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Basketball API

The Basketball API covers the NBA and the WNBA: get both leagues' schedules, live scores with the quarter and game clock on paid plans, final scores by quarter with every overtime period, standings with playoff seeds, and every team's roster. Pick the league with league=nba or league=wnba. The free plan covers the current season of each league: schedules, final scores, standings and rosters.

Available endpoints:

League guides: NBA API and WNBA API. One API key works for every sports API.

Basketball data at a glance

SeasonsNBA seasons span two years (season=2026 is 2026-27, October to June); WNBA seasons are calendar years (season=2026 runs May to October)
Season typespreseason, regular, cup_final (the NBA Cup championship and the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final), play_in (NBA) and postseason
ScoringPoints by quarter in period_scores, with each overtime period; decided_in is regulation or overtime
Live gamesOn paid plans: score, quarter, game clock and halftime or end_of_period breaks
Team idsEach league has its own ids, e.g. nba-lal and wnba-las for the two Los Angeles teams; /v1/basketballteams lists both leagues
Standingswin_pct, games_behind, streaks, last_10, home, road and conference records, and conference_rank; the NBA adds divisions
RostersPosition, jersey number, height, weight, birth date, college and experience

Leagues

LeagueWhat you getLeague value
NBASchedules, live and final scores by quarter, play-in and playoffs, standings, teams and rostersnba
WNBASchedules, live and final scores by quarter, Commissioner's Cup final and playoffs, standings by conference, teams and rosterswnba
4 endpoints

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballgames

Returns schedules, live scores and final scores. Ask for one day, a team's season or one game; with only league you get today's games. Paid plans see games in progress with the score, period and clock updated throughout the game; the free plan sees their status and the final score once they end. The free plan covers the current season. Developer plans add the three previous seasons, and the Business tier and above gets the full season archive.

Parameters

Provide league, unless you pass game_id or a team id such as nba-bos.

  • league  optional

    nba or wnba.

  • date  optional

    Game day in the league's home time zone (YYYY-MM-DD). Defaults to today when no team or season is given.

  • team  optional

    Team id, abbreviation or name (e.g. BOS): that team's games in the season.

  • season  optional

    Season, as the year it starts (2026 = the 2026-27 NBA season). Defaults to the current season. On its own, returns the season's games 50 per page; use offset for the next page.

  • season_type  optional

    Only games of this part of the season.

  • status  optional

    Only games with this status.

  • game_id  optional

    Return one game.

  • limit  optional Premium only

    Games per page (1-500). Default 50.

  • offset  optional

    Games to skip, for paging. Default 0.

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/basketballgames endpoint returns a JSON array of games in start order, or an error.

  • game_id

    Unique id of the game, e.g. nba-20261022-cle-phi. It never changes, even when a game is moved to another date.

  • league

    nba or wnba.

  • sport

    Always basketball.

  • season

    Season, as the year it starts: 2026 is the 2026-27 NBA season and the 2026 WNBA season.

  • season_label

    Display form of the season, e.g. 2026 or 2026-27.

  • season_type

    preseason, regular, cup_final (the NBA Cup championship game and the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final, which do not count in the standings), play_in (NBA) or postseason.

  • date

    Game day in US Eastern time (YYYY-MM-DD), so a West Coast night game keeps its US date.

  • start_time

    Scheduled start in UTC (ISO 8601).

  • status

    scheduled, in_progress, final, postponed, canceled, suspended (including abandoned soccer matches) or delayed (e.g. a baseball rain delay).

  • status_detail Premium only

    During a game: halftime or end_of_period. Otherwise null. While a game is in progress, the free plan sees This field is for premium subscribers only.

  • period Live values: Premium

    Current quarter, or the last one played once the game is final. Each overtime period continues the count (5, 6, ...). While a game is in progress, the free plan sees This field is for premium subscribers only.

  • clock Premium only

    While a game is in progress: time left in the quarter, e.g. 5:33. The free plan sees This field is for premium subscribers only.

  • home_team, away_team

    The teams: team_id, name and abbreviation, named as they were that season (e.g. the New Orleans Hornets or the Charlotte Bobcats).

  • home_score, away_score Live values: Premium

    Current or final score (points); null before the game starts. While a game is in progress, the free plan sees This field is for premium subscribers only.

  • period_scores Live values: Premium

    Score per quarter for home and away, with each overtime period. While a game is in progress, the free plan sees This field is for premium subscribers only.

  • decided_in

    For final games: regulation or overtime.

