The details of the tournament were revealed by the NBA on July 8; [6] the group draws were announced and the semifinals and championship were scheduled at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip.

[7][8] The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the championship game to win the inaugural NBA Cup.

[3] The second edition of the NBA Cup was held from November 12 to December 17, 2024 with the semifinals and championship hosted at T-Mobile Arena for the second consecutive year.

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the second NBA Cup championship game.

[10] On December 13, 2024, Refugees International urged the NBA to suspend its partnership with the UAE due to its role in inciting the Sudanese civil war.

The organization stated that instead of legitimizing the UAE through sponsorship, the NBA should reevaluate its partnership with the Emirates and use its influence to pressure it to end the involvement in the Sudan war.

Players, coaches, and other league employees have suggested alternative tiebreakers, such as limiting point differential to a maximum value per game, or using the number of quarters in which a team outscored its opponent.

The courts also featured a fully-painted maple surface with a contrasting middle color strip painted from each end of the free-throw lane.

[24] For the semifinal and final rounds at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the tournament court was blue with a red middle strip.

The design features a black cup surrounded by eight gold prongs and a base inspired by the new conference championship trophies.

[35] The winner of the Most Valuable Player award is decided by members of a selected media panel, as well as by online fan votes.