NBL vs NBA: 5 major differences between the two leagues and decoding what makes NBA better

The NBA is widely known as the best and most popular basketball league in the world. However, there are still some other high-level basketball leagues around the world. One of those is Australia’s National Basketball League, also known as the NBL, which features many former NBA players.

Below are five major differences that separate the NBA from the NBL:

Size of the leagues

NBL Blitz - Melbourne United v Brisbane Bullets

The NBL is currently just one-third the size of the NBA in terms of the number of teams. The NBL has 10 teams compared to 30 in the NBA. This makes it easier for teams to game plan in the NBL as teams are more familiar with each other. It also means it’s a lot more difficult to score. This is according to former NBA player Vic Law who made the transition to the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL.

Law spoke about the key difference during an episode of "The Huddle" podcast last year. He said:

“I would say scoring in the NBA is probably a little bit easier because you’re playing every other night so you’re not game planning.

“In the NBA, you’re playing every night, so the scout factor, you kind of just have to play. They give you short snippets of teams, the court is so open, you are kind of just playing.”

The NBL's smaller number of teams is also the reason they have a much different playoff setup. The NBL has a Finals that consists of a small tournament at the end of each season. The top six regular season teams qualify for the finals. The current Finals format consists of four rounds, starting with two sudden-death play-in games. It is then followed by a best-of-three semifinals and best-of-five Grand Final series.

This is very different to the NBA's 16-team playoffs with four rounds of best-of-seven series.

Fan attendance

NBL Rd 1 - Perth Wildcats v Brisbane Bullets

The NBA also has a lot more fans in attendance at games than the NBL does. According to Statista, the league-wide average attendance in the NBA was 17,184 fans per game in the 2021-2022 season. The average NBL attendance was reportedly 6,874 fans per game as of the 2019-2020 season (as per NBL data).

Player salaries

NBL Rd 1 - Illawarra Hawks v Sydney Kings

One of the biggest differences between the NBA and NBL boils down to the finances. The NBA, being the more popular league with higher ad revenue, can afford to pay its players more. According to Statista.com, the average player salary in the NBA for the 2021-2022 season is $7.3 million. The top 10 salaries are also all $39 million or higher.

According to a report from Jose Colorado, NBL players' average salaries are between $109,000 and $250,000. This is still quite a bit of money for the average person, but obviously nothing close to the salaries in the NBA.

Player recruitment

NBL Rd 1 - Perth Wildcats v Brisbane Bullets

When it comes to talent recruitment, the NBL has it much tougher than the NBA. The NBA welcomes new players through an annual draft that includes the top prospects from the US and around the world.

The NBL, on the other hand, relies on the players that do not get selected during the NBA draft. They also have to compete with leagues in other countries as well as the NBA G-League for recruitment.

In addition, the NBL has a rule where each team can only have a maximum of two imported players. Imported players such as Bryce Cotton often end up becoming big stars in the NBL.

Style of play

NBL Rd 1 - Perth Wildcats v Brisbane Bullets

The NBA and NBL also have rule differences. The NBA has a defensive three-second violation rule while the NBL does not. Vic Law says this completely changes the way teams play:

“You have to be smart and be a clever basketball player in the ways you find out how to score. Both leagues deserve their praise, but I think the NBL puts a huge emphasis on physicality, intelligence of basketball, and the team aspect of it."

The NBA has made the transition to a fast-paced, athletic league filled with versatile players and tons of spacing. But it looks like the NBL has opted for a slower, more traditional style of play.

Overall, it’s clear the NBA is still far ahead of the NBL in many aspects. Nonetheless, the NBL continues to grow in popularity as an alternative for basketball fans worldwide.

For Law's full discussion on the NBL, check out the full episode of "The Huddle" podcast here.