Social Media For NBA: 2026 Performance Data

Basketball fans don’t wait for tip-off anymore.They’re watching warm-up clips on TikTok, scrolling locker room photos on Instagram, and arguing about trades on X long before the ball goes up.

For NBA teams, that means the game never really stops. Social media has become the second court.

But which teams are actually winning there? To find out, we tracked the social media performance of all 30 NBA teams from January to October 2026, across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Those ten months cover the whole basketball year: the regular season, the playoffs, the Finals, the draft, free agency, and the start of a new season in October. Each moment shifts what fans want to see and how much they engage with it.

We looked at average engagement rate by followers, and by views (or impressions, where the case), estimated reach, views and posting frequency, and matched it all against the biggest league moments of 2026.

Some results were expected. Others definitely weren’t.

Let’s break it down.

Social media for NBA: key takeaways

• TikTok: Less was more on TikTok, where the Atlanta Hawks posted about four times a week and still led the league with a 5.64% engagement rate.

• Instagram: The title-winning Knicks also won Instagram, leading on both engagement (0.846%) and follower growth (23.2%) with a reel-first approach.

• Facebook: The Philadelphia 76ers topped Facebook with a 0.144% engagement rate and 20.1% follower growth, the same year LeBron James joined them.

• X: On X, the Knicks led with a 0.121% engagement rate, as teams posted far less but reached more people with each post.

• YouTube: The Charlotte Hornets led YouTube engagement at 0.696%, while the San Antonio Spurs grew their channel the most, by 84.5%.

NBA social media performance at a glance

The Atlanta Hawks come out on top overall, with the highest average engagement rate by followers across all five platforms from January to October 2026. The Brooklyn Nets follow in second place, and the New York Knicks round out the top three.

Still, no team wins everywhere. Each platform has its own leader, as the table below shows.

Did team engagement move with the playoffs? Yes, in timing. The table shows the monthly average engagement rate by followers across all team accounts on each platform. March was the last full month before the playoffs began on 18 April, according to the NBA.

All five platforms rose together, so the lift is a season-wide pattern, not something specific to one platform. Monthly posts also fell on every platform from March to June, which can lift an average on its own. The Finals ran 3–13 June, according to 28/22 News, inside the peak window.

How did the season's big moments show up for single teams?

The Knicks led Instagram follower growth at 23.2% and X engagement rate at 0.121% in the year they won the title. LeBron James announced his move to Philadelphia on 24 July through a series of social posts, according to abc7foxla. Across the ten months, the 76ers grew followers 20.1% on Facebook and 14.1% on Instagram, with no visible lift on X at 2.17%.

NBA performance on TikTok

Across January to October 2026, the average engagement rate by followers of NBA team TikTok accounts rose from 0.637% in January to 1.03% in May, while average plays per post (the mean plays across a team's videos) rose from 103,884 in January to 196,338 in June.

Which NBA team had the best TikTok engagement rate in 2026?

The Atlanta Hawks, at 5.64% from 179 posts, followed by the Brooklyn Nets at 3.43%.

The spring climb moved with the playoffs. March, before they began, averaged 0.612%, and May reached 1.03%. Monthly posts also fell over that stretch, which could lift the average too.

Posting frequency did not track engagement. Charlotte Hornets posted 7.67 times per week at 0.569%, while Atlanta Hawks posted 4.12 times at 5.64%. Weekly posting per account rose from 15.3 to 21.9 between the weeks of 21 and 28 September, when most teams held media day, according to the NBA.

The Washington Wizards grew their TikTok following by 17.8%, while the Brooklyn Nets grew theirs by just 1.17%. That makes sense: in the same period, the Wizards landed Trae Young, according to Dunkest, and the No. 1 draft pick, AJ Dybantsa, according to ESPN.

The Atlanta Hawks also had the highest engagement rate by plays, at 13.6%. Across all teams, that rate peaked in July, at 12.0%.

The Knicks beat the Spurs 4–1 in the Finals, according to 28/22 News. They averaged 314,190 plays per post on TikTok across the ten months, third on the list, with the title run inside that window.

Top posts on TikTok

• Brooklyn Nets posted a video with 7,008,413 interactions on 4 April, captioned only with hashtags such as #announcer and #giftok. It likely drew on a reaction moment fans wanted to share.
• LA Clippers posted a video with 2,119,736 interactions on 20 August, captioned "do u or nah?" The question likely invited replies.
• Orlando Magic posted a video with 1,919,127 interactions on 11 June, credited in its caption to Love Island USA. It likely reached viewers outside the basketball audience.

Recommendations

Make fewer, sharper clips. The Hawks (4.12 posts per week) and Nets (4.17) lead on rate, and the top-ten TikTok posts include announcer-reaction clips from the Nets, Hawks and Magic. Try a reaction clip for each big moment before you add volume.

NBA performance on Instagram

Across January to October 2026, the average engagement rate by followers of NBA team Instagram accounts climbed from 0.235% in January to 0.426% in June, while monthly posts fell from 8,048 to 3,865.

