The Emirates NBA Cup is actually the same as the NBA Cup, but it’s called the Emirates NBA Cup for sponsorship reasons. The tournament was initially known as the In-Season Tournament when it debuted in 2023, but it was rebranded after a sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines.
This Midseason Tournament is a new and exciting event that adds extra thrill to the NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers were expected to make it to the knockout stage, but they were eliminated with a 2-2 record.
The competition has a different structure compared to the regular season, leaving many wondering why the Lakers were knocked out so soon. Here’s a full explanation of how the Emirates NBA Cup format works.
The vision behind the midseason tournament
The Emirates NBA Cup is a new and exciting part of the NBA season. It was first called the In-Season Tournament but got its name after a deal with Emirates Airline on July 8, 2023.
EMIRATES NBA CUP EXPLAINED WITH MICHAEL IMPERIOLI & ROSARIO DAWSON 🎥
— NBA (@NBA) August 13, 2024
Starting Nov. 12, all 30 teams will compete in Group Play with 8 advancing into the knockout rounds! The Semifinals & Championship will be held in Las Vegas, Dec. 14 & 17!
Who will win the NBA Cup in 2024? pic.twitter.com/lAZWYD0stf
Now in its second year, starting on November 12, the tournament gives teams a chance to win a trophy besides the NBA Championship. The idea came from soccer tournaments like England’s FA Cup, and the NBA hopes to excite fans worldwide with this format.
Emirates NBA Cup format
The Emirates NBA Cup includes all 30 teams, split into six groups of five, based on last season’s records. The tournament has two parts: group play and knockout rounds.
In the group stage (Nov 12–Dec 3), each team plays four games—two at home and two away. The top team from each group and one extra “wild card” team from each conference move to the Knockout Rounds.
The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2024, as revealed tonight on ESPN.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 12, 2024
All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2023-24 regular season.
The groups are available below. pic.twitter.com/vCwzPPcnVk
Team cities host the quarterfinals (Dec 10–11), while Las Vegas hosts the semifinals (Dec 14) and championship (Dec 17) for an exciting finale.
Prize breakdown for the Emirates NBA Cup
The Emirates NBA Cup gives players big cash rewards for their efforts. In 2024, each player on the winning team will get $514,970, up from $500,000. Players on the losing team in the final will earn $205,988, up from $200,000.
NBA Cup prize money increases for 2024:
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) November 12, 2024
Players on winning team of championship: $514,970 each
Players on losing team of championship: $205,988 each
Players on losing team of semifinals: $102,994 each
Players on losing team of quarterfinals: $51,497 each
Teams that lose in the semifinals will give each player $102,994, and quarterfinal losers will get $51,497, both slightly more than last year.
