A standard professional basketball game is divided into four periods, called quarters.

Basic structure

  • In the NBA, a game has 4 quarters, each 12 minutes long.
  • Most modern leagues worldwide (WNBA, FIBA, many pro leagues) also use 4 quarters, usually 10 minutes each.
  • College men’s basketball in the NCAA is the main exception, using 2 longer halves instead of 4 quarters.

Quick Scoop: main formats

  • NBA: 4 periods (quarters), 12 minutes each, 48 minutes total regulation.
  • WNBA: 4 periods, 10 minutes each, 40 minutes total.
  • NCAA men: 2 periods (halves), 20 minutes each, 40 minutes total.
  • NCAA women: 4 periods, 10 minutes each.
  • High school and many youth leagues: typically 4 shorter quarters; exact timing varies by state or country.

For most viewers asking “how many periods in basketball,” the practical answer is: expect 4 quarters in almost every pro and international game you see today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.