Could Rupp Arena Be the Future Home of the NBA Cup Championship? It’s on the League’s Radar
As the NBA continues to evolve its in-season tournament - now in its third year - Commissioner Adam Silver is already thinking ahead. And one idea gaining traction? Taking the NBA Cup Championship game out of Las Vegas and into the heart of college basketball country.
During a pregame appearance on NBA on Prime ahead of this year’s NBA Cup final between the Knicks and Spurs, Silver floated the possibility of moving the title game from Vegas to a more unique, perhaps even historic, location starting in 2026. Among the options being discussed: storied college arenas. And yes, Rupp Arena in Lexington is very much in that conversation.
“We’ve loved our experience in Vegas,” Silver said. “But we’re talking with Amazon Prime about whether it makes sense to maybe go to some unique locations for the final game.
They’ve suggested, for example, some storied college arenas. So we’re just looking at other ways to do this.”
That’s a big statement. And for basketball fans in Kentucky, it’s one that immediately brings Rupp Arena to mind.
Rupp’s NBA History - and Potential Future
Rupp Arena isn’t just a college basketball cathedral - it’s a building with NBA ties, too. The league has dipped its toes into Lexington before, hosting preseason games there in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Those games weren’t just exhibitions - they were homecomings for some of Kentucky’s biggest basketball exports.
In 2013, the Pelicans (featuring Anthony Davis and Darius Miller) squared off against the Wizards (with John Wall). Two years later, the Pelicans returned to face a Kings team loaded with Kentucky talent: DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Rajon Rondo. The 2016 edition brought back Wall and Cousins, along with Skal Labissière.
Even though those were preseason games - with nothing on the line - the turnout was impressive. Nearly 15,000 fans showed up in 2013.
That number jumped to over 19,000 in 2015. For games that didn’t count, that’s a serious show of support.
Now imagine that kind of energy for a game that does matter - like the NBA Cup Championship.
A Kentucky-Infused NBA Cup Final?
This year’s final had plenty of Big Blue Nation flavor. The Knicks, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, took down the Spurs, who featured De’Aaron Fox and Keldon Johnson - all Kentucky alums. Towns posted 16 points and 11 rebounds in the 124-113 win, helping New York capture the in-season title over a Spurs team headlined by rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama.
If that game had been played in Lexington? You can bet Rupp would’ve been rocking. The blend of NBA star power and Kentucky roots would’ve made it a marquee event not just for the city, but for the sport.
What’s Next for the NBA Cup?
The NBA has already announced that, moving forward, the semifinal round of the tournament will shift to home arenas - a move aimed at rewarding top teams and generating more local buzz. But the final?
Silver still wants that to be played at a neutral site. The question now is: where?
Las Vegas has been a solid host, but the league is clearly open to shaking things up. And if the goal is to bring the NBA Cup into new environments, few places offer a better mix of basketball history, passionate fans, and big-event capability than Rupp Arena.
It’s not official - yet. But the idea is out there, and it’s gaining steam.
So don’t be surprised if, in the not-so-distant future, the NBA’s midseason crown is handed out in the same building where college legends were born. Lexington might just be the next big stage for the league’s newest tradition.