Which NBA team had the highest Instagram engagement rate in 2026?

The New York Knicks, at 0.846%, ahead of the Washington Wizards at 0.467%.

March, before the playoffs, averaged 0.215%, and June reached 0.426%. Every platform moved the same way, so the lift is not specific to Instagram.

Reels led for 16 teams and carousels for 13, though posting volume and rate did not move together. Minnesota Timberwolves posted 93.8 times per week at 0.332%, while Atlanta Hawks posted 32.8 times at 0.353%. The Knicks, the top-rate team, are a reel-led account.

Weekly posting per account jumped from 28.2 to 50.7 between the weeks of 21 and 28 September, when most teams held media day, according to the NBA.

The 76ers grew followers 14.1%, second only to the Knicks. Their crown-emoji post on 27 July drew 1,057,162 interactions, after LeBron James announced his move to Philadelphia, according to abc7foxla.

On reach, the average estimated reach per post (modeled) rose from 118,851 in January to 236,604 in June. The engagement rate by estimated reach fell from 9.48% in January to 7.64% in August.

Chicago Bulls led that rate at 13.7%, ahead of Philadelphia 76ers at 12.4%.

Top posts on Instagram

• Golden State Warriors posted a reel with 2,391,601 interactions on 11 January, featuring the Crystal Ball Challenge with Stephen Curry and Dude Perfect. Its Warriors.com/Vote link suggests a fan-voting push, likely ahead of the All-Star starters announcement on 19 January, according to the NBA.
• New York Knicks posted a reel with 1,234,904 interactions on 14 June, captioned "Cue the music." It went up the day after the Finals window closed, according to 28/22 News, and the short caption likely made it easy to share. Several Knicks posts from that day appear in the Instagram top ten.
• San Antonio Spurs posted a reel with 1,201,479 interactions on 21 May, with a player caption and an NBC/Peacock credit. It likely tied in with the conference finals, when the Spurs knocked out the Thunder in seven games, according to nbcwashington.

Recommendations

Let the data pick your format. The Knicks had the highest Instagram engagement rate in the league (0.846%), and they posted mostly reels. Before you switch formats, though, I’d test reels against your own carousel results first.

To see how your following grows over time, check out our Instagram follower history guide. And if you want to compare your results beyond the NBA, our Instagram benchmarks page has data for every industry.

NBA performance on Facebook

On Facebook, NBA teams posted less and got more engagement. The average team’s engagement rate by followers nearly doubled, from 0.0359% in January to 0.0709% in June. Meanwhile, weekly posting dropped from 89.5 posts in early April to 33.1 by mid-June.

Which NBA team had the highest Facebook engagement rate in 2026?

The Philadelphia 76ers, at 0.144%, ahead of the Detroit Pistons at 0.110%.

LeBron James's 24 July move to Philadelphia, announced through social media posts according to abc7foxla, coincided with the 76ers' 20.1% follower growth. That was the highest among the 29 franchises, ahead of the Pistons' 7.48%.

Facebook engagement rose from 0.0345% in March, right before the playoffs, to 0.0709% in June. And it wasn’t just Facebook: engagement went up on every platform during that stretch.

All 30 teams posted mostly reels on Facebook. But posting more didn’t mean more engagement. The Oklahoma City Thunder posted 92.7 times a week and got a 0.0271% engagement rate, while the Philadelphia 76ers posted just 31.3 times a week and reached 0.144%.

Posting did spike with the new season, though. The average team went from 35.9 posts a week in the week of September 21 to 57.5 the following week, when most teams held media day, according to the NBA.

Engagement rate by estimated reach peaked in July at 22.0%, then slid to 15.3% by October.

Top posts on Facebook

• Golden State Warriors posted a reel with 565,936 interactions on 24 August, about a fan-assist moment with Stephen Curry. It likely helped by replaying a single player moment for fans.
• New York Knicks posted a reel with 545,908 interactions on 18 June, thanking fans in the Philippines. It came days after the Finals, according to 28/22 News, and likely resonated with a fan base outside the city.
• Chicago Bulls posted a reel with 411,318 interactions on 24 January, carrying a Michael Jordan message to Derrick Rose. It likely drew on the team's history.

Recommendations

Reels are what most teams rely on, so I’d keep posting them regularly. Just tag any reels made with broadcasters, so you can compare their reach separately from your own content.

NBA performance on X

On X, NBA teams posted far less but reached more people with each post. From January to June, total monthly posts dropped from 17,255 to 5,776, while average estimated impressions per post tripled, from 47,354 to 146,120.

Which NBA team had the highest X engagement rate in 2026?

The New York Knicks, at 0.121%, ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves at 0.107%.

On X, engagement rose from 0.0283% in March, just before the playoffs, to 0.0748% in June. And the same thing happened on every other platform too.

Video leads for 19 teams and photo for 10. Impressions per post climbed while posting fell. Weekly posting per account went from 35.3 to 76.1 between the weeks of 21 and 28 September, when most teams held media day, according to the NBA.

