The NBA, or National Basketball Association, is a professional basketball league in North America. It is comprised of 30 teams, primarily located in the United States and one in Canada. The NBA is widely regarded as the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world, featuring the highest level of competition and showcasing many of the sport’s greatest players. The league was established in New York City on June 6, 1946, originally as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) before merging with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 and eventually adopting its current name. The NBA consists of two conferences, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, each divided into three divisions. The league’s regular season typically runs from October to April, followed by a playoff tournament that culminates in the NBA Finals, where the champions of the two conferences compete for the championship title. The NBA also plays a significant role in popularizing basketball globally and has a massive following, both in terms of viewership and merchandise sales.