How to Watch NBA Games Online from Anywhere in 2022

Guy sitting in the middle of nowhere, watching basketball game on his laptop, and VPN shield icon next to him
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A Quick Guide to Watching the NBA Online from Anywhere

It can be difficult to watch NBA Basketball if you’re not in the United States. However, you can still get your NBA fix, even if you’re outside the country. All you need to do is change your IP address. Follow our quick step-by-step guide below to learn how to use a VPN to catch all of the exciting NBA action:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN provider. Our number 1 recommendation is Surfshark, which is the best and fastest streaming VPN at the moment.
  2. Install the VPN on your device. Remember to install the application on the device that you will be streaming from.
  3. Launch the VPN software. When the VPN starts up, log in with the account you created in step 1.
  4. Connect to a server in the USA. To watch the NBA with SlingTV outside the U.S., you’ll need a VPN server. Surfshark has plenty of high-speed streaming servers.
  5. Navigate to SlingTV and the service will be unblocked!

Of course, you also use NBA’s League Pass to watch games online. Want to learn how to save some big bucks? Use a VPN to access NBA League Pass in countries like India, Mexico and Vietnam for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere! Just read on below!

Can’t get enough NBA? The National Basketball Association broadcasts its games mainly in the US, which can make it tricky to watch if you’re anywhere else in the world. Some non-US sports channels do broadcast the occasional game, but die-hard fans will quickly find this lacking.

By using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), you can watch any NBA matchup you’d like, regardless of your location. You can even save money on the NBA League Pass when you use a VPN, resulting in massive discounts. Read all about how a VPN can help you enjoy every NBA game below.


How to Watch NBA Online From Anywhere in The World

Watch NBA online worldwide iconIf we’re going to break it down as simply as possible, there are two key ways to stream the NBA online. One route is using American-based streaming platforms, while the other goes directly through the NBA’s paid subscription website.

1. A VPN plus a sports streaming platform

The majority of streaming services carrying the NBA (SlingTV, FuboTV, YouTube TV, etc.) are based in the United States. So you’ll need a subscription to the website or service that airs the games first.

To sign up or log in to these services, you’ll need a VPN if you’re not in the country. For instance, if you want to watch games through SlingTV, you need an account with them as well as a VPN with reliable American servers. Connect to one of those US servers, go to SlingTV and you’ll have access.

2. NBA League Pass

You can also watch the NBA from anywhere using the NBA League Pass. Or any over their other packages. It’s currently available in most countries around the globe, and prices vary depending on the country and where we’re at in the season. The NBA League Pass price is different, though, depending on your location.

For example, the monthly subscription rate is $14.99 via the US. In Europe, monthly prices hover around €19 Euro per month. But in other countries like Mexico, India or Vietnam, it’s a fraction of that! You won’t need a VPN to access NBA League Pass, though you can use one to lock in that better subscription rate. We’ll show you how later.


Watch NBA Wherever You Are with a VPN: A Step-By-Step Guide

If you find yourself outside of the United States, it might be difficult to get access to your usual streaming services. If you’re looking to watch the NBA from anywhere, we’ll show you how by downloading a VPN and using SlingTV. This streaming platform offers access to channels that broadcast the NBA — like TNT, TBS, ABC, or NBA TV — and is the cheapest of the top services.

Follow the step-by-step guide below to watch NBA from anywhere in the world:

  1. Subscribe to a VPN provider. We recommend Surfshark since they offer fast servers and work seamlessly for streaming and unblocking.
  2. Download and install the VPN application to your preferred streaming device. Installing and setting up a VPN is easy, no matter whether you’re planning on using your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Most providers have easy setup wizards that will do everything for you.
  3. Surfshark
    Deal:
    Safe and anonymous internet for only $2.30a month
    From
    $2.30
    9.0
    • Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
    • 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
    • Cheap with many extra options
    Visit Surfshark
  4. Log into the VPN software with your account. Simply use the credentials you created in step 1 to get access to the VPN.
  5. Choose which server you want to connect to. If you want to use SlingTV, connect to the United States. Wait a few seconds once the server’s been connected.
  6. Open up SlingTV. Find the NBA game you would like to watch and enjoy the action!

If you’re looking to save some big bucks on NBA League Pass instead, we recommend connecting to a server in India at Step 4. We’ll show you more about that later on.


NBA Broadcasters and Streams

You might not yet know which websites stream the NBA. Don’t worry! Here’s an overview of the different streams that air NBA games. Many of these services provide access to channels like ESPN, ABC, TBS and TNT that broadcast NBA matchups. If you’re outside of the country, you’ll just need to connect to a VPN server in the country the stream is based.