  • winner

    team_id of the winner once the game is final; null before that.

  • venue

    Where the game is played: name, city, state and country (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2).

  • neutral_site

    true when neither team is at home, e.g. international games.

  • original_date

    For a game moved to another date: the date it was first scheduled for. Otherwise null.

  • updated_at

    When any field of the game last changed (UTC).

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required
Query parameters
league
date
team
season
season_type
status
game_id
limit
offset

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballgames?league=nba
Sample response
[
{
"game_id": "nba-20261022-cle-phi",
"league": "nba",
"sport": "basketball",
"season": 2026,
"season_label": "2026-27",
"season_type": "regular",
"date": "2026-10-22",
"start_time": "2026-10-22T23:00:00Z",
"status": "final",
"status_detail": null,
"period": 4,
"clock": null,
"home_team": {
"team_id": "nba-phi",
"name": "Philadelphia 76ers",
"abbreviation": "PHI"
},
"away_team": {
"team_id": "nba-cle",
"name": "Cleveland Cavaliers",
"abbreviation": "CLE"
},
"home_score": 114,
"away_score": 106,
"period_scores": {
"home": [
18,
27,
37,
32
],
"away": [
35,
34,
21,
16
]
},
"decided_in": "regulation",
"winner": "nba-phi",
"venue": {
"name": "Xfinity Mobile Arena",
"city": "Philadelphia",
"state": "PA",
"country": "US"
},
"neutral_site": false,
"original_date": null,
"updated_at": "2026-10-23T03:14:02Z"
}
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballgames?league=nba" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballstandings

Returns the league table for a season, ordered by league rank, or by conference or division rank when you filter. Tables update throughout the season, shortly after each game ends. The free plan covers the current season. Developer plans add the three previous seasons, and the Business tier and above gets the full season archive.

Parameters

  • league  required

    nba or wnba.

  • season  optional

    Season, as the year it starts. Defaults to the current season.

  • conference  optional

    Only this conference, e.g. Eastern.

  • division  optional

    Only this division, e.g. Atlantic (NBA).

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/basketballstandings endpoint returns a JSON array of team rows, or an error. Fields that do not apply to a league are left out.

  • league, sport, season, season_label

    League, sport and season of the table.

  • team

    team_id, name and abbreviation, named as they were that season.

  • conference, division

    Conference (Eastern or Western) and, in the NBA, division (e.g. Atlantic).

  • games_played, wins, losses

    Record.

  • win_pct, games_behind

    Winning percentage and games behind the leader (division leader in the NBA, conference leader in the WNBA).

  • points_for, points_against, point_differential

    Points scored and allowed, and the difference.

  • streak

    Current streak, e.g. W2 or L1.

  • home_record, away_record

    Home and road records, e.g. 4-1.

  • division_record, conference_record

    Records against division (NBA) and conference opponents.

  • last_10

    Record over the last 10 games.

  • league_rank, conference_rank, division_rank

    Rank in the league, conference and division (NBA); conference_rank is the playoff seed in the NBA and the conference position in the WNBA.

  • final

    true once the regular season is over and the table no longer changes.

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required
Query parameters
league
season
conference
division

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballstandings?league=nba
Sample response
[
{
"league": "nba",
"sport": "basketball",
"season": 2026,
"season_label": "2026-27",
"team": {
"team_id": "nba-okc",
"name": "Oklahoma City Thunder",
"abbreviation": "OKC"
},
"conference": "Western",
"division": "Northwest",
"games_played": 4,
"wins": 4,
"losses": 0,
"win_pct": 1,
"games_behind": 0,
"points_for": 445,
"points_against": 403,
"point_differential": 42,
"streak": "W4",
"home_record": "3-0",
"away_record": "1-0",
"division_record": "1-0",
"conference_record": "4-0",
"last_10": "4-0",
"league_rank": 1,
"conference_rank": 2,
"division_rank": 1,
"final": false
}
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballstandings?league=nba" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballteams

Lists teams with their league, conference, division and home venue. Available on every plan.

Parameters

  • league  optional

    Only this league: nba or wnba. Without it, every team of the sport is listed.

  • team  optional

    Team id, abbreviation or name (e.g. BOS): return one team.

  • conference  optional

    Only teams in this conference.

  • division  optional

    Only teams in this division.

  • active  optional

    false lists former teams that appear in past seasons.

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/basketballteams endpoint returns a JSON array of teams, or an error.

