball Association, basketball season begins in October and ends in April of the next year. All 30 teams within the NBA will play 82 games in total. This is the time period for the regular season. Teams will play 41 games at home and 41 on the road. Within the NBA, each team will play the other at least once. The NBA also includes a Christmas Day game and has done so since 1947.

Each year the NBA pauses in order to witness the All-Star Game. This game generally occurs in February, and basketball fans are given the opportunity to vote on who they expect to see for the game. The fan favorites then become the captains of each all-star team and must build their team roster. 

However, before the regular season starts, there will typically be pre-season activities in min September through October. Pre-season events generally center around entertaining the fans. This is also the time when players travel to different countries and play in specialty games. This includes games like the Houston Rockets game against the Shanghai Sharks in September 2019 or the Indiana Pacers Vs. The Sacramento Kings in Mumbai. 

Training camps begin in September for coaches to judge rookie players and evaluate their preparedness for the upcoming season. Rookies are also fighting to become a part of the G League if they do not garner a spot in the NBA. 

Once the regular season has ended, from the beginning of April through the end of May, the playoffs will occur. During April, after the regular season ends and voting begins to determine which players receive what accolades. 

The 2019 season of the NBA is set to come back on July 30, 2020. The season was cut short on March 11 when the stay at home order was issued in various states for the entire country. Instead of proceeding with regularly scheduled home and away games, players will have a single campus located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. 

This change in schedule may have some effects on a teams’ seeding. Though some teams may be safe at the top, others are now scrambling to find solutions to shift control and put the seed in their favor. 

WNBA Basketball

The WNBA or Women’s basketball league has a slightly different schedule than the NBA. The WNBA pre-season generally begins with the WNBA draft in early April. Throughout the rest of May, players will play a variety of pre-season exhibition games at a variety of arenas. Training camps are also held in May in preparation for the regular season. 

During the regular season, these women play 34 games. These games take place between May and the end of September. Much like the NBA, half of these games are played away and the other half on the team’s home turf. The WNBA basketball season schedule encompasses 12 different teams. Much like the NBA, each team visits and hosts each team at least once. 

For the WNBA, the All-Star game is also held midway between the regular season. This generally occurs in July. 

How Long Does Basketball Season Last?

Much like the actual schedule, basketball season length can vary based on the league or school lengths. In the academic realm, the academic calendar is a significant determinant of the actual basketball schedule. This need to incorporate both schedules can generally be seen within high school basketball. 

The NBA and most leagues play a regular-season, which lasts for 19 weeks. This span does not include any pre-season activities or playoff time. Playoff time is not included because teams do not have a guaranteed place in the playoffs. Only the top 4 teams will make it into the playoffs, and the season will end for all other teams. 

For teams who continue into the playoffs, this will generally add 60 days to their schedule, if not more. Sixty days is the average number of days that the playoffs last. Rounds within the NBA playoffs are played using a best out of 7 formats. Within this format, each team will be responsible for hosting the other team at every other game. Games five through seven are only played if a winner has not been determined from the previous games. This brings the total for an NBA season to 27 weeks for teams that actively participate in the playoff festivities.  

Wrapping Things Up: When Does Basketball Season Typically Start?

Depending on the league, you are a part of basketball seasons that can all start at different times. If you are a high school student, your season will likely start right before Thanksgiving, giving students leeway to prepare for tryouts and get acclimated to their academic schedule. 

NBA and WNBA players will often start their pre-season activities with open gyms or training camps. These camps will generally begin around May for the WNBA and in September for the NBA. These activities are then followed by regular-season games, a break for the all-star game, and even post-season tournaments. If nothing else, the information presented lets us know that schedules can vary for each season’s activities. 

This notion is evident in all of the changes needed to accommodate personal safety during the COVID pandemic. Though basketball leagues typically follow a strict schedule, owners had no choice but to put a halt to all NBA related games and activities. This change created a need for teams and players to pivot on the fly and even recreate a new schedule that would allow time for regular season and championship game play.

Basketball season is a joyous time and excellent pastime for athletes and fans. Basketball season is often highly anticipated and anxiously awaited!

Did you find this post helpful? Then also check out other basketball FAQ articles here.

> When Does Basketball Season Typically End?

> When Do NCAA Basketball Rankings Come Out?

How long is a quarter in basketball (NBA, FIBA). Number of halves in a game

Home / All sports / How long is a quarter in basketball (NBA, FIBA). Number of halves in the game

12/22/2018 All sports Leave a comment 105,676 Views

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    It so happened that some rules of playing basketball in Europe and North America differ, and this primarily concerns the length of periods. The number of quarters in FIBA ​​and NBA matches is the same, however, Americans, for whom basketball is considered one of the most popular sports, like to enjoy this wonderful game longer, therefore, in their rules, they increased the duration of each half by two minutes (compared to the International Federation of basketball)

    Interesting fact: In the early days of basketball there were only 13 rules, now there are more than 200.

    How many periods are there in a basketball game?

    A basketball game consists of 4 quarters (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) , this applies to both NBA and FIBA. Conventionally, the 1st and 2nd periods are the first half of the match, and the 3rd and 4th are the second. Between each quarter there is a two-minute break, but between the second and third half, the duration of the break is as much as 15 minutes.

    According to the officially established rules, there can be no draw in basketball. If after 4 periods the score is equal, another quarter is played lasting 5 minutes. The number of extra periods is not limited, there may be several such five-minute periods until the winning team is determined.

