Although the NBA Finals and the 2022 NBA Draft are over, the world champion Golden State Warriors can’t get comfortable yet. The NBA offseason is officially underway, and the league’s 30 teams will have to deal with everything from free agency to the Summer League.
Whether you’re looking to find the best way to watch the NBA using NBA League Pass, or test cord-cutting services that include NBA action, you can do it all with the help of a VPN.
How to stream the NBA with a VPN
You can stream the NBA in just a few simple steps:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location in the U.S.
- Choose your preferred streaming platform to watch ABC or ESPN.
- Tune in and enjoy!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, be sure to use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
How to stream the NBA with League Pass
If you want to check out the biggest showcase game the NBA has to offer, there isn’t a better option than NBA League Pass. You can enjoy games without blackouts by using the international version of the service and it comes with a strong seven-day free trial.
NBA League Pass
Price: 7 USD/season
Want to enjoy NBA games with the privacy and security of a VPN? NBA League Pass is your best option.
NBA game blackouts: International League Pass vs. U.S. League Pass
What’s the difference between watching NBA League Pass in Germany, Australia, Canada, or the U.S.? League Pass is available both inside and outside the States. However, there are key differences every fan needs to know.
The U.S. League Pass offers live games and full-game replays for all teams. However, blackouts apply. When a team is playing, that game will be “blacked out” on the U.S. League Pass for the team’s home market. Nationally broadcast games on ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV—in other words, most of the playoffs—will also be blacked out. (All blacked-out games are available three days after broadcast. If you purchased the 3-Game Choice package, nationally telecast games will be available for purchase three hours after they have aired. Locally telecast games will be available for purchase three days after they air.)
Want to tune in without having to worry about blackouts? The International League Pass also offers live games for all teams, but without a single blackout!
That’s because blackouts are put in place to protect local broadcasters’ viewership while preserving users’ ability to watch out-of-market games. If you’re streaming from a country outside the United States or Canada, every game is effectively “out-of-market,” meaning that there are no blackouts to worry about. If you only want to watch the games for a single team, select the “Team Choice” option to save some money!
How to cancel NBA League Pass
If you feel like you’re not getting value out of your subscription, cancelling it is not an arduous process. There’s actually a comprehensive guide on how to cancel. You should also be aware that the service auto-renews monthly—if you’re on a monthly subscription—or prior to the season if you’ve purchased an annual subscription. You can opt out of auto-renewals and you will be notified by email prior to getting auto-renewed for a full season.
Stream the NBA using services with free trials
There are a number of cord-cutting services available that should cover your needs. They can be slightly pricey, but most offer free trials so you have ample opportunity to see if they’re worth it for you.
SlingTV
Price: 35 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN
Although Sling TV does not offer ABC, those with Sling Orange or Sling Orange + Blue can watch the entire 2022 NBA Draft through ESPN. A 3-day free trial is available. A 3-day free trial is available.
Note: You will need a U.S. credit card or PayPal in order to subscribe.
YouTube TV
Price: 65 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN
YouTube TV offers over 70 local channels, including ABC. A subscription costs 65 USD/month, and doesn’t require a U.S. billing address (though you may need to provide a U.S. ZIP code based on your preferred viewing area). The service includes a variety of sports channels and a 5-day free trial.
FuboTV
Price: 70 USD/month
Channels: ABC, ESPN
FuboTV is a fantastic, if pricey, option for streaming the 2022 NBA Draft. A 7-day free trial is available for those who don’t want to commit to a subscription.
What is the NBA Draft order?
Unlike previous years, only 58 players were selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat each forfeited second-round picks in this year’s draft following tampering violations. As a result, the second round only featured 28 selections rather than the normal 30.