CountryStreaming Service
United StatesSlingTV
Hulu with Live TV
FuboTV
DirecTV Stream
YouTube TV
CanadaTSN
SportsNet
GermanyDAZN
United KingdomSkySports
BT
WorldwideNBA League Pass

Save Big Money on NBA League Pass with a VPN

NBA League Pass is an internationally available platform that shows NBA games in almost all countries worldwide. While you may not need a VPN to get this to work, you can certainly use one to save some money on your subscription.

NBA League Pass Logo

The prices of the NBA League Pass vary in different countries. Though the U.S. has long been known for its expensive subscription packages, the NBA League Pass is actually on the cheaper end of what we’ve seen at $14.99 per month. In Europe, the going rate is about €19 Euro per month. But if you want a mind-blower, we’ll show you how to watch NBA League Pass for a few bucks a month.


If you’re looking to save money with a VPN for any purpose, connecting through India is always a good starting point. For the NBA, it’s as good as it gets. When you access NBA League Pass from an Indian server, you’ll see it is ₹599 per year — which is only about $8 USD! Their regular monthly fee is ₹199 Indian rupees per month, about $2.63 USD.

When we registered for an account, they accepted our American credit card as payment and had us watching NBA in a matter of minutes on the cheap.

Screenshot of NBA league pass, India


NBA League Pass in France

Looking to get NBA League Pass in France? You’ll have to pay €55 Euros (more than $60) for the season. By the month, you’ll pay €18.99 Euros. If you get a VPN, you could save yourself a ton.

Screenshot of NBA league pass, France


NBA League Pass Vietnam

Use a Vietnamese server to connect to NBA League Pass, and you’ll see an overall monthly price of 256,000 VND (about $11.20 USD). It’s a little steeper than India, but still better than the USA and Europe.

Screenshot of NBA league pass, Vietnam


NBA League Pass Mexico

When we switched to a Mexican server, it was $630 pesos (about $31 USD) to finish off the 2022 season. Pay by the month, and it’s only $210 pesos ($10.50 USD).

Screenshot of NBA league pass, Mexico

Now that you’ve got your VPN, just connect to different servers around the world and check out all the different prices!

What countries don’t have NBA League Pass?

Unfortunately, NBA League Pass isn’t available everywhere. You’d have to use a VPN to access NBA League Pass from the following countries:

  • Africa: Libya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan
  • Asia: North Korea
  • North America/Caribbean: Cuba
  • Middle East: Iran, Iraq, and Syria

Prevent NBA League Pass Blackouts with a VPN

If you have an NBA League Pass and you’re in the U.S., you might also experience blackouts. This means you cannot watch certain games on the website. Blackouts happen when local or national providers have the broadcasting rights to a game. The NBA website determines whether or not you can watch a certain game on the basis of your IP address.

If your IP address gives away that you’re in an area where a TV channel has the rights to broadcast the game, you won’t be able to stream it live. These blackouts, however, can be bypassed easily with a VPN: simply connect to a server in a different part of the United States, and you’ll be good to go. If you’re blocked from watching a local Los Angles Lakers game, just connect to a server in Miami, Florida.

Fortunately, these blackouts only apply for live streams of a game. Three hours after the game, you’ll be able to watch it on-demand on the NBA League Pass website, as long as you have a subscription.


The Best VPNs to Watch NBA Games

When looking for a good VPN provider to watch NBA games with, there are certain things to look out for:

  • Server location: A good VPN for watching the NBA needs to have plenty of reliable servers on American soil to access American broadcasters. On the other hand, if you want the best NBA League Pass price through the NBA’s website, you’ll need good Indian servers. The best VPNs have a vast network of servers across the globe.
  • High speed and stability: You wouldn’t want to wait while the game is loading. Nor would you want a game to freeze up at a crucial moment. For these reasons, you’ll want a VPN that offers quick and stable connections.
  • Good value for money: Understandably, you likely don’t want to pay too much for your VPN. Even so, it might not be wise to go for a free VPN. Free VPN services limit your data and speed. Sometimes, they even pose a threat to your online privacy.

We took all the above factors into account when picking our three best VPNs for watching NBA basketball games. You’ll find our top choices down below.


1. Surfshark: The best NBA VPN

Surfshark is a great VPN provider. The service has many servers in the United States and India, and is known for its fast connections. This makes this provider perfect for basketball fans that don’t want to miss a single NBA game. With Surfshark, you’ll have much more online freedom, so you can watch whichever stream you want, whenver you want. Their applications are easy to use, so you don’t need to be tech-savvy to be able to watch basketball within a matter of minutes.

