| Lebanese Basketball League | |
| Organiser: | Lebanese Basketball Federation (LFB) |
| Founded: | 1951 1992 (Current format) |
| First: | 1951–52 |
| Confed: | FIBA Asia |
| Teams: | 10 |
| Relegation: | Division 2 |
| Levels: | 1 |
| Domest Cup: | Lebanese Cup |
| Confed Cup: | FIBA Asia Champions Cup Arab Club Basketball Championship West Asia Super League |
| Champions: | Al Riyadi (31th title) |
| Season: | 2023–24 |
| Most Champs: | Al Riyadi (31 titles) |
| Tv: | MTV (Lebanon) |
| Current: | 2023–24 Lebanese Basketball League |
The Lebanese Basketball League is recognized as the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB).[1]
Currently, the league consists of 10 teams, of which six are located in Beirut. The most successful club in the history of the league is Al Riyadi Club Beirut.
The initial Lebanese basketball league was formed in as early as the 1950s; however, it was stopped during the Lebanese Civil War. In 1992, the league was reformed into its current fully professional format.
The golden era began shortly after the new format league began in the 90s.
In 1996, Hekmeh were the Arab Championship runner-ups.
In 1998, Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished third in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, that same year Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship where Sagesse Club (Hekmeh) won, it was the first ever Arab basketball trophy for Lebanon.
In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship, Hekmeh were crowned champions again, in addition to being the first Lebanese and first Arab team to win the Asian cup.
Al Riyadi has its greatest success in the Arab Club Championship, they won the title in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010; while Sagesse and riyadi are the most decorated teams with 3 titles each in the FIBA Asian Club Championship
Ever since, many Lebanese clubs, have seen regular success in different international championships.
The 1999 season was inaugurated by a huge event that included an exhibition game between Lebanese All-stars (represented by the top four teams Sagesse, Riyadi, Tadamon, and Rosaire) and Harlem Globetrotters. [2]
The league is the first division in Lebanese basketball. The team that finishes last each season is relegated to the Second Division, while the Second Division's top four teams compete in a play-off system. The team that wins is promoted for the next season.
There are 10 teams in the league. They play a round-robin format; each team plays all other teams once home and once away. At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams enter the playoffs and play a best of 5 series in the quarterfinals. The winners of the quarterfinals advance to the best of 5 series in the semifinals. The two teams that advance play a best of seven series in the final, and the winner is the league champion.
The following 10 teams play in the 2023–24 season.
| Team | City | Arena | Capacity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saeb Salam Arena | align=center | ||||
| Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | align=center | ||
| Antonine | Baabda | Antonine Arena | align=center | ||
| Beirut | Chiyah Stadium | align=center | |||
| Champville Maristes | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club Center | align=center | ||
| Jounieh | Club Central | align=center | |||
| Homenetmen | Mezher | Homentmen Mezher | align=center | ||
| Hoops Club | Dora | Michel El Murr Complex | align=center | ||
| NSA | Jounieh | Fouad Chehab Stadium | align=center | ||
| Ghazir | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | align=center |
FLB League (standings since 1993)
| width=80 | Season! | width=200 | Champion! | width=200 | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–1993 | Al Riyadi | Kahraba Zouk | |||