Round 1:
| Pick | Team | Player |
| No. 1 | Orlando Magic | Paolo Banchero, F, Duke |
| No. 2 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Chet Holmgren, F, Gonzaga |
| No. 3 | Houston Rockets | Jabari Smith Jr., F, Auburn |
| No. 4 | Sacramento Kings | Keegan Murray, F, Iowa |
| No. 5 | Detroit Pistons | Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue |
| No. 6 | Indiana Pacers | Benedict Mathurin, F, Arizona |
| No. 7 | Portland Trail Blazers | Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky |
| No. 8 | New Orleans Pelicans (via Los Angeles Lakers) | Dyson Daniels, G, G League Ignite |
| No. 9 | San Antonio Spurs | Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor |
| No. 10 | Washington Wizards | Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin |
| No. 11 | New York Knicks | Ousmane Dieng, F, France (traded to Oklahoma City Thunder) |
| No. 12 | Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers) | Jalen Williams, G, Santa Clara |
| No. 13 | Charlotte Hornets | Jalen Duren, C, Memphis |
| No. 14 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas |
| No. 15 | Charlotte Hornets (via New Orleans Pelicans) | Mark Williams, C, Duke |
| No. 16 | Atlanta Hawks | AJ Griffin, F, Duke |
| No. 17 | Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn Nets) | Tari Eason, F, LSU |
| No. 18 | Chicago Bulls | Dalen Terry, G, Arizona |
| No. 19 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Jake LaRavia, F, Wake Forest (traded to Memphis Grizzlies) |
| No. 20 | San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto Raptors) | Malaki Branham, G, Ohio State |
| No. 21 | Denver Nuggets | Christian Braun, G, Kansas |
| No. 22 | Memphis Grizzlies (via Utah Jazz) | Walker Kessler, C, Auburn |
| No. 23 | Philadelphia 76ers (via Brooklyn Nets) | David Roddy, F, Colorado State (traded to Memphis Grizzlies) |
| No. 24 | Milwaukee Bucks | MarJon Beauchamp, G, G League Ignite |
| No. 25 | San Antonio Spurs (via Boston Celtics) | Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame |
| No. 26 | Dallas Mavericks | Wendell Moore Jr., F, Duke |
| No. 27 | Miami Heat | Nikola Jović, F, Serbia |
| No. 28 | Golden State Warriors | Patrick Baldwin Jr., F, Milwaukee |
| No. 29 | Memphis Grizzlies | TyTy Washington, G, Kentucky |
| No. 30 | Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets) | Peyton Watson, F, UCLA |
Round 2:
| Pick | Team | Player |
| No. 31 | Indiana Pacers (via Houston Rockets) | Andrew Nemhard, G, Gonzaga |
| No. 32 | Orlando Magic | Caleb Houstan, F, Michigan |
| No. 33 | Toronto Raptors (via Detroit Pistons) | Christian Koloko, C, Arizona |
| No. 34 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Jaylin Williams, F, Arkansas |
| No. 35 | Los Angeles Lakers (via Orlando Magic) | Max Christie, G, Michigan State |
| No. 36 | Portland Trail Blazers | Gabriele Procida, F, Italy (traded to Detroit Pistons) |
| No. 37 | Sacramento Kings | Jaden Hardy, G, G League Ignite (traded to Dallas Mavericks) |
| No. 38 | San Antonio Spurs (via Los Angeles Lakers) | Kennedy Chandler, G, Tennessee (traded to Memphis Grizzlies) |
| No. 39 | Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio Spurs) | Khalifa Diop, C, Senegal |
| No. 40 | Minnesota Timberwolves (via Washington Wizards) | Bryce McGowens, G, Nebraska (traded to Charlotte Hornets) |
| No. 41 | New Orleans Pelicans | EJ Liddell, F, Ohio State |
| No. 42 | New York Knicks | Trevor Keels, G, Duke |
| No. 43 | Los Angeles Clippers | Moussa Diabaté, F, Michigan |
| No. 44 | Atlanta Hawks | Ryan Rollins, G, Toledo (traded to Golden State Warriors) |
| No. 45 | Charlotte Hornets | Josh Minnot, F, Memphis (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves) |
| No. 46 | Detroit Pistons (via Brooklyn Nets) | Ismaël Kamagate, C, France (traded to Denver Nuggets) |
| No. 47 | Memphis Grizzlies (via Cleveland Cavaliers) | Vince Williams, G/F, VCU |
| No. 48 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Kendall Brown, G, Baylor (traded to Indiana Pacers) |
| No. 49 | Sacramento Kings (via Chicago Bulls) | Isaiah Mobley, F, Southern California |
| No. 50 | Minnesota Timberwolves (via Denver Nuggets) | Matteo Spagnolo, G, Italy |
| No. 51 | Golden State Warriors (via Toronto Raptors) | Tyrese Martin, G, UConn (traded to Atlanta Hawks) |
| No. 52 | New Orleans Pelicans (via Utah Jazz) | Karlo Matković, F, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| No. 53 | Boston Celtics | JD Davison, G, Alabama |
| No. 54 | Washington Wizards (via Dallas Mavericks) | Yannick Nzosa, C, DR Congo |
| No. 55 | Golden State Warriors | Gui Santos, G/F, Brazil (traded to Milwaukee Bucks) |
| No. 56 | Cleveland Cavaliers (via Miami Heat) | Luke Travers, F, Australia |
| No. 57 | Portland Trail Blazers (via Memphis Grizzlies) | Jabari Walker, F, Colorado |
| No. 58 | Indiana Pacers (via Phoenix Suns) | Hugo Besson, G, France (traded to Milwaukee Bucks) |
Recapping the 2021-22 NBA season
The 2021-22 NBA season featured no shortage of intriguing storylines. Here were the most noteworthy events and incidents from the league’s 75th campaign:
Kyrie Irving’s one-man stand: The Brooklyn Nets envisioned the makings of a future dynasty when they partnered Irving with forward Kevin Durant in the summer of 2019. Instead, the most memorable part of Irving’s tenure in New York City thus far has been his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine. The 2011 No. 1 overall pick refused to get vaccinated, which prevented him from playing Nets home games early in the 2021-22 season because of New York’s vaccine rules. Although the Nets essentially kept Irving away from the team at first, the franchise later welcomed him back as a part-time player. Not that it mattered much—the Boston Celtics swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs.
