| PBA D-League | |
| Pixels: | 220px |
| Current Season: | 2024 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup |
| Sport: | Basketball |
| Founded: | 2011 |
| Inaugural: | 2011 |
| Teams: | 6 |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Motto: | "The Road to the PBA Starts Here." |
| Continent: | FIBA Asia (Asia) |
| Champion: | Eco Oil-La Salle Green Archers (3rd title) |
| Most Champs: | NLEX Road Warriors (6 titles) |
| Tv: | RPTV, PBA Rush |
The PBA D-League, or PBA Developmental League, is the official minor league of the Philippine Basketball Association.
The PBA D-League was conceptualized after the collapse of the proposed merger between the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and Liga Pilipinas after the staging of the Tournament of the Philippines which was composed by PBL and Liga Pilipinas teams. PBA Commissioner Chito Salud proposed the formation of a PBA D-League, which will fill the void left by the PBL. On January 25, 2011, the PBA Board of Governors approved the proposal.
The maiden tournament, named "Foundation Cup" began on March 12, 2011 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. The tournament composed of 13 teams, with five teams (Junior Powerade, NLEX, Maynilad, Freego and Cafe France) having affiliation with existing PBA teams.[1] Four teams (Cobra Energy Drink, Agri-Nature Inc./FCA, Pharex, and Cafe France) from the Philippine Basketball League filed for application in the PBA D-League, when they failed to acquire a sixth team in order to smoothly run the league.[2] The NLEX Road Warriors became the champions of the tournament, winning two games to none against the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems.
The second tournament, dubbed as the "Aspirant's Cup" began on October 20. Four teams (Maynilad, Junior Powerade, Max Bond and Pharex) did not join the tournament. However, two new teams (Boracay Rum and Informatics) made their debut in the D-League.[3]
The D-League has held its own rookie draft since the 2013–14 PBA season.[4]
In August 2015, the PBA approved plans for a nationwide D-League and a Women's D-League that will open soon. From 2016, the men's competition was first to be held in three separate, simultaneous tournaments, first in Luzon and later in the Visayas and Mindanao. The three regional champions would join the national championship round which would be joined by Metro Manila teams.[5] However the plan was never fully realized with the Northern Luzon tournament never finished and the Visayas tournament cancelled.[6]
The 2020 season was indefinitely postponed in March 2020 with only some games of the Aspirants Cup played[7] before the season was cancelled altogether in September 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The league has not held games as of 2021. The resumption of the D-League has been hampered by the fact that league heavily relies on school-based teams.[9]
Teams in the PBA D-League had to pay a participating fee either on a per conference or per season basis. Unlike the PBA, the number of participating teams may vary per conference.[10]
| Team | Company / College | Joined | Titles | Head coach | PBA affiliate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCI–Yengskivel Crusaders | Cornerstone College (SJDM, Bulacan) Yengskivel Sportswear | 2024 Aspirants' | align=center | 0 | Arwin Villamor Adina | ||
| CEU Scorpions | Centro Escolar University | 2017 Foundation | align=center | 0 | Jeff Perlas | ||
| EcoOil–La Salle Green Archers | 2020 Aspirants' | align=center | 3 | Gian Nazario | |||
| GoTorakku–St. Clare Saints | Torakku Motor Assembly St. Clare College of Caloocan | 2024 Aspirants' | align=center | 0 | Jinino Manansala | ||
| Keanzel Believers | Keanzel Basketball | 2024 Aspirants' | align=center | 0 | Mark Herrera | ||
| Marinerong Pilipino Skippers–San Beda | 2017 Foundation | align=center | 0 | Yuri Escueta |
