A Comprehensive List of Pro Basketball Leagues in 2021

Whenever you think of basketball, the first thing that comes to your mind is the NBA. The NBA is indeed the most popular and cash-rich basketball league in the world. It has excellent teams and superstar players.

 

But one thing may come as a surprise to you. It is that the sport is played in nearly every corner of the globe. So, we have set out to give you a highly informative read.

 

In this article, we have created a list of pro basketball leagues that exist around the world. In the end, there is also a list of pro basketball leagues that are now defunct.

 

List of Pro Basketball Leagues for Men

 

1. United States of America, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico

 

- AABA - All-American Basketball Alliance

- ABA - American Basketball Association (Official Page)

- ABI - Americas Basketball International League

- ANBL - American National Basketball League

- BSN - National Superior Basketball (Puerto Rico) (Official Page)

- CBA - Continental Basketball Association (Official Page)

- CBL - Continental Basketball League (Official Page)

- EBA - Eastern Basketball Alliance (Official Page)

- ESL - Eurobasket Summer League (Official Page)

- GPBL - Global Professional Basketball League (Official Page)

- IBEL - Iowa Basketball Exposure League (Official Page)

- IBL - International Basketball League (Official Page)

- KBDL - Kentucky Basketball Developmental League (Official Page)

- LBL - Louisville Basketball League (Official Page)

- LHBL - Louisville Hoopfest Basketball League (Official Page)

- LNBP - Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (México) (Official Page)

- NABL - National Alliance Basketball League (Official Page)

- NABL - National Alliance of Basketball Leagues

- NABL - National Athletic Basketball League (Official Page)

- NABL - North American Basketball League

- NBA - National Basketball Association (Official Page)

- NBA D-League - NBA Development League (Official Page)

- NBA E-League - NBA E-Minor League

- NPBL - National Professional Basketball League (Official Page)

- PBL - Premier Basketball League (Official Page)

- SBL - Southwest Basketball League (Official Page)

- SBL - Sunday Basketball League (Official Page)

- SEBL - Summer Basketball League

- TPBL - Texas Professional Basketball League

- UBA - Ultimate Basketball Association (Official Page)

- UBA - Universal Basketball Association (Official Page)

- UBL - United Basketball League (Official Page)

- UBL - Universal Basketball League (Official Page)

- USBA - United States Basketball Association (Official Page)

- USBL - United States Basketball League (Official Page)

- WBA - World Basketball Association (Official Page)

- WCBL - West Coast Pro Basketball League (Official Page)

 

2. Europe

 

Euroleague - a pan-Europe competition for elite clubs (Official Page)

Eurocup - second tier

EuroChallenge - third tier

 

Austria

ÖBL - Österreichische Basketball Bundesliga

 

Baltics

BBL – Baltic Basketball League (teams from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania plus Sweden)

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Basketball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Bulgaria

NBL - National Basketball League

 

Croatia

A-1 Liga

 

Czech Republic

NBL - National Basketball League

 

France

LNB - Ligue Nationale de Basketball

 

Germany

BBL - Basketball Bundesliga

 

Greece

A1 Ethniki - first tier

A2 Ethniki - second tier

 

Israel

Ligat HaAl - first tier

Liga Leumit - second tier

 

Italy

LEGA Basket A - first tier

LegADue - second tier

 

Lithuania

LKL - Lietuvos Krepšinio Lyga - first tier

NKL - Nacionalinė Krepšinio Lyga - second tier

 

Montenegro

Opportunity League

 

The Netherlands

FEB Eredivisie (Official Page) - first tier

FEB Promotiedivisie - second tier

 

Norway

BLNO

 

Poland

PLK, also known for sponsorship reasons as Dominet Bank Ekstraliga

 

Portugal

Portuguese Basketball League (LCB), Proliga

 

Russia

Russian Basketball Super League

 

Serbia

Basketball League of Serbia

 

Slovenia

1. A SKL, also known for sponsorship reasons as Liga UPC Telemach

 

Spain:

ACB – Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto - first tier

LEB – Liga Española de Baloncesto - second tier

LEB-2 – Liga Española de Baloncesto 2 - third tier

 

Switzerland

LNBA - Ligue Nationale de Basket

 

Turkey

Turkish Basketball League

 

United Kingdom

BBL - British Basketball League

 

Former Yugoslavia

Yugoslav Basketball League

 

Regional leagues

- Adriatic League

- Balkan International Basketball League

- Central European Basketball League

 

3. Asia

 

China:

