TikTok announced on Thursday a new partnership with the NBA and WNBA to provide exclusive content within its app. This move aims to capitalize on the growing popularity of basketball content on TikTok, strengthen connections with fan communities, and drive more sports engagement.

According to TikTok's official statement: "The global basketball community is thriving on TikTok, with global interest in 'NBA' and 'WNBA' growing by nearly 30% and 15% respectively since early 2026. This growth reflects the overall momentum of basketball on TikTok, where one in three users is interested in the NBA." Additionally, TikTok added that women's basketball fans especially tend to use the platform for information, "with 64% of fans choosing TikTok as their preferred platform."

"NBA and WNBA content reaches global fans, with the two leagues collectively amassing over 30 million followers on TikTok," TikTok stated. "Through this partnership, TikTok will become a key destination for NBA and WNBA content, allowing fans to access the highlights, stories, and personalities that define these leagues."

Under the agreement, both leagues will publish exclusive in-app content on TikTok, including major events such as the All-Star Game and the In-Season Tournament. This initiative is expected to have a significant impact on live viewership and user engagement, as it aligns with the evolving trends in sports consumption behavior.

TikTok previously released insights showing that approximately 59% of users find watching sports content in the app more entertaining than watching actual games. Meanwhile, basketball fans are 42% more likely to watch live games after viewing in-app sports content.

Leveraging TikTok's GamePlan product, the two leagues will be able to publish content that guides fans to a dedicated in-app hub, where they can discover more related content and engage more deeply with the leagues.