10 best basketball games for Android

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It has many outstanding players, near-constant action, and some of the greatest moments in all sports. Unfortunately, such high praise isn’t transferable to mobile games. Developers have only just recently started putting some effort into their basketball offerings. The segment is improving, albeit slowly. However, that isn’t to say that you’re completely out of luck. Some basketball games for mobile stand out among the pack and we think this list covers just about all of them. Here are the best basketball games for Android.

The best basketball games for Android

Basketball Battle

Price: Free to play

Basketball Battle is one of the better arcade-style basketball games. It’s a PvP game that features two players on one court. The goal is to outscore the opponent before time runs out. The controls are really simple and the graphics won’t impress everybody. However, the game has a decent pace and a fun premise. It also supports split-screen multiplayer, although we would only recommend that on larger phones or tablets. It’s a freemium game and that’s not great. However, for a time-killing arcade game, it’s fun for a while.

Bouncy Basketball

Price: Free

Bouncy Basketball is another arcade basketball game. It is sort of like a low-rent NBA Jam. Games are customizable. You can play up to four periods at up to 90 seconds each. That means no game can last longer than six minutes. That sticks well with the arcade genre. Some other game features include simple controls, replays, various unlockable characters, character customization, and more. This is something you play while in line at the movies, but it’s not half bad for what it is. The game is also entirely free, but it does have advertising.

Basketrio: Allstar Streetball

Price: Free to play

Basketrio is a game where you play short bursts of 3-minute half-court basketball games. The short duration lends itself to fast-paced action and a feeling of always being on your toes. Another area of focus in this game is character customization, with tons of clothing options to make your character look exactly the way you want it to. It’s a little barebones compared to many other games on this list, but it’s also free-to-play so that evens it out. 

ESPN Fantasy Sports

Price: Free

ESPN Fantasy Sports is one of the biggest fantasy basketball platforms on the Internet. You can play with friends, join random leagues with strangers, and do all of the fantasy basketball stuff like trading players or scoping out free agency. The app lets you edit your lineup, add/drop players, customize your team, and communicate with other managers in your league. That is all you need an app like this to do. There are a few bugs, and we recommend checking your team on a computer now and then to make sure the app is doing its job. Otherwise, this one is solid.

NBA 2K Mobile Basketball

Price: Free with in-app purchases

This one is 2K’s big basketball release for the year. It features actual basketball play with surprisingly decent graphics. The controls are mediocre, but it’s still better than most. Some of the game features include a story mode with some of basketball’s biggest names and franchises. Additionally, there’s a career mode for custom players, a modern soundtrack, and more. The game had some serious bugs upon its initial release. However, most of those have been ironed out. The game is easily among the best basketball games on Android right now.

Hoop League Tactics

Price: Free

Hoop League Tactics combines two genres and tries to offer the best of both worlds. It’s both a management simulator and a basketball game with turn-based mechanics. This offers a deeper and more strategy-based perspective on playing basketball. You can view your player’s stats in real-time while the game is underway, and plan your next moves accordingly. While away from the court, you can upgrade your team and also work towards acquiring new talent. 

NBA Live Mobile

Price: Free to play

NBA Live Mobile is the official NBA game on mobile. That means it’s a freemium cash grab by EA. There are still some redeeming qualities about the game, though. They include excellent graphics, decent controls, and every NBA team and player. You also get online multiplayer, various play modes, live events, and more. The game update tends to mess things up a bit. Additionally, it’s an EA sports game. However, it is fun for at least a little while before the freemium content pushes its way in.

NBA Now 23

Price: Free

NBA Now 23 is a newer entrant on the list. It utilizes a lot of the same elements as other basketball games. For example, you get new players for your team by obtaining packs of cards and opening them. Luckily, there is more to it than that. You do get to play actual basketball, although the controls are a bit simple. You get a joystick and when you move around enough, you get further options like shooting or passing. It’s nothing like you’ll find on the console. However, it is a hair better than the basketball games which are just card collecting games.

Street Basketball Association

Price: Free to play

Street Basketball Association is another street-style basketball game. It’s also a freemium game, for better or for worse. The game includes various game modes, including online and local multiplayer, a quick game mode, league games, special events, and a training mode. The mechanics are simple. You play half-court ball with fairly simple rules. It also includes various difficulty levels. That way you can challenge yourself or just smash on some easy AI on those days you want just to chill. It’s a little slower than we’d like a basketball game to be, but not by much.

Yahoo Fantasy Sports

Price: Free

Yahoo is ESPN’s biggest competitor in the fantasy sports space. Their app is very competent and it supports all of the major (American) sports. You can conduct your draft, change your lineups, trade, pick up free agents, and set your roster with the app. It also includes an integrated chat for trash talk and communication with other managers. The UI is decent. It won’t win any awards but it gets the job done. This one and the ESPN Fantasy Sports app are the best free options for fantasy basketball. Those who don’t mind spending some cash can also try Draft Kings and FanDuel. However, we recommend the free experiences because they’re generally better in every way. We also recommend double-checking your rosters on a computer because the app can be occasionally inconsistent.

If we missed any great basketball games for Android, tell us about them in the comments. You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists.