KBF Premier League explained

KBF Premier League
Organiser:	Kenyan Basketball Federation
Founded:	1987
First:	1987
Country:	Kenya
Teams:	12
Relegation:	KBF Division 1
Levels:	1
Confed Cup:	Basketball Africa League (BAL)
Champions:	Nairobi City Thunder (1st title)
Season:	2023–24
Most Champs:	KPA (9 titles)

The KBF Premier League, also known as the KBF National Basketball Classic League, is the premier basketball league for clubs in Kenya. The league currently consist out of twelve teams. The most successful team in the history of the league is KPA with nine national championships.

The champions of the KBF Premier League are eligible to play in the qualifying rounds of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

The league was established in 1987 and has been won by seven different clubs since then.^[1]

Current teams

The following were the twelve teams for the 2019 season:^[2]

• KPA
• Ulinzi Warriors
• Nairobi City Thunder
• Equity Bank
• Emyba
• Strathmore
• Eldonets
• Lakerside
• KCA U
• Umoja
• USIU Tigers
• World Hope

List of champions

• 1987: KPA
• 1988: Barclays Eagles
• 1989: Posta
• 1990: KPA
• 1991: KPA
• 1992: Posta
• 1993: Posta
• 1994: Co-op Bank
• 1995: Co-op Bank
• 1996: Co-op Bank
• 1997: Co-op Bank
• 1999: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2000: NSSF Stars
• 2001: KCB Lions
• 2002: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2003: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2004: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2005: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2006: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2007: KCB Lions
• 2008: KCB Lions
• 2009: KCB Lions
• 2010: Co-op Bank
• 2011: Co-op Bank
• 2012: Co-op Bank
• 2014: KPA
• 2015: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2016: KPA
• 2017: KPA
• 2018: KPA
• 2019: Ulinzi Warriors
• 2022: KPA
• 2023: KPA
• 2024: Nairobi City Thunder

Performance by club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Years won	Years runner-up
KPA	9	2	1987, 1990, 1991, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023	2009, 2024
Ulinzi Warriors	8	3	1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2019	2014, 2018, 2022
Co-op Bank	7	1	1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2010, 2011, 2012	2016
KCB Lions	4	2	2001, 2007, 2008, 2009	2010, 2011
Posta	3		1989, 1992, 1993
Nairobi City Thunder	1	1	2024	2019
Barclays Eagles	1		1988
NSSF Stars	1		2000
USIU Tigers		2		2012, 2015
Blades		1		2017
Equity Dumas		1		2023

Finals (2009–present)

width=100	Season	width=200	Champions	width=200	Runners-up	width=50	Finals score	class=unsortable
2009	KCB Lions (4)
2010	Co-op Bank (4)	KCB Lions
2011	Co-op Bank (5)	KCB Lions
2012	Co-op Bank (6)	USIU Tigers
2014	KPA (4)
2015	Ulinzi Warriors (7)	USIU Tigers
2016	KPA (5)	Co-op Bank
2017	KPA (6)	Blades
2018	KPA (7)
2019	Ulinzi Warriors (8)	Nairobi City Thunder
2021–22	KPA (8)			^[3]
2023	KPA (9)	Equity Dumas		^[4]
2023–24	Nairobi City Thunder	KPA		^[5]

Individual awards

Most Valuable Player

• 2021–22: Kennedy Wachira (KPA)
• 2022-23: Eugene Adera (KPA)
• 2023–24: Albert Odero (Nairobi City Thunder)^[6]

Playoffs MVP

• 2023–24: Griffin Ligare (Nairobi City Thunder)^[7]

External links

• Kenya at AfroBasket.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2013-11-20 . History at fore when KPA take on Coop bank . 2023-08-18 . www.michezoafrika.com . EN.
2. Web site: Kenyan Basketball, Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings - afrobasket. https://web.archive.org/web/20130806153407/http://www.afrobasket.com/Kenya/basketball-Premier-League.asp. dead. 6 August 2013. Eurobasket LLC. 31 December 2019.
3. News: Onyango . Washington . 26 April 2022 . KPA dock Ulinzi to be crowned KBF Premier League champions . en . The Standard . 26 April 2022.
4. Web site: Onyango . Washington . KPA edge Equity Dumas to win KBF men's Premier League . 2023-08-18 . The Standard . en.
5. Web site: Olobulu . Timothy . 2024-07-20 . INVINCIBLES! – Stylish Thunder strike down KPA to clinch first ever league title . 2024-07-21 . Capital Sports . en-US.
6. Web site: Olobulu . Timothy . 2024-07-20 . INVINCIBLES! – Stylish Thunder strike down KPA to clinch first ever league title . 2024-07-21 . Capital Sports . en-US.
7. Web site: Olobulu . Timothy . 2024-07-20 . INVINCIBLES! – Stylish Thunder strike down KPA to clinch first ever league title . 2024-07-21 . Capital Sports . en-US.