The NBA revealed all 30 Emirates NBA Cup 2026 courts on October 13 in a thread on X. We graded and ranked every one, counting down from No. 30 to No. 1. Two got an F. One got an A+.
How the NBA Cup Courts Work
Every Cup court is painted solid in a team color with an oversized tonal wordmark, the team logo on the gold NBA Cup trophy at center court and a gold trophy graphic in each lane. The NBA confirmed all Cup games are played on these painted floors.
The look is inspired by Nike's "End of Ordinary" NBA Standard Issue Collection, and teams wear their Statement Edition uniforms in every Cup game, per NBC Sports.
Group play starts October 30, the quarterfinals are December 4 and 5, and the final is December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Prime Video, per NBA.com. The Knicks are the defending champions, and ESPN reports each winning player gets more than $500,000. Every new jersey and court is in our NBA uniforms hub.
30. Milwaukee Bucks NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
We just don't like the Bucks colors on this NBA Cup court. The hunter green floor and cream apron at Fiserv Forum look muddy, and the gold trophy gets lost on the dark green. Full schedule: Bucks uniform schedule.
29. Houston Rockets NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
We just don't like the Rockets colors here. The red floor with a charcoal apron and red HOUSTON letters at Toyota Center has almost no contrast. We also gave Houston's other new floors a C+ and a C. Full schedule: Rockets uniform schedule.
28. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Gray floor, black apron and white TRAIL BLAZERS wordmarks at Moda Center. The red pinwheel and the "rip city runs deep" line are good, but the court has almost no Blazers red. Full schedule: Trail Blazers uniform schedule.
27. Memphis Grizzlies NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Gray floor, navy apron and light blue MEMPHIS wordmarks at FedExForum. The bear head on the trophy is the best part, and the rest of the court is flat gray. Full schedule: Grizzlies uniform schedule.
26. San Antonio Spurs NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Charcoal floor and black apron with white SAN ANTONIO wordmarks at Frost Bank Center. Black on charcoal has no pop, and the Spurs' Classic Edition court we gave an A+ shows how much better they can do. Full schedule: Spurs uniform schedule.
25. Boston Celtics NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Kelly green floor with the black CELTICS shamrock roundel on the trophy, and a gray parquet-style apron at TD Garden. The Red Auerbach signature and Bill Russell's No. 6 are nice touches, but the gray apron drains the color. ClutchPoints called it the best Cup court. We don't agree. Full schedule: Celtics uniform schedule.
24. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
We don't like how much black the Lakers use on their courts now, and this one has black all over the baseline and sideline. The gold trophy also disappears on the gold floor. The 17 championship stars on the sideline at Crypto.com Arena are the best detail. We also covered the Lakers' new practice court in August. Full schedule: Lakers uniform schedule.
23. Chicago Bulls NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Red floor, gray apron and white CHICAGO wordmarks at the United Center. The bull head on the trophy looks great, but gray instead of black and an empty sideline hold it back. Full schedule: Bulls uniform schedule.
22. Atlanta Hawks NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Red floor with a bright yellow apron and black HAWKS wordmarks at State Farm Arena. The yellow is so loud the red floor feels secondary, and the sideline is empty. Full schedule: Hawks uniform schedule.
21. New Orleans Pelicans NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Navy floor and a gold apron with pelican, cypress tree and river map art at Smoothie King Center. The art is very New Orleans, but the floor is dark and Pelicans red is missing. Full schedule: Pelicans uniform schedule.
20. Miami Heat NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light orange floor, black apron and red HEAT wordmarks at Kaseya Center. The black and red are right, but the orange floor is too soft for the Heat. Full schedule: Heat uniform schedule.
19. Sacramento Kings NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Gray floor and purple apron at Golden 1 Center, with a black and purple checkerboard and PROUD on the sideline. Great sideline, but this court needed a purple floor. Full schedule: Kings uniform schedule.
18. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Wine floor and gold apron with LET EM KNOW. on the sideline at Rocket Arena. Wine and gold are right, but the wine C gets lost on the gold trophy. Full schedule: Cavaliers uniform schedule.
17. Washington Wizards NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Red floor with a gray apron and a lowercase script washington wordmark at Capital One Arena. The script and the red, white and blue logo look good, but a navy apron would have finished it. Full schedule: Wizards uniform schedule.
16. Phoenix Suns NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Burnt orange floor and purple apron with SUNS UP on the sideline at Mortgage Matchup Center. Purple and orange is classic Suns and a big step up from the floor that finished last in our 2026 playoff courts ranking. Full schedule: Suns uniform schedule.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light gray floor and royal blue apron with MINNESOTA and green trees at Target Center. The blue and green fit the Wolves' 2026-27 rebrand, but the gray floor is plain. Full schedule: Timberwolves uniform schedule.
14. LA Clippers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Navy floor, light blue apron and a script Los Angeles at Intuit Dome, with MAKE WAVES on the sideline. The light blue apron is fresh, but the navy floor is dark. Full schedule: Clippers uniform schedule.
13. Indiana Pacers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Navy floor and yellow apron with BOOM BABY! on the sideline at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Great sideline, but the yellow is paler than Pacers gold, and their Classic Court is the better Pacers floor. Full schedule: Pacers uniform schedule.