| Team | Owner | PBA affiliate | First tournament | Last tournament | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCA Cultivators Big Chill Super Chargers | Agri-Nurture, Inc. | 2011 Foundation | 2014 Foundation | ||
| Maynilad Water Dragons | 2011 Foundation | 2011 Foundation | |||
| Max Bond Super Glue Sumos | Magnaprime Corporation | 2011 Foundation | 2011 Foundation | ||
| Pharex Naproxen Sodium Bidang Generix | Pascual Laboratories, Inc. | 2011 Foundation | 2011 Foundation | ||
| Freego Jeans | EINSCO Inc. | 2011 Foundation | 2012 Aspirant's | ||
| Cobra Energy Drink Iron Men | 2011 Foundation | 2012 Aspirant's | |||
| Dub Unlimited Wheelers | Mega Dub Unlimited Specialist Inc. | 2012 Aspirant's | 2012 Aspirant's | ||
| Junior Powerade Tigers | 2011 Foundation | 2012 Foundation | |||
| PC Gilmore Wizards | PC Gilmore, Inc. | 2011 Aspirant's | 2012 Aspirant's | ||
| RnW Pacific Pipes Steelmasters | RnW Pacific Pipes Corporation | 2011 Foundation | 2012 Foundation | ||
| Erase XFoliant Erasers | Universal Knowledge DermPharma, Inc. | 2012 Foundation | 2012 Aspirants | ||
| Informatics Icons | Informatics International University | 2012 Aspirants | 2013 Foundation | ||
| Fruitas Shakers | Fruitas Group | 2012 Aspirants | 2013 Foundation | ||
| Jumbo Plastic Linoleum Giants | AliKaiser International Incorporated | 2013 Foundation | 2015 Foundation | ||
| EA Regen Med Regens | EA Regen Medical Group, Inc. | 2013 Foundation | 2013 Foundation | ||
| Arellano Chiefs | 2013 Aspirants | 2013 Aspirants | |||
| NLEX Road Warriors | 2011 Foundation | 2014 Foundation | |||
| Boracay Rum Waves | 2012 Foundation | 2013 Foundation | |||
| Blackwater Sports | Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc. | 2011 Foundation | 2014 Foundation | ||
| Hog's Breath Cafe Razorbacks | Hog's Breath Cafe | 2013 Foundation | 2014 Foundation | ||
| Derulo Accelero Oilers | UR Value Corporation | 2013 Aspirants | 2014 Foundation | ||
| MJM M-Builders | Mercado Builders MJM Productions, Inc. | 2013 Aspirants | 2014 Aspirants | ||
| Bread Story Smashing Bakers | Bread Story Philippines | 2014 Aspirants | 2014 Aspirants | ||
| Cagayan Valley Rising Suns | 2012 Foundation | 2015 Foundation | |||
| Hapee Fresh Fighters | Lamoiyan Corporation | 2014 Aspirants | 2015 Foundation | ||
| Cebuana Lhuillier Gems | 2011 Foundation | 2015 Foundation | |||
| MP Hotel Warriors | 2014 Aspirants | 2015 Foundation | |||
| LiverMarin Guardians - San Sebastian Golden Stags | 2015 Foundation | 2015 Foundation | |||
| BDO - NU Bulldogs | 2013 Aspirants | 2016 Aspirants | |||
| Phoenix Accelerators | Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. | 2016 Aspirants | 2016 Foundation | ||
| QRS / JAM Liner - UP Fighting Maroons | 2016 Aspirants | 2016 Aspirants | |||
| Z.C. Mindanao Aguilas | Kings Janitorial Services and Cooperative of Zamboanga | 2016 Aspirants | 2016 Foundation | ||
| Victoria Sports - MLQU Stallions | 2017 Aspirants | 2017 Aspirants | |||
| Blustar Detergent Dragons - Malaysia | Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc. Westports Malaysia Holdings | 2016 Foundation | 2017 Aspirants | ||
| Cafe France Bakers | Cafe France Corporation | 2011 Foundation | 2017 Aspirants | ||
| Racal Motors Alibaba Caida Tile Masters | Racal Group of Companies | 2014 Aspirants | 2017 Foundation | ||
| Flying V Thunder | Flying V Petroleum | 2017 Foundation | 2017 Foundation | ||
| Tanduay Rhum Masters | 2011 Foundation | 2017 Foundation | |||
| Mila's Lechon Mighty Roasters | Mila's Lechon and Restaurant | 2018 Aspirants | 2018 Aspirants | ||
| Akari - Adamson Soaring Falcons | 2018 Aspirants | 2018 Aspirants | |||
| Gamboa Coffee Mixers | Universal Knowledge DermPharma, Inc. | 2017 Foundation | 2018 Aspirants | ||
| Zark's Jawbreakers - LPU Pirates | 2017 Foundation | 2018 Aspirants | |||
| JRU Heavy Bombers | 2012 Foundation | 2018 Aspirants | |||
