Summary
The NBA is facing a problem called "tanking," where teams lose games on purpose to get better positions in the player draft. In the 2025-26 season, a record eight teams lost 55 or more games, highlighting this issue. This trend occurs alongside changing viewership patterns, where streaming and digital platforms grow, but TV ratings show mixed results.
Key Facts
- "Tanking" is when teams lose games on purpose to get better draft picks.
- In the 2025-26 NBA season, eight teams lost 55 or more games for the first time.
- The NBA is considering changes like draft lottery reforms to stop tanking.
- Nearly a third of NBA teams appeared to lose on purpose towards the end of the season.
- After the All-Star break, the six worst teams had a combined win percentage of .187.
- Traditional TV ratings show declines, but overall viewership increased due to expanded streaming.
- The NBA had around 1.8 million average viewers heading into the 2026 NBA All-Star break.
- Social media generated more than 30 billion views for the NBA as of November 2025.