The Knicks grew followers 17.1%, second to Brooklyn Nets at 17.6%. The 76ers' growth was 2.17%, so LeBron James's July announcement, reported by abc7foxla, showed up in their post interactions but not in X follower growth.

The engagement rate by estimated impressions stayed between 1.17% and 1.18% in every month, and between 1.17% and 1.19% for every team. The rate by followers is the one that separates teams on X.

Top posts on X

• Miami Heat posted 288,426 interactions on 11 March with the caption "83!" The one-word caption likely sparked curiosity and replies, and the Heat used the same line on Instagram that day.
• New York Knicks posted 241,478 interactions on 11 June with the caption "THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN NBA PLAYOFF HISTORY." It went up inside the Finals window of 3–13 June, according to 28/22 News, which reports a 29-point comeback in Game 4.
• Philadelphia 76ers posted 136,269 interactions on 27 July, welcoming LeBron James to Philly. It followed his 24 July announcement, according to abc7foxla.

Recommendations

Here's what I'd do: when a reaction spike hits, write a short caption that names the player, as the 76ers' welcome post did. Track impressions per post next to volume.

NBA performance on YouTube

Across January to October 2026, the average engagement rate by followers of NBA team YouTube channels rose from 0.230% in January to 0.400% in June, while average views per video climbed from 14,898 in January to 35,511 in September.

Which NBA team had the highest YouTube engagement rate in 2026?

The Charlotte Hornets, at 0.696%, ahead of the New York Knicks at 0.643%.

Engagement rose from 0.213% in March, just before the playoffs, to 0.400% in June, and the same thing happened on every other platform. Even better, it climbed while teams posted far fewer videos: monthly uploads dropped from 4,873 in March to 1,170 in June.

Posting picked up fast with the new season. The average team went from 9.32 posts a week in the week of September 21 to 26.9 the following week, when most teams held media day, according to the NBA.

The Spurs had a big year on and off the court. They reached the Finals after beating the Thunder in seven games, according to NBC Washington, and Victor Wembanyama was named Defensive Player of the Year, according to Jang.

Views per video moved opposite to volume. August (813 videos) and September (1,132 videos) were the months with the fewest videos and the highest views per video, at 30,449 and 35,511.

Top posts on YouTube

• Brooklyn Nets posted a video with 121,696 interactions on 16 March.
• Denver Nuggets posted a video with 84,413 interactions on 6 February, a day after the trade deadline on 5 February, according to sonomastatestar.com.
• Golden State Warriors posted a video with 82,773 interactions on 24 February.

Lessons Learned or Recommendations

I’d try posting fewer videos, but only your best ones, and keep an eye on views per video. Just don’t judge those views against your own past results alone. Compare them with similar accounts to see how you really stack up.

Methodology on social media for NBA

All the data in this study comes from Socialinsider and covers NBA team accounts from January 1 to October 31, 2026

Here's how the accounts and posts are split by platform:

How each metric is calculated:

• Engagement rate by followers. Each post’s interactions compared to the account’s follower count. We averaged these post-level rates for each team, platform and month.
• Median engagement rate across the five platforms. For each team, the middle value of its engagement rates on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube.
• Engagement rate by plays, reach, impressions and views. Total interactions divided by total plays, reach, impressions or views, multiplied by 100. Only posts with at least one play, view or impression are included.
• Average plays, reach, impressions and views. The average per post (per video on YouTube). Reach and impressions are estimates.
• Posts per week. The number of posts published in a week, divided by the number of accounts that posted that week. Team figures are the average across all weeks. These numbers are approximate.
• Follower growth. The percentage increase from a team’s lowest to highest follower count during the ten months. Combined follower growth uses the same calculation for all five platforms added together.

NOTE: The creation of this study included the usage of AI for data gathering and writing, and human checks for accuracy and landscape research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a typical engagement rate for NBA teams TikTok accounts in 2026?

It varies widely. Across January to October 2026, Atlanta Hawks reached 5.64% on TikTok, while Utah Jazz sat at 0.0431%. The monthly peer-set average ran from 0.546% in August to 1.03% in May.

How can I benchmark my own team against these numbers?

Build the same peer set on the same timeframe, January to October 2026, and compare each platform on its own. Socialinsider's competitor and industry benchmarking can place your accounts beside a set of teams like this one, measured on the same dates.

Does posting more often lift engagement for NBA teams?

Not in this data. On TikTok, Atlanta Hawks posted 4.12 times per week at 5.64%, while Charlotte Hornets posted 7.67 times at 0.569%. On Facebook, Philadelphia 76ers posted 31.3 times per week at 0.144%, while Oklahoma City Thunder posted 92.7 times at 0.0271%.

When did NBA team engagement peak in 2026?

TikTok peaked in May at 1.03%. Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube peaked in June, at 0.426%, 0.0709%, 0.0748% and 0.400%. The playoffs began on 18 April, according to the NBA.