| Cignal HD Hawkeyes Cignal HD - Ateneo Blue Eagles | 2017 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| Che'Lu Bar & Grill Revellers | Hydra Connection Entertainment Corporation | 2018 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | ||
| Go For Gold Scratchers - College of Saint Benilde Blazers | 2018 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| The Masterpiece / CD14 Designs - Trinity Stallions | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| Metropac Movers - San Beda Red Lions | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| SMDC - NU Bulldogs | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| Batangas EAC Generals | 2017 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| Petron - Letran Knights | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Aspirants | |||
| FEU Tamaraws | 2019 Aspirants | 2020 Aspirants | |||
| Apex Fuel - San Sebastian Golden Stags | 2019 Aspirants | 2022 Aspirants | |||
| Builders Warehouse - UST Growling Tigers | 2019 Aspirants | 2022 Aspirants | |||
| Nail Talk & Beauty Spa - St. Dominic Savio Unicorns | Nail Talk & Beauty Spa St. Dominic Savio College | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | ||
| iWalk Chargers | iWalk Philippines | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | ||
| Italianos Homme | Italianos Homme Shoes | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | ||
| McDavid Apparels - De La Salle Araneta Stallions | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Foundation | |||
| Diliman College Blue Dragons | Diliman College | 2019 Aspirants | 2020 Aspirants | ||
| FamilyMart - Enderun Titans | 2019 Aspirants | 2020 Aspirants | |||
| BRT Sumisip Basilan - St. Clare Saints | 2019 Aspirants | 2019 Foundation | |||
| Hyperwash Vipers | Hyperwash Laundromat | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | ||
| Asia's Lashes Soldiers | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | |||
| Alberei Kings | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | |||
| Hazchem Green Warriors | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | |||
| Black Mamba Energy Drink | Corbridge Group Philippines | 2019 Foundation | 2019 Foundation | ||
| ADG Dong - Mapua Cardinals | 2020 Aspirants | 2020 Aspirants | |||
| TIP Engineers | 2020 Aspirants | 2020 Aspirants | |||
| Adalem Construction - St. Clare College | Adalem Construction St. Clare College of Caloocan | 2022 Aspirants | 2022 Aspirants | ||
| AMA Online Education Titans | 2014 Aspirants | 2023 Aspirants' | |||
| Perpetual Help Altas | 2018 Aspirants' | 2023 Aspirants' | |||
| PSP Gymers | Philippine Sports Performance Fitness Centre | 2023 Aspirants' | 2023 Aspirants' | ||
| Wang's Basketball–Letran | 2013 Aspirants' | 2023 Aspirants' |
| PBA Season | Conference | Champion | Series | Runner-Up | Winning coach | Conference MVP | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLEX | 2-0 | Cebuana Lhuillier | ||||||
| NLEX | 2-0 | Freego | Cebuana Lhuillier | |||||
| NLEX | 2-0 | NLEX | ||||||
| NLEX | 2-0 | NLEX | ||||||
| Blackwater | 2-0 | NLEX | ||||||
| NLEX | 2-0 | NLEX | ||||||
| NLEX | 2-0 | NLEX | ||||||
| Hapee | 2-0 | Hapee | ||||||
| Café France | 2-1 | Edgar Macaraya | Cebuana Lhuillier | |||||
| Phoenix | 3-2 | Phoenix | ||||||
| Phoenix | 2-1 | Phoenix | ||||||
| Cignal HD - SBU | 2-1 | Racal Tile | Cignal HD - San Beda | |||||
| Cignal HD | 2-0 | Cignal HD | ||||||
| Zark's Burgers - LPU | 2-1 | Zark's Burgers - LPU | ||||||
| Go for Gold | 3-2 | Che'Lu Bar and Grill | Charles Tiu | Che'Lu Bar and Grill | ||||
| Aspirants' | Cignal HD - ADMU | 3-1 | Cignal HD - Ateneo | |||||
| BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare | 2-1 | Marinerong Pilipino | Stevenson Tiu | Marinerong Pilipino | ||||
| Aspirants' | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
| Aspirants' | EcoOil–La Salle | 2-1 | Marinerong Pilipino | Marinerong Pilipino | ||||
| EcoOil–La Salle | 2-0 | |||||||
| 2024 | EcoOil–La Salle | 2-0 | Gian Nazario | Michael Philips | EcoOil–La Salle |