A basketball club to run, in real time

Hoop Manager is a free basketball management game you play in your browser, on a computer or on your phone. You don't control the players: you're the manager. You build the roster, prepare the matches, handle the club's money… then watch your team play, live, against the other managers' teams.

A real calendar, matches at fixed times

The game never stops: matches are played at their scheduled time, whether you're online or not. A season lasts twelve weeks, including an off-season week at the end. The league takes up the first nine, with two matchdays a week, on Tuesday and Saturday at 8 pm. The top four then meet in the playoffs for two weeks (semi-finals then final, best of three), on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while the bottom teams fight to avoid relegation. Alongside, a knockout cup is played every Thursday. Every Sunday night, the club collects its revenue, pays its wages and the players improve thanks to training.

This slow pace is deliberate: a few minutes a day are enough to run your club well, and every match really counts.

Matches are watched live

Every game is simulated play by play and broadcast in real time: scoreboard, play-by-play, shot chart, each player's stats and the full box score. A pre-game show presents the matchup a few minutes before tip-off, and a halftime show sums things up at the break. You can join a game in progress, but never speed it up or replay it: just like real basketball, the result comes in only once.

Preparing every match

Before each matchday, you give your orders: the starting five, the rotation and everyone's minutes, the offensive system, the defense (man-to-man, zone, press…), the pace and the opposing players to keep an eye on. You can prepare several matchdays in advance and save up to three complete tactics to apply them in one click. The more your team runs a system, the better it masters it: that's tactical knowledge.

To prepare a match properly, scouting analyzes the opponent: its usual strategies, its shooting zones, its key players and the best way to beat it.

Developing your players

Every player has attributes rated from 0 to 99 (outside shooting, passing, rebounding, defense, athleticism…) and a potential that sets how far he can go. Weekly training, playing time and age make these ratings change. You also need to watch fitness, motivation and injuries, and the group's chemistry: a five that plays together often ends up finding each other better.

Running a club, not just a team

Success on the court also depends on what happens behind the scenes. The transfer market works through real-time auctions against the other managers. The staff (assistant coaches, doctor, physio, scouts) brings valuable bonuses. The academy lets you spot youngsters aged 15 to 17 and turn them into tomorrow's stars. On the financial side, the arena and ticket prices, sponsors, the shop and the fans' mood determine the budget available for signings.

A real league of managers

Each league brings together up to ten human managers, completed by clubs run by the computer. Standings, playoffs, promotion and relegation: the league lives to the rhythm of all its participants. You can also set up friendlies on rest days and create private leagues with friends. A Discord server lets you chat with the other managers.

Free, nothing to install

Hoop Manager is played entirely in the browser. It can also be installed like an app on your phone's home screen. The game is free; some convenience features are offered in a Premium plan, with no sporting advantage whatsoever, and a few optional bonuses can be unlocked by watching an ad.