LeBron James and the Lakers hit rock bottom: Remember when the Lakers celebrated a 17th NBA Finals title in the Orlando bubble in October 2020? It’s been all downhill from there. Although James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists over 56 games this past season, the Lakers went a dismal 33-49 and missed the postseason for the second straight year. Veteran point guard Russell Westbrook didn’t fit in, All-Star big man Anthony Davis played only 40 games because of injuries, and LA wasted James’ age-37 season. Though Father Time may finally be catching up with The King, James is expected to return to the Lakers next season ahead of his 38th birthday.
We should never have trusted The Process: There is no disputing that Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is a superstar and one of the NBA’s premier talents. However, the 76ers’ decision to spend several years, including Embiid’s first few seasons, fielding weak rosters to attempt securing high draft picks doesn’t look wise in hindsight. The Sixers gave up on forward Ben Simmons, the 2016 draft’s No. 1 overall pick, and dealt him to Brooklyn for James Harden earlier this year. However, Philly didn’t make it out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, falling in six games to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The new-look West: The Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs all spent much of the 2010s as legitimate title contenders. None reached the playoffs this year. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have re-established themselves as a fearsome franchise for the first time since the Steve Nash era, and the once-lowly Minnesota Timberwolves made only their second playoff appearance since 2004.
Nikola Jokić is no joke: Did you know that every player who has won the NBA MVP Award and is eligible for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has earned induction? Jokić has put himself on the Hall of Fame path, especially after averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.5 steals across 74 games this season. The four-time All-Star won his second consecutive MVP Award and hit a career-high 58.3% of his shots. Not bad for a former second-round pick.
Other professional basketball leagues
Although the 2021-22 NBA season is over, basketball fans will have no shortage of alternative leagues to watch this summer. Here’s our guide on how to get your basketball fix throughout the NBA offseason:
NBA Summer League
What to know: All 30 teams will field rosters primarily consisting of rookies, young players, and veterans trying to earn a regular-season spot during an 11-day, 75-game competition this summer. The official NBA 2K23 Summer League will mostly take place in Las Vegas, with some July games also happening in San Francisco and Salt Lake City.
Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: All 75 Summer League games will air live on ESPN Networks or NBA TV. The international version of NBA League Pass is expected to carry every game this summer.
The Basketball Tournament (TBT)
What to know: Although the NBA Summer League is primarily focused around younger players, The Basketball Tournament provides a flashback to stars of old. Former college basketball and NBA standouts will represent their alma maters in a 64-team tournament in Dayton, Ohio. The winning team will earn a 1 million USD cash prize.
Notable names expected to participate in the 2022 TBT include former BYU guard and National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette (The Money Team), ex-Syracuse standout Tyler Ennis (Boeheim’s Army), and longtime NBA veteran C.J. Miles (Sideline Cancer). Amen and Ausar Thompson, two projected 2023 lottery picks, are expected to play for Team Overtime.
Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: Games will air on ESPN starting with the tip-off on July 16 and culminating with the championship game on Monday, July 25. SlingTV offers ESPN at an affordable rate.
BIG3
What to know: Ice Cube’s popular 3-on-3 pro basketball league is back for another year. Former Brooklyn Nets shooting guard and seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson dropped 30 points in the 2022 opener and still looks sharp despite turning 41 this summer. Other notable names include former Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley, high-flying dunker Gerald Green, and ex-Orlando Magic big man Rashard Lewis. Teams will play an eight-week regular season, a two-week postseason, and end the year with an All-Star Weekend trip to the Bahamas from September 3-4.
Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: Although BIG3 will stream some games on its official YouTube channel, other games will air on CBS, Paramount+, and DAZN. Make sure to check the league’s comprehensive schedule.
NBA offseason schedule and TV coverage
| Event | TV Network | Dates |
| NBA Draft | ESPN, ABC | June 23, 2022 |
| California Classic (Summer League) | NBA TV, ESPN2 | July 2-3, 2022 |
| Salt Lake City Summer League | NBA TV, ESPN2 | July 5-7, 2022 |
| NBA Summer League | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, NBA TV | July 7-17, 2022 |
| NBA Japan Games | TBD | Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2022 |
| Abu Dhabi Games 2022 | TBD | Oct. 6-8, 2022 |
ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.
