The NBA Cup is getting a campus makeover before the ball goes up. The NBA and Prime Video have launched “Emirates NBA Cup University,” a fictional college-themed campaign that sends a group of NBA players through classrooms, dorms and school traditions on the road to the 2026 Cup final at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Group Play opens Oct. 30
- The Emirates NBA Cup Group Play schedule begins Friday, Oct. 30, with the New York Knicks visiting the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- The opening night doubleheader continues when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m. ET.
- Both opening games will air exclusively on Prime Video.
- Every team will play four assigned group-stage games during Cup Nights, held each Friday from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27.
- All 30 clubs have been placed into five-team groups within their own conferences, with the draw using 2025-26 regular-season records as its basis.
- Eight teams will move on from Group Play into the Knockout Rounds.
- The Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be staged in NBA markets before the tournament reaches Indianapolis.
- The winner-take-all Emirates NBA Cup Championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, with Prime Video carrying every knockout game exclusively.
A campus setting for the Cup chase
The campaign frames tournament preparation through a made-up university environment, with players cast as students working through the competitive demands of the Cup. The destination is Hinkle Fieldhouse, the historic Indianapolis gym that will host the championship game.
The player cast includes Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel, Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
Prime’s NBA studio crew takes on faculty roles in the spots. Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin, Udonis Haslem and Steve Nash appear as professors, while Taylor Rooks serves as the university’s dean.
Production details
The NBA and Prime Video developed the project with DLP, and Max Gutierrez directed it. Behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot shows the players and studio personalities working through the campus-style setup before Cup Nights begin later this month.
