Updated
NBA Imposter Game
The NBA imposter game is the imposter word game played with NBA players and teams. Pass one phone around: everyone sees the same secret name except the imposter, who has to bluff through the clues. The 129 names come from NBA.com: the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, the 2026 All-Stars and all 30 teams.
How to play the NBA imposter game
- Pick a pack. The NBA 75 team for fans who know the history, the 2026 All-Stars for today’s players, Teams for a mixed group, or Mixed for all of them.
- Pass the phone. Each player taps Show my role, reads the name in private, hides it and hands the phone on. The imposter sees “You are the imposter” instead.
- Give one clue each. One word or a short phrase: a team, a country, a nickname, a famous shot. Never the name.
- Vote. When the timer ends, everyone points at the player they think is bluffing.
- Reveal. If the group caught the imposter, the imposter gets one guess at the name. A right guess still wins the round.
Good clues for NBA players and teams
A strong clue fits one name in the pack. A weak clue fits several, which gives the imposter room to hide. These examples use facts from the NBA.com lists below.
| Secret name | Strong clue | Weak clue |
|---|---|---|
| Dirk Nowitzki | Germany | points |
| Nikola Jokić | three MVPs | Denver |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Nigeria | legend |
NBA.com counts six international players on the NBA 75 team, from six countries and territories, so a country is a strong clue for them: Germany for Nowitzki, Nigeria for Olajuwon, Greece for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jokić was Kia MVP in 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2023-24. “Denver” is weak in the Mixed pack, because it also fits Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets card.
If you are the imposter, wait for a team or a country. Two clues that agree usually leave one or two names.
3 packs, 129 names
Each pack is copied from an official list, checked on October 25, 2026. Pick one on the setup screen, or Mixed to draw from all of them.
| Pack | Names | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NBA 75th Anniversary Team | 76 | NBA.com: NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced |
| 2026 NBA All-Stars | 28 | NBA.com: 2026 All-Star roster, NBA.com: 2026 All-Star starters, NBA.com: 2026 All-Star reserves |
| The 30 NBA teams | 30 | NBA.com: NBA teams |
Five players are in two packs: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard are on the NBA 75 team and were 2026 All-Stars.
All 129 names
Every name the game can deal, by pack. Use the lists to pick a name by hand or to check a card after the round.
Jump to NBA 75 2026 All-Stars Teams
Stuck for a name? Let the phone choose one from the lists below.
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
All 76 players on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, named in 2021 (a tie in the voting made it 76). Some played in the 1950s, so this is the hard pack. 76 names.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Ray Allen
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Carmelo Anthony
- Nate Archibald
- Paul Arizin
- Charles Barkley
- Rick Barry
- Elgin Baylor
- Dave Bing
- Larry Bird
- Kobe Bryant
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Bob Cousy
- Dave Cowens
- Billy Cunningham
- Stephen Curry
- Anthony Davis
- Dave DeBusschere
- Clyde Drexler
- Tim Duncan
- Kevin Durant
- Julius Erving
- Patrick Ewing
- Walt Frazier
- Kevin Garnett
- George Gervin
- Hal Greer
- James Harden
- John Havlicek
- Elvin Hayes
- LeBron James
- Magic Johnson
- Sam Jones
- Michael Jordan
- Jason Kidd
- Allen Iverson
- Kawhi Leonard
- Damian Lillard
- Jerry Lucas
- Karl Malone
- Moses Malone
- Pete Maravich
- Bob McAdoo
- Kevin McHale
- George Mikan
- Reggie Miller
- Earl Monroe
- Steve Nash
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Robert Parish
- Chris Paul
- Gary Payton
- Bob Pettit
- Paul Pierce
- Scottie Pippen
- Willis Reed
- Oscar Robertson
- David Robinson
- Dennis Rodman
- Bill Russell
- Dolph Schayes
- Bill Sharman
- John Stockton
- Isiah Thomas
- Nate Thurmond
- Wes Unseld
- Dwyane Wade
- Bill Walton
- Jerry West
- Russell Westbrook
- Lenny Wilkens
- Dominique Wilkins
- James Worthy
2026 NBA All-Stars
Every player named to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, including the injury replacements and the player the Commissioner added. 28 names.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Jaylen Brown
- Jalen Brunson
- Cade Cunningham
- Tyrese Maxey
- Stephen Curry
- Luka Dončić
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Nikola Jokić
- Victor Wembanyama
- Scottie Barnes
- Jalen Duren
- Jalen Johnson
- Donovan Mitchell
- Norman Powell
- Pascal Siakam
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Deni Avdija
- Devin Booker
- Kevin Durant
- Anthony Edwards
- Chet Holmgren
- LeBron James
- Jamal Murray
- Kawhi Leonard
- Alperen Sengun
- Brandon Ingram
- De'Aaron Fox
The 30 NBA teams
All 30 teams, as NBA.com names them. The easiest pack for a mixed group. 30 names.
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Detroit Pistons
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers
- LA Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
Ways to play
- Pack hint on. Switch on “Tell the imposter the pack name” and the imposter at least knows whether to bluff about a player or a team.
- Teams only. For a room of casual fans, play the Teams pack. A city or a color is enough of a clue.
- Timeout round. Pick the 2-minute timer and play one round during a break in the game.
- Two imposters. From seven players up, open More options and choose two. They don’t know each other.
Frequently asked questions
How many people can play the NBA imposter game?
Three to 12 on one phone. Five to eight is the easiest group to run, with enough clues to hide in.
Do I need to know a lot about basketball?
No. The Teams pack and the 2026 All-Stars are names most people have heard. Leave the NBA 75 team for the fans, because it goes back to the 1950s.
Where do the names come from?
From NBA.com: the NBA 75th Anniversary Team announcement, the 2026 All-Star rosters and the list of teams. The packs table on this page links each one.
Is it free?
Yes. It runs in the phone browser, and every pack on this page is free to play.
Get an email when the Host Pass opens
Host Pass: $4.99 one-time at launch: new packs written for the pass and your own word lists for Imposter and Pictionary, saved on your device. Everything that is free today stays free, and the site has no ads. It is not on sale yet, so nothing here asks you to pay. We’ll email you once when it opens.
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