| 1993–1994 | Sagesse | Kahraba Zouk | |||
| 1994–1995 | Al Riyadi (2) | Kahraba Zouk | |||
| 1996–1997 | Al Riyadi (3) | Tadamon Zouk | |||
| 1997–1998 | Sagesse (2) | Tadamon Zouk | |||
| 1998–1999 | Sagesse (3) | Tadamon Zouk | |||
| 1999–2000 | Sagesse (4) | Antranik Beirut | |||
| 2000–2001 | Sagesse (5) | Champville | |||
| 2001–2002 | Sagesse (6) | Champville | |||
| 2002–2003 | Sagesse (7) | Al Riyadi | |||
| 2003–2004 | Sagesse (8) | Champville | |||
| 2004–2005 | Al Riyadi (4) | Sagesse | |||
| 2005–2006 | Al Riyadi (5) | Sagesse | |||
| 2006–2007 | Al Riyadi (6) | Blue Stars | |||
| 2007–2008 | Al Riyadi (7) | Mouttahed | |||
| 2008–2009 | Al Riyadi (8) | Mouttahed | |||
| 2009–2010 | Al Riyadi (9) | Champville | |||
| 2010–2011 | Al Riyadi (10) | Champville | |||
| 2011–2012 | Champville | Anibal | |||
| 2012–2013 | |||||
| 2013–2014 | Al Riyadi (11) | Sagesse | |||
| 2014–2015 | Al Riyadi (12) | Byblos Club | |||
| 2015–2016 | Al Riyadi (13) | Sagesse | |||
| 2016–2017 | Al Riyadi (14) | Homenetmen | |||
| 2017–2018 | Homenetmen | Al Riyadi | |||
| 2018–2019 | Al Riyadi (15) | Beirut Club | |||
| 2019–2020 | |||||
| 2020–2021 | Al Riyadi (16) | Champville | |||
| 2021–2022 | Beirut Club | ||||
| 2022–2023 | Al Riyadi (17) | Dynamo | |||
| 2023–2024 | Al Riyadi (18) | Sagesse |
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Riyadi | 18 | 4 | 1992–93, 1994–1995, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–2024 | 2002–03, 2017–18, 2021–22 | |
| Sagesse | 8 | 5 | 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 | 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2023–2024 | |
| Champville | 1 | 5 | 2011–12 | 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21 | |
| Homenetmen | 1 | 1 | 2017–18 | 2016–17 | |
| Beirut | 1 | 1 | 2021–22 | 2018–19 | |
| Kahraba Zouk | 0 | 3 | 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 | ||
| Tadamon Zouk | 0 | 3 | 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99 | ||
| Mouttahed | 0 | 2 | 2007–08, 2008–09 | ||
| Antranik Beirut | 0 | 1 | 1999–2000 | ||
| Blue Stars | 0 | 1 | 2006–07 | ||
| Anibal | 0 | 1 | 2011–12 | ||
| Byblos | 0 | 1 | 2014–15 | ||
| Dynamo | 0 | 1 | 2022–23 |
The Big Rivalry
Other Rivalries
Bassel Bawji Rony Fahed Hayk Gyokchyan Rodrigue Akl Roy Samaha Karim Zeinoun Ali Haidar Elie Stephan Elie Rustom Elie Mechantaf Wael Arakji Mohammad Ibrahim Ahmad Ibrahim Amir Saoud Fadi El Khatib Joe Vogel Ali Mahmoud Brian Beshara Jean Abdelnour Sabah Khoury Omar El Turk Ghaleb Rida Ali Kanaan Billy Pharis Daniel Faris Matt Freije
Ekene Ibekwe
Duop Reath Samaki Walker Cliff Alexander Kerwin Roach Hassan Whiteside Shabazz Muhammad Rashad McCants Jeremy Pargo Norvel Pelle Isaiah Austin Danny Pippen JJ Hickson Mike Taylor (basketball player) Troy Williams Diamond Stone Zach Lofton Kevin Murphy (basketball) Ace Custis DeWayne Jackson Patrick Rembert Dion Dixon Corey Williams Brian Cook Tony Madison Alvin Sims C.J. Giles Darryl Watkins Lee Nailon Herbert Hill Jumaine Jones Loren Woods Priest Lauderdale Dewarick Spencer Flip Murray Desmond Penigar Rasheim Wright Marcus Haislip Harold Jamison Andre Emmett Nate Johnson Marc Salyers Earl Barron Scotty Thurman Rick Hughes DeShawn Sims Aaron Harper LeRoy Hurd Tre Kelley Sam Hoskin Quincy Douby Ronnie Fields Willie Burton Marlon Parmer Booker Woodfox Reyshawn Terry DerMarr Johnson Rashad Anderson Jerald Honeycutt Terrell Stoglin Dickey Simpkins Cedric Henderson Jeremiah Massey Ruben Patterson Sherell Ford Jamal Robinson Nate Robinson 
Dar Tucker Ater Majok
Aleksandar Radojević
Alpha Bangura
Ismail Ahmad
Salah Mejri
Ali Traore
Ndudi Ebi
Nikoloz Tskitishvili Jeleel Akindele
Dalibor Bagarić
Ratko Varda Vladan Vukosavljević Marcus Banks Makrem Ben Romdhane Sam Young (basketball) Rony Seikaly Justin Brownlee Thon Maker
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