- CBA - Chinese Basketball Association (Official Page) - first tier

- NBL - National Basketball League - second tier

- CUBS - Chinese University Basketball Super League - third tier

- CUBA - Chinese University Basketball Association (Official Page) - fourth tier

- CHBL - China High School Basketball League - fifth tier

 

Chinese Taipei:

- SBL - Super Basketball League (Official Page) - first tier

- A League - A League - second tier

- UBA - University Basketball Alliance (Official Page) - third tier

- HBL - High School Basketball League (Official Page) - fourth tier

 

Indonesia

NBL - National Basketball League

 

Iran

ISL - Iranian Basketball Super League

 

Japan:

BJ League - Basketball Japan League (Official Page) - first tier

JBL - Japan Basketball League - second tier

AJIBC - All Japan Intercollegiate Basketball Championship - third tier

 

Korea Republic:

KBL: Korean Basketball League - first tier

KBL R-League: KBL Reserve League - second tier

KUBL: Korea University Basketball League - third tier

 

Lebanon

FLBB - Lebanese Basketball League

 

Malaysia

NBL - National Basketball League (Official Page)

 

Philippines:

- PBA - Philippine Basketball Association (Official Page)- first tier

- PBL - Philippine Basketball League (Official Page) - second tier

- LP - Liga Pilipinas (Official Page)

- NBC - National Basketball Conference

- MVBA - Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association

- PCC - College basketball in the Philippines

 

South East Asia:

ABL - ASEAN Basketball League (Official Page) 

 

4. Oceania

 

Australasia

- NBL - National Basketball League (Official Page)

 

New Zealand

- NBL - National Basketball League (Official Page)

 

5. South America

 

Argentina

- Liga Nacional de Básquetbol

 

Brazil

- Campeonato Brasileiro de Basquete

 

Chile

- División Mayor del Básquetbol de Chile

- Liga Sudamericana, a South American club cup competition

 

Paraguay

- Paraguayan Metropolitan Basketball League

 

Uruguay

- Liga Uruguaya de Basketball

 

Venezuela

- Liga Profesional de Baloncesto

 

6. Africa

 

International leagues

 

- BAL – Basketball Africa League

- FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup

 

National leagues

 

Algeria

- ABC Super Division – Algerian Basketball Championship Super Division

 

Angola

- ABL – Angolan Basketball League – first tier

- ABC – Angola Second Division Basketball Championship – second tier

 

Central African Republic

- CABL – Central African Division I Basketball League

 

Ghana

GSP Basketball League

 

Egypt

EBSL – Egyptian Basketball Super League

 

Liberia

LBA League

 

Libya

LBL – Libyan Division I Basketball League

 

Morocco

Nationale 1

 

Mozambique

MBL – Mozambican Division I Basketball League

 

Nigeria

NPL – Nigerian Premier League

 

Rwanda

NBL – National Basketball League

 

Senegal

SBL – Senegalese Division I Basketball League

 

South Africa

BNL – Basketball National League

 

Tunisia

TBL – Tunisian Division I Basketball League

 

Uganda

NBL – National Basketball League

 

List of Pro Basketball Leagues for Women

 

1. United States

 

WNBA - Women's National Basketball Association (Official Page)

WSBL - Women's Southwest Basketball League (Official Page)

 

2. Oceania

 

Australia:

WNBL - Women's National Basketball League (Official Page)

 

New Zealand:

WBC - Women's Basketball Championship (Official Page)

 

3. Asia

 

China

WCBA - Women's Chinese Basketball Association - first tier

WCUBS - Women's Chinese University Basketball Super League - second tier

WCUBA - Women's Chinese University Basketball Association - third tier

 

Hong Kong

WHKBA - Women's Hong Kong Basketball Association

 

India

Indian National Basketball Championship for Women

 

Indonesia

Srikandi Cup

 

Japan

WJBL - Women's Japan Basketball League

 

Philippines:

WPBL - Women's Philippine Basketball League (Official Page)

 

South Korea

WKBL - Women's Korean Basketball League

 

Taiwan

WSBL - Women's Super Basketball League

 

Thailand

WTBL - Women's Thailand Basketball League

 

4. Europe

 

EuroLeague

EuroCup

Europe SuperCup

Baltic Women's League

 

Albania

Albanian A-1 League

 

Austria

AWBB - Austrian Women's Basketball Bundesliga

 

Belgium

BWBL - Belgian Women's Basketball League

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Basketball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Women)

 

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Women's Basketball Championship

 

