The 2024–25 NBA season, the league's 79th, ran from October 22, 2024 to April 13, 2025, and featured the Milwaukee Bucks winning the second annual Emirates NBA Cup over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The season culminated with the Thunder defeating the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game Finals—the first Game 7 in the Finals since 2016—with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earning Finals MVP, while the All-Star Game took place at Chase Center in San Francisco on February 16, 2025. The 2024 draft saw the Atlanta Hawks select French forward Zaccharie Risacher with the #1 overall pick, and the offseason was marked by notable retirements, including former MVP Derrick Rose, Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward, and Danny Green. In free agency, Paul George signed a $212 million max deal with the 76ers, Klay Thompson moved to the Mavericks via sign-and-trade, and Russell Westbrook joined the Nuggets, while major trades sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers, Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks, and DeMar DeRozan to the Kings. Numerous stars also re-signed with their teams, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid, solidifying the league's competitive landscape for the season.