    How long is a quarter in basketball (NBA and FIBA)?

    In Europe, tournaments held under the auspices of FIBA, the duration of each game is 40 minutes, that is, each quarter lasts 10 minutes .

    In the United States of America, where the ruling organization in basketball is the NBA, the duration of the match is 48 minutes, that is, the time of each period is not 10, but 12 minutes. It turns out that in the USA, due to these two minutes added to each quarter, advertisers have more time to show their products to the viewer (the longer the viewer is at the TV screens, the more money the clubs earn on advertising). That is why the NBA is the richest and most popular basketball league on the planet.

    Many people are also interested in how long a basketball game lasts in Europe and the USA. In general, taking into account the duration of all quarters, half-time intervals and dead ball situations (eg fouls, free throws and other stoppages), the total duration of the match is 2-3 hours.

    The average regular season game in the NBA is 137 minutes.

    The duration of basketball matches in the Olympic Games and competitions under the auspices of FIBA ​​is shorter than in US tournaments, since the same match duration is 8 minutes shorter. FIBA also has fewer timeouts. In the NBA, both teams get 14 timeouts per game for two, with 2 timeouts in each period being mandatory (so-called television timeouts). FIBA and the Olympic Games have 5 timeouts, and teams may not necessarily use them.

    Do you know how long the longest basketball game lasted?

    The record for the length of a basketball game was recorded in 2006 in the United States of America. The duel was held specifically to set a record, the student teams "North Carolina" and "Duke" played each other for more than 58 hours in a row, the victory was won by "Duke" with a score of 3688:3444. All proceeds from ticket sales went to charity.

    Conclusion

    Some NBA and FIBA ​​basketball rules differ. So, one of the main differences is the duration of the periods, in US tournaments each lasts 12 minutes, and in Europe - 10 minutes. A basketball game can never end in a draw, so there is no limit to the number of added halves. If you are planning to visit a basketball game, please note that it can take as much as 2-3 hours to watch.

    Interesting: the tallest basketball players in the world.

    2018-12-22

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    How long is a basketball quarter in China and other countries?

    Basketball is very popular in the world, it occupies a leading position among sports team games. They are interested not only in those who play at the amateur and professional level. The rules and subtleties of the gameplay should be known to fans, as well as those who bet on games. In this article we will consider one of these subtleties - the duration of the quarter. You will find out how long a quarter lasts in basketball in China and other countries, what determines the duration of this period, who determines it. The organization of basketball matches in different countries is different, although almost the same rules work.

    The rules of basketball are dictated to the whole world by the United States, the NBA was created in this state. This is the strongest basketball league on the planet. But even in America, not everyone knows that in other countries they play a little differently. Not all basketball fans can accurately answer how long a quarter is in Chinese basketball.

    What is a quarter?

    Any basketball game is divided into four quarters and two halves, consisting of two such intervals. A quarter is not a period or a set, it is a separate unit of measurement. The duration varies and is regulated by the national federation organizing the matches.

    If the competition takes place in Europe, then the quarter lasts 10 minutes, in America - 12 minutes. A period is half a game, so in the European league it lasts 20 minutes, in the NBA it lasts 24. A period is not always half a game. In hockey, where the term comes from, a period lasts 20 minutes, which is one third of the entire match. The term set refers to 12 minutes of playing time, it is used in tennis and volleyball, it is not used in basketball. Each discipline has its own peculiarities of timing.

    How do you count time in basketball?

    The match begins with the main referee throwing the ball into the center of the court. A struggle begins for him, in which a player from each team enters. Time starts counting from the starting face-off.

    Although a quarter is defined as 10 and 12 minutes, it actually lasts longer. Time is counted only in those moments when the players hold the ball in their hands or dribble it. Each basketball hall has a scoreboard that counts the game time and shows it to everyone present.

    Basketball in Asia

    Let's move on to answering an interesting question regarding the quarter in basketball in China, how many minutes does it last. The phrase “Asian basketball” itself seems strange to many Europeans. They imagine the basketball player is very tall, which is not typical for representatives of Asian nationalities. Those who have never watched KBA matches and have no idea what short Chinese basketball players are capable of are subject to such a delusion. There are many legends among them who possess dribbling and know how to masterfully do slam dunks.

    The organization differs from the European one, including the duration of the quarters. They are 12 minutes, which is equivalent to the NBA. There are other features in Chinese games. In the Celestial Empire, this sport is very much loved, although it is forbidden to make sports bets, but there are a lot of bets on basketball. Experts estimate that the KBA is now in its heyday, the organization is cultivating a new generation of professional athletes who will excel in the Asian league. They also have legionnaires of a different level, but there are relatively few of them. The system of Chinese basketball is distinguished by its isolation, but if you wish, you can still understand it.

    Basketball quarter in other countries

    Having found out how much a basketball quarter is in China, it is worth asking other countries as well. It all depends on which organization the match is under the auspices of. If it is FIBA, then the match will consist of four ten-minutes. If the NBA - then four segments of 12 minutes, a total of 48 minutes.

    It is believed that the US added an extra two minutes in order to give sponsors more advertising time. The longer the viewer spends time at the screen and sees ads, the more money the NBA will earn from it.

    This opinion may well be true, since the NBA is not only the most professional, but also the richest basketball organization on the planet.

    The total duration of matches is also different. It includes not only game intervals, but also breaks between them, as well as pauses when time stops.


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