Croatia

Prva ženska liga - Croatian First Women's Basketball League

 

Cyprus

Cyprus Women's Basketball Division A

Kadınlar Basketbol Ligi - Women's Basketball League

 

Czech Republic

Česká ženská basketbalová liga - Czech Women's Basketball League

 

Denmark

Women's Danish Basketball League

 

France

LFB – Ligue Féminine de Basketball

 

Estonia

WKML - Women's Korvpalli Meistriliiga

 

Finland

Naisten Korisliiga

 

Germany

Women's Basketball Bundesliga

 

Greece

Greek Women's Basket - first tier

Greek A2 Women's Basket - second tier

 

Hungary

Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A for Women's

 

Iceland

Úrvalsdeild kvenna - Premier league women

 

Israel

Israeli Female Basketball Premier League

 

Italy

LegA Basket Femminile Serie A1 - first tier

Serie A2 - second tier

Serie B d'Eccellenza - third tier

 

Latvia

Latvijas Sieviešu basketbola līga

 

Lithuania

LMKL - Lithuanian Women's Basketball League

 

Luxembourg

Total League - Dames

North Macedonia

First Women's Basketball League of Macedonia

 

Montenegro

First A Women's Basketball League of Montenegro

 

Netherlands

Vrouwen Basketball League

 

Poland

PLKK, also known as Torell Basket Liga, Poland (Official Page)

BLK – Basket Liga Kobiet (first tier)

I Liga (second tier)

 

Portugal

LFB - Premier Women's Basketball League

 

Romania

Divizia A

 

Russia

Russian Women's Basketball Premier League

Superleague

Higher League

 

Serbia

Adriatic League

First Women's Basketball League of Serbia

 

Slovakia

Slovak Women's Basketball Extraliga

 

Slovenia

Slovenian Women's Basketball League

 

Spain

LFB – Liga Femenina de Baloncesto Ligue Féminine de Basketball

LF2B - Liga Femenina 2 de Baloncesto Ligue Féminine 2 de Basketball

 

Sweden

Basketligan dam

 

Switzerland

Swiss Women's Basketball Championship

 

Turkey

TWBL, the Turkish initialism for Turkish Women's Basketball League

 

Ukraine

UWBSL, Ukrainian Women's Basketball SuperLeague

 

United Kingdom

WBBL - Women's British Basketball League

EWBL - English Women's Basketball League

SWNL - Scottish Women's National League

 

5. Africa

 

International Leagues

 

FIBA Africa Women's Clubs Champions Cup

Arab Women's Club Basketball Championship

 

National leagues

 

Angola

AWBL - Angola Women's Basketball League

 

Morocco

MWBC - Moroccan Women's Basketball Championship

 

Tunisia

Tunisian Women's Division I Basketball League

 

Nigeria

ZWBL - Zenith Women Basketball League

 

List of Pro Basketball Leagues that are now Defunct

 

- Men

 

All-American Basketball Alliance (AABA 1977-78)

All-American Professional Basketball League (AAPBL 2005)

Amateur Athletic Association Basketball (AAU 1897-1982)

American Basketball Association (ABA 1967-1976)

American Basketball League (1925-1955)

American Basketball League (1961-1963)

Global Basketball Association (GBL 1991-92 - December 1992, league folded midway through 1992-93 season)

International Basketball Association (IBA 1995-2001)

International Basketball League (IBL 1999-2001)

Metropolitan Basketball Association (Philippines) (MBA 1998-2002)

National Basketball League (Canada)

National Basketball League (United Kingdom) (NBL 1972-2003)

National Basketball League (United States) (NBL 1937-1949)

National Basketball League 1898-99 to 1903-04

National Basketball League 1926-27

National Basketball League 1929-30

National Basketball League 1932-33

National Industrial Basketball League

National Professional Basketball League (NPBL 1950-1951)

National Rookie League (2000)

Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA 1947-1948)

Western Basketball Association (WBA 1978-79)

World Basketball League (WBA 1988-1992)

World Professional Basketball Tournament (WPBT 1939-1948)

 

Women

 

American Basketball League (ABL 1996-1998)

Liberty Basketball Association

Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL 1978-1981)

National Women's Basketball League (NWBL 1998-2007)

 

Our list of pro Basketball leagues is an eye-opener

 

This list of pro Basketball leagues proves that Basketball is indeed a global game. Its popularity is rapidly spreading to every country on this planet.

We are sure that there will be many more such leagues coming up in the future. So, do not be surprised if we soon publish another list of pro Basketball leagues that exist around the world.

 

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