TheNationalBasketballAssociation(NBA)isaprofessionalbasketballleague,composedofthirtyteamsinNorthAmerica(twenty-nineintheUnitedStatesandoneinCanada).ItisanactivememberofUSABasketball(USAB),whichisrecognizedbytheInternationalBasketballFederationastheNationalGoverningBody(NGB)forbasketballintheUnitedStates.TheNBAisoneofthefourmajorNorthAmericanprofessionalsportsleagues,whichincludeMajorLeagueBaseball(MLB),theNationalFootballLeague(NFL),andtheNationalHockeyLeague(NHL).

　　TheleaguewasfoundedinNewYorkCityonJune6,1946astheBasketballAssociationofAmerica(BAA).TheleagueadoptedthenameNationalBasketballAssociationin1949aftermergingwiththerivalNationalBasketballLeague(NBL).Theleague'sseveralinternationalaswellasindividualteamofficesaredirectedoutofitsheadofficeslocatedintheOlympicTowerat645FifthAvenueinNewYorkCity.NBAEntertainmentandNBATVstudiosaredirectedoutofofficeslocatedinSecaucus,NewJersey.