The air gets a little crisper, the highlight reels start flooding your social feeds, and suddenly everyone is an amateur scout. You know the feeling. It’s that itch for meaningful basketball. If you’re wondering what day do the nba season start, you’re definitely not alone, but the answer depends on whether you're talking about the preseason appetizers or the main course.
Basketball is basically a year-round soap opera now. Honestly, between the draft, summer league, and the constant hum of trade rumors, the "offseason" barely feels like a break. But the real stuff—the games that actually count toward the standings—always has a very specific landing spot on the calendar.
For the current 2025-26 campaign, the NBA officially tipped off on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
That night wasn't just a random Tuesday. It marked the 80th season of the league. It also featured a massive shift in how we watch the game, with the NBA returning to NBC for the first time in over two decades. If you missed the opening night double-header, you missed the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder taking down the Rockets, followed by a late-night clash between the Warriors and the Lakers.
The Regular Rhythm of Tip-Off
The NBA is a creature of habit. While the specific date shifts every year, the league almost always aims for that third or fourth Tuesday in October. It's a sweet spot. They want to steer clear of the early-season NFL frenzy as much as possible while making sure they finish the Finals before the heat of mid-June becomes unbearable.
Why Tuesday? Usually, it's about the TV window. TNT (and now NBC/Peacock) loves that Tuesday night slot to showcase the ring ceremony for the defending champs.
If you're looking at historical context, the dates are pretty consistent:
- 2024-25 Season: October 22
- 2023-24 Season: October 24
- 2022-23 Season: October 18
Basically, if you have a wedding or a big event planned for the last ten days of October, you're probably going to be checking scores under the table. Don't say I didn't warn you.
It’s Not Just One Opening Day
Most people think of "the start" as one big explosion of games. It’s actually more like a slow burn. Only a handful of teams play on that first Tuesday. The rest of the league usually filters in on Wednesday and Thursday.
This year, for example, while the season technically started on the 21st, many fans didn't see their favorite teams in action until October 22 or 23. The league spaces it out on purpose. They want to maximize those national TV windows.
Preseason and The "Fake" Start
Before the real points are tallied, we get the preseason. This usually starts in very early October—sometimes even the last few days of September.
👉 See also: March Madness Game Times on 3/22: When to Watch the Second Round Action
This year, the preseason kicked off on October 2, 2025, with the Abu Dhabi games. These exhibition games are mostly for conditioning and for coaches to figure out which end-of-bench guys are actually worth keeping. For fans, it's mostly a way to see high-profile rookies like Cooper Flagg get their first minutes in a pro jersey.
The NBA Cup Factor
We also have to talk about the Emirates NBA Cup. It’s the "season within a season." This year, the tournament portion started on October 31. It’s a bit weird at first to think of regular-season games doubling as tournament games, but it’s definitely added some much-needed spice to the November doldrums.
Why the Start Date Actually Matters for Fans
Knowing what day do the nba season start is about more than just setting a calendar alert. It’s the deadline for everything else in the basketball world.
- Roster Cuts: Teams have to trim their rosters down to 15 players (plus three two-way contracts) by the day before the season starts.
- Contract Extensions: For many young players on rookie deals, the start of the season is the "sign or wait" deadline for extensions.
- Fantasy Drafts: If you’re like me and spend too much time worrying about your fantasy roster, you know that the weekend before that Tuesday start date is the high-stakes period for drafting.
The 2025-26 season is currently in full swing, but the patterns hold true for the future. If you’re planning ahead for 2026, you can safely bet on a start date somewhere between October 20 and October 27.
Making Sense of the 82-Game Grind
The season is a marathon, not a sprint. After that late October start, the teams grind through 82 games until mid-April. This year, the regular season wraps up on April 12, 2026.
📖 Related: NFL Starting Quarterbacks: What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Landscape
It’s easy to get caught up in the opening night hype, but the real "start" for some people is Christmas Day, or even the All-Star break in February. But for the die-hards? That October tip-off is the only date that matters.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Sync Your Calendar: If you haven't already, use the official NBA app to sync your favorite team's schedule to your phone so you don't miss the mid-season transition into the playoffs.
- Track the NBA Cup: Keep an eye on the Tuesday and Friday games through November; those are the "Cup" nights where the intensity usually ticks up a notch.
- Watch the Waiver Wire: The weeks following the season start are the best time to grab "breakout" players in fantasy leagues before their value sky-rockets.