  • team_id

    Unique id, e.g. nba-bos or wnba-lva. Use it, the abbreviation or the name in other endpoints.

  • league

    The team's league.

  • sport

    Always basketball.

  • abbreviation, name, city

    Identity of the team.

  • nickname, conference, division

    Nickname, current conference and division.

  • venue

    Home venue: name, city, state, country.

  • active

    false for teams that have since moved, such as the New Jersey Nets, which still appear in past seasons.

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required
Query parameters
league
team
conference
division
active

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballteams?league=nba
Sample response
[
{
"team_id": "nba-bos",
"league": "nba",
"sport": "basketball",
"abbreviation": "BOS",
"name": "Boston Celtics",
"nickname": "Celtics",
"city": "Boston",
"conference": "Eastern",
"division": "Atlantic",
"venue": {
"name": "TD Garden",
"city": "Boston",
"state": "MA",
"country": "US"
},
"active": true
}
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballteams?league=nba" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballplayers

Returns current rosters and player profiles, by team or by name. Rosters refresh every day. Available on every plan.

Parameters

Provide league with team or name, or a player_id.

  • league  optional

    nba or wnba.

  • team  optional

    Team id, abbreviation or name: that team's current roster.

  • name  optional

    Full or partial player name. Case and accents are ignored.

  • player_id  optional

    Return one player.

  • position  optional

    Only this position, e.g. G.

  • limit  optional Premium only

    Players per page (1-500). Default 50.

  • offset  optional

    Players to skip, for paging. Default 0.

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/basketballplayers endpoint returns a JSON array of players, or an error. League-specific fields are left out where they do not apply.

  • player_id

    Unique id, e.g. nba-p-8f12176c56. It stays the same when a player changes teams.

  • league

    League of the player's current roster.

  • team

    Current team: team_id, name and abbreviation; null for a player whose roster_status is not_on_roster.

  • name, first_name, last_name

    Player name.

  • position, jersey_number

    Position abbreviation and jersey number.

  • height_in, height_cm, weight_lb, weight_kg

    Height and weight.

  • birth_date, birth_place

    Date of birth and birthplace (city, state, country).

  • roster_status

    active, suspended or not_on_roster.

  • college, experience_years

    College and years of professional experience, where they apply.

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required
Query parameters
league
team
name
player_id
position
limit
offset

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballplayers?league=nba&team=BOS
Sample response
[
{
"player_id": "nba-p-8f12176c56",
"league": "nba",
"team": {
"team_id": "nba-bos",
"name": "Boston Celtics",
"abbreviation": "BOS"
},
"name": "Jayson Tatum",
"first_name": "Jayson",
"last_name": "Tatum",
"position": "F",
"jersey_number": "0",
"height_in": 80,
"height_cm": 203,
"weight_lb": 224,
"weight_kg": 102,
"birth_date": "1998-03-03",
"birth_place": {
"city": "Saint Louis",
"state": "MO",
"country": "US"
},
"roster_status": "active",
"college": "Duke",
"experience_years": 10
}
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/basketballplayers?league=nba&team=BOS" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, but you must have a premium subscription. Commercial use of the Basketball API is not permitted on the free tier. See our pricing page to choose a plan that fits your needs.
  • Sign up for a free account to instantly get your API key, then pass it in the X-Api-Key header on every request. The documentation above includes ready-to-run examples in cURL, Python, JavaScript, Node.js, and more.
  • Your API requests will simply be denied once you hit your monthly quota — you will never be charged more than the plan you signed up for. To increase your quota, you can upgrade your plan any time on our pricing page.
  • The API responds with a standard HTTP status code and a JSON error message describing the problem. See our error codes reference for the full list of codes and how to resolve each one, or contact support if you need help.
  • Yes. The free plan covers the current NBA and WNBA seasons: full schedules, final scores by quarter, standings, teams and rosters. Paid plans add live scores with the quarter and game clock, and past seasons.
  • The NBA (league=nba) and the WNBA (league=wnba), with the same endpoints and fields. League guides: NBA API and WNBA API.
  • Call /v1/basketballteams for the teams of both leagues, or add league=wnba for one. Each team has its league, conference, division (NBA) and home venue.
  • period_scores adds one entry per overtime period after the four quarters, period continues counting (5 for the first overtime), and final games have decided_in=overtime.
  • Call /v1/basketballgames?league=nba. Without a date it returns today's games in US Eastern time; on paid plans games in progress include the score, quarter and game clock.

Explore API integration use cases for recommended APIs and workflow examples.

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