After a break in the summer, basketball-training camps begin in October. During this time, coaches decide which players to add to the twelve person active roster. Following training camp there is a series of preseason exhibition games. The regular season for the NBA starts in the first week of November.

Over the course of a regular season, an NBA team will play 82 games that are divided into an even number of home and away games. Over the course of a season a team will face teams in their own division four times each, teams from their conference three or four times each and teams in the other conferences twice each. The NBA remains the only major league sport where a fan can see every team in the league play in their hometown at least once in a season.

In February, fans vote on the top players in each position for the All-Star game. Coaches vote for the remaining fourteen players. There are two teams during the All-Star game, the East versus the West. A Game MVP award is given to the player that performs the best. After the All-Star game teams can no longer exchange players with each other although they can still sign and release players. Most of the major trades in the league occur right before this trading deadline.

The NBA regular season ends in April. At this time, the NBA awards are handed out to players. During the postseason players are put into teams of five players who are the top in their position. Three All-NBA teams have the top players in each position and are often the most desirable players for the next season. Two All-Defensive teams have the top defenders from the previous season. Two All-Rookie teams have the top first-year players no matter what their position.