You can try out Surfshark with their 30-day money-back guarantee. This way, you can see if their service works for you, without committing to a long-term subscription straight away.

Surfshark
Deal:
Safe and anonymous internet for only $2.30a month
From
$2.30
9.0
  • Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
  • 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
  • Cheap with many extra options
Visit Surfshark

2. NordVPN: Countless USA servers for watching the NBA

If Surfshark isn’t your taste, NordVPN is a great alternative. NordVPN’s strength is their focus on online security, but this VPN is also a fantastic option for unblocking NBA games. For a premium VPN service with solid servers and speeds, NordVPN is relatively cheap. It also has a very extensive server network, with thousands of servers all over the world, including a decent amount of servers in the US and Canada.

If you’d like to try out NordVPN before committing to a subscription, you can use their 30-day money-back guarantee as a free NordVPN trial.

NordVPN
Our pick
Our pick
Deal:
Only $3.29 a month for a two-year subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
From
$3.29
9.3
  • Excellent protection and a large network of servers
  • Nice and pleasing application
  • No logs
Visit NordVPN

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) for NBA: The classic NBA VPN

Private Internet Access is another top VPN provider for streaming the NBA online. PIA has been around for more than ten years, and it’s one of the most consistent VPN service providers out there. They’ve got excellent American servers, and this provider does not keep logs and offers strong encryption to users. Plus, it has special servers for both streaming and P2P traffic.

If you need plenty of foreign servers, PIA offers an extensive choice of servers and server locations. In addition, PIA is also a relatively cheap VPN service and with their 30-day money-back guarantee you can easily test out watching some key NBA games to see if the VPN’s for you.

PIA
Deal:
PIA is always well-priced with a 30-day money-back guarantee
From
$2.19
8.5
  • Strong focus on privacy and security
  • Good price
  • Fast and stable servers
Visit PIA

A Quick Explainer: What Does a VPN Do?

VPN connection

In short, a VPN lets you connect to the internet through one of the provider’s external VPN servers. This assigns the server’s IP address to your device, which makes it seem like you’re accessing the internet from that location. You can use this to get good deals on NBA League Pass or watch basketball from anywhere, but you can also use it for watching other live sports for free, like Formula 1 racing or MotoGP.

You can even unblock entire libraries of content, like watching the American version of Netflix abroad. But VPNs also keep you safe and secure online through encryption and anonymity. Because of the encryption, hackers and internet crooks can’t read or steal your data. A VPN, in other words, has plenty of security features to help you stay safe on the web. For a deep dive into the perks, check out our extensive article on the advantages of a VPN.


NBA 2022 Schedule

The NBA calendar for the 2022 season can be found below. Make sure to keep these dates free so you won’t miss a single game!

EventDate
Play-in tournamentApril 12-15, 2022
NBA Playoffs BeginApril 16, 2022
NBA Finals BeginJune 2, 2022

Final Thoughts

If you do not want to miss any NBA games but you live outside the US, a VPN constitutes the perfect solution. With a VPN you can change your location to make it seem like you’re accessing the internet from somewhere you’re not. This way you will have access to geo-blocked material on sports streaming services. Happy streaming and enjoy those crazy slam dunks!

Watch NBA Basketball Online from Anywhere | FAQs

Got a question about live streaming the NBA from around the world? We’ve got you covered. Just click on one of the questions below for an answer.

You can watch NBA basketball through Amazon Prime with an NBA’s League Pass add-on. But you can become an NBA League Pass member without going through Amazon Prime. If you want to save big money on NBA League Pass, check out our full article on watching the NBA online.

If you’re outside of the United States you will most likely need a VPN to watch NBA matches. Whether that’s to access American platforms like SlingTV, FuboTV or YouTube TV, or to save a bunch of money on the NBA League Pass, a VPN is going to be crucial. Check out our latest guide on how to watch the NBA online.

There are a wide variety of VPNs to choose from, but Surfshark is our favorite for watching the NBA. Choosing the right VPN is crucial because it will have an effect on your stream. When it comes to sports streaming, you want a VPN that has a fast and stable connection to prevent lag and buffering during NBA games. Check out three of our favorite VPNs for NBA our latest guide.

You’ll have a hard time finding a free legal stream for NBA games. However, you can get a huge discounted rate on the NBA League Pass by using a VPN. In some countries, like India, Vietnam and Mexico, you can buy the NBA League Pass for a significantly lower price than in the U.S. and Europe. Check out our full guide to find out how.

Tech journalist
Tove has been working for VPNoverview since 2017 as a journalist covering cybersecurity and privacy developments. She has broad experience developing rigorous VPN testing procedures and protocols for our VPN review section and has tested dozens of VPNs over the years.