12. Denver Nuggets NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Maroon floor, yellow apron and blue DENVER wordmarks with MILE HIGH BASKETBALL at Ball Arena. It is bold and better than the regular floor we graded a C, but red is the Nuggets' least-used color. Full schedule: Nuggets uniform schedule.
11. Golden State Warriors NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light gray floor with a royal blue apron and gold GOLDEN STATE wordmarks at Chase Center. The blue and gold apron is pure Warriors, but the gray floor is plain. Full schedule: Warriors uniform schedule.
10. Toronto Raptors NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light gray floor and a red apron with a maple leaf pattern and the 43.6435° N latitude at Scotiabank Arena. Great apron, but a red or black floor would have put Toronto much higher. Full schedule: Raptors uniform schedule.
9. Charlotte Hornets NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Teal floor, gray apron and purple CHARLOTTE wordmarks with THE HIVE IS ALIVE at Spectrum Center. A full teal floor is very Charlotte. A purple apron would have made it even better. Full schedule: Hornets uniform schedule.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Navy floor, bright blue apron and white OKLAHOMA CITY wordmarks at Paycom Center. Two Thunder blues look clean, and the orange in the OKC shield pops at center court. Full schedule: Thunder uniform schedule.
7. Dallas Mavericks NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Royal blue floor and black apron with DALLAS wordmarks at American Airlines Center. The bright blue looks great, and the MAVERICKS sideline with DALLAS tucked between the letters is clever. Full schedule: Mavericks uniform schedule.
6. Brooklyn Nets NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light gray floor, dark charcoal apron and outlined BROOKLYN NETS wordmarks at Barclays Center. Gray works here because black, white and gray is Brooklyn, though their Classic Court is still our favorite Nets floor. Full schedule: Nets uniform schedule.
5. Philadelphia 76ers NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Royal blue floor, navy apron and white PHILADELPHIA wordmarks with Brotherly Love on the sideline at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The royal blue and the darker navy create a nice silhouette. Full schedule: 76ers uniform schedule.
4. Orlando Magic NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Light gray floor with a royal blue apron and ORLANDO wordmarks with a star for the A at Kia Center. We usually don't like a gray court, but this one pops with the blue sideline. Full schedule: Magic uniform schedule.
3. Detroit Pistons NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Royal blue floor, red apron and white PISTONS wordmarks with IN IT FOR MY CITY. at Little Caesars Arena. The colors pop. Full schedule: Pistons uniform schedule.
2. New York Knicks NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Royal blue floor, orange apron and white NEW YORK wordmarks at Madison Square Garden. The colors pop, and the defending NBA Cup champions get the second-best court. Full schedule: Knicks uniform schedule.
1. Utah Jazz NBA Cup Court
Image: NBA
Purple floor and a light blue apron with mountain shapes at Delta Center, with the Jazz note wrapped around the trophy. We love the Jazz redesign, and the purple with the light blue looks great. The best NBA Cup court of 2026. Full schedule: Jazz uniform schedule.
Final Ranking: All 30 NBA Cup Courts
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the 2026 NBA Cup courts look like?
Each court is painted solid in team colors, with a big tonal team wordmark and the team logo on a gold NBA Cup trophy at center court.
Which team has the best NBA Cup court?
The Utah Jazz, with an A+ for a purple floor and a light blue apron. The Knicks (A) and Pistons (A-) are next.
Which NBA Cup court is the worst?
The Milwaukee Bucks (F) are last, and the Houston Rockets (F) are No. 29.
When were the 2026 NBA Cup courts revealed?
October 13, 2026, in a team-by-team thread on the NBA's X account.
When does the 2026 NBA Cup start?
Friday, October 30, 2026. Group play continues on November 6, 13, 20, 24, 25 and 27.
When is the 2026 NBA Cup final?
Friday, December 11, 2026. The quarterfinals are December 4 and 5 and the semifinals are December 8 and 9.
Where is the NBA Cup final in 2026?
Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, streaming on Prime Video.
Why are NBA Cup courts painted?
So fans can tell right away that it is a Cup game and not a regular-season game.
What uniforms do teams wear in NBA Cup games?
Statement Edition uniforms, in every NBA Cup game.
What inspired the 2026 NBA Cup court designs?
Nike's "End of Ordinary" NBA Standard Issue Collection. The big floor wordmarks are styled after the Standard Issue jackets.
What does "30 Teams. 8 Advance. 1 Champion." mean?
It is the tournament format printed on every court: 30 teams play group games, eight reach the knockout rounds and one wins the Cup.
Who won the last NBA Cup?
The New York Knicks, who beat the San Antonio Spurs in last season's final.
How much money do NBA Cup winners get?
More than $500,000 per player on the winning team, according to ESPN.
Do the Celtics have a parquet floor for the NBA Cup?
No. The floor is painted kelly green, and the parquet idea is printed on the gray apron.
Do the Lakers have a gold NBA Cup court?
Yes. It is a gold floor with a black apron and 17 championship stars on the sideline. We gave it a D+.
The Bottom Line on the 2026 NBA Cup Courts
The Utah Jazz have the best NBA Cup court of 2026 with an A+, followed by the Knicks and Pistons, whose colors pop. The Bucks and Rockets finished last with F grades. The courts debut October 30, and the final is December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
ColorWay Sports is an independent design site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Basketball Association, Emirates or any NBA team. Court images are official NBA renders, credited to the NBA.
