2QUESTION 2 OF 3
Answer & explanation
The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.
Answer & explanation
Official answer
5,106
players
How to estimate it
Fermi’s official “Napkin math”
No single anchor here, so build it up. The NBA draft brings in about 60 new players a year, two rounds, 30 teams. The league has been running for about 80 years.
- New players drafted per year
- ≈ 60
- Years the NBA has existed
- × 80
- 60 × 80
- ≈ 4,800
Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.
Source calculation & reference
- NBA/BAA seasons, 1946-47 through 2025-26
- 80
- Played only in the NBA/BAA
- 4,899
- Also played in the ABA
- + 207
- 4,899 + 207
- 5,106
Reference cited by Fermi: Basketball-Reference, unique players in the NBA and BAA season totals, 1946-47 through 2025-26
How close was your guess?
Your comparison will appear here.
Compare by ratio: divide the larger number by the smaller one. The closer to 1×, the better.