Emirates NBA Cup Finals Game Moved To Hinkle Fieldhouse

In discussing the NBA Cup in the past, the league has talked about a vision to bring the championship game to different venues and stages that honor the history of the sport of basketball and Hinkle Fieldhouse is certainly one of those arenas.

The venue hosted the 1954 Indiana high school state championship game that inspired the classic 1986 basketball movie Hoosiers and was also where Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson led Crispus Attucks High School to a state championship in 1955, becoming the first all-black team to win a state championship in America.

“Hinkle Fieldhouse offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship,” NBA Head of Global Events Kelly Flatow said in a statement. “Playing the Championship in an iconic basketball environment like this will further establish it as a signature moment on the NBA calendar.”

The Emirates NBA Cup has been a hit since it was introduced with the atmosphere and intensity of the games leaning closer to playoff games than standard regular season contests. After the Lakers won the first one by defeating the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks took home the second crown in 2024 by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Last season it was the New York Knicks defeating the San Antonio Spurs for the crown, which wound up being a preview for the NBA Finals.

What NBA Cup change means

Aside from taking the event out of Las Vegas, the biggest change with the NBA Cup championship game taking place at Hinkle Fieldhouse is that semifinals games will be played at traditional home courts.

The NBA Cup final itself will take place on Dec. 11 and stream exclusively on Prime Video. Tickets will go on sale to the public this fall, at NBAEvents.com. Special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences and hospitality are available for purchase now.