The Lebanese Basketball League is the top-tier professional men's basketball

league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football Sports * Sports league * Rugby league, full contact footba ...

in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the

Lebanese Basketball Federation The Lebanese Basketball Federation, known in French as the Fédération Libanaise de Basketball (FLB or FLBB), is the governing body of basketball in Lebanon. The federation founded in 1947, represents basketball with public authorities as well a ...

(FLB). Currently, the league consists of 12 teams, of which six are located in Beirut. The most successful club in the history of the league is

Al Riyadi Al Riyadi Club Beirut ( ar, نادي الرياضي بيروت, lit=Sporting Club Beirut) is a multi-sports club based in Manara, a district in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded in 1934, the basketball team competes in the Lebanese Basketball League. ...

who have won a record 16 championships.

History

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 a fully professional format. In 1997, Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished as Lebanese champions, allowing them to participate in the 1998

FIBA Asia Champions Cup The FIBA Asia Champions Cup, previously known as the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Champions Cup until 2002, is the Asian club championship for professional basketball. It is organised by FIBA Asia, and takes place once a year (since 199 ...

. There, they finished 3rd place. That same year, Al Riyadi lost the Lebanese championship to their big rivals Sagesse Club (Hekmeh). In 1998, Beirut hosted the

Arab Club Championship The Arab Club Champions Cup ( ar, كأس العرب للأندية الأبطال, french: Ligue des Champions Arabe) is an annual regional club football competition organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) and contested by elit ...

. Hekmeh won, the first ever basketball trophy for Lebanon. In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship again. Hekmeh repeated as champions. Al Riyadi has its greatest success in the Arab Club Championship during the 2000s. They won the title in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010. In 2009, they defeated their fellow Lebanese team Hekmeh in the final, the first time two Lebanese teams met in the final. The 2009 tournament was held in Beirut.

Overview

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.

Competition

There are 12 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 seven 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.

Teams

The following 12 teams play in the 2022–23 season.

Champions

Wins by year

:''FLB League (standings since 1993)''

Wins by team

Rivalries

The Big Rivalry *

Sagesse Club ''Sagesse'' (literal trans. "Wisdom") is a volume of French poetry by Paul Verlaine. First published in 1881 (see 1880), it was important in the symbolist Symbolism was a late 19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry ...

. Other Rivalries *

vs Champville *

Homenetmen Beirut Homenetmen Beirut may refer to: *Homenetmen Beirut (basketball), a Lebanese basketball club *Homenetmen Beirut (football) Homenetmen Sports Association Beirut ( ar, الجمعية الرياضية هومنتمن بيروت; ), or simply Homene ...

* Champville vs

Tadamon Zouk Tadamon Zouk ( ar, التضامن الزوق) is a Lebanese sports club most known for its basketball program. It is located in Zouk Mikael, Kesrouan, Lebanon. Tadamon Zouk basketball team is part of the Lebanese Basketball League. It was part ...

Notable players

Bassel Bawji Fahedbassel Nazih Bawji (born December 26, 1989) is an American/Lebanese professional basketball player who plays as a power forward/center for Dynamo Lebanon of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is tall and weighs . Junior career At age 15, ...

* Rony Fahed *

Rodrigue Akl Rodrigue Akl (born 30 September 1988) is a Lebanese basketball player for Beirut Club of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is a six-foot-one-inch tall point guard, and is generally regarded as one of the best players of Lebanon at his position. ...

Roy Samaha Roy Nicolas Samaha (born 12 September 1984 in Zahlé) is a retired (from the 1st division) Lebanese professional basketball player. He was a key player in the Lebanon national basketball team and participated lately in the 2006 FIBA World Champ ...

* Ali Haidar *

Elie Stephan Elie Stephan (alternatively Elie Estephan; born July 20, 1986 in Ghosta, Lebanon) is a professional Lebanese basketball player who is currently a member of Lebanese Basketball League team Byblos Club. He is also a member of Lebanon national bask ...

Elie Rustom Elie Rustom (; born 2 May 1987) is a Lebanese basketball player currently playing for Homenetmen in the Lebanese Basketball League. He is also a member of the Lebanon national basketball team. He previously played with Blue Stars. Basketball car ...

Elie Mechantaf Elie Mechantaf ( ar, إيلي مشنتف; born in Beirut, Lebanon on October 5, 1970) is a retired Lebanese professional basketball player. He started his basketball career in the Cypriot Basketball League, before becoming the captain of the Le ...

Ali Mezher Ali Mezher (born 22 March 1994 in Beirut) is a professional Lebanese professional basketball who plays for Beirut Club (basketball) in the Lebanese Basketball League. In the 2016–2017 season, Ali played for Hoops Club and averaged 17.9 ppg, ...

Wael Arakji Wael Arakji ( ar, وائل عرقجي; born 4 September 1994) is a Lebanese basketball player for Lebanese Basketball League club Al Riyadi Club Beirut and the Lebanon national team. He is nicknamed "the Great" (). At the club level, he also pl ...

* Mohammad Ibrahim * Ahmad Ibrahim *

Amir Saoud Amir Saoud ( ar, أمير سعود, born January 18, 1991) is a Lebanese professional basketball player currently playing for Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut in the Lebanese Basketball League and the Lebanon national team. He started his professional ...

* Fadi El Khatib *

Joe Vogel Joseph Vogel (; born September 15, 1973) is an American-Lebanese basketball player. Vogel attended Colorado State. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 He played as a professional in Taiwan, Turkey, Japan, Sa ...

* Rony Fahed *

Ali Mahmoud Ali Mahmoud ( ar, علي محمود) is Lebanese-Canadian basketball player. Career Mahmoud was born on May 28, 1983, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to Toufic and Gina Mahmoud, who had immigrated to Canada. He played with St. Patrick's High Scho ...

Brian Beshara Brian Anthony Beshara (Feghali) (born 30 December 1977) is a former Lebanese basketball player. Beshara was also a member of the Lebanese national basketball team. At 6'8", he was Lebanon's starting forward and played an important role on both th ...

Jean Abdelnour Jean Abdel-Nour ( ar, جان عبد النور, born 29 November 1983) is a Lebanese basketball player. He had a successful 2002–03 season with Ghazir which led him to be signed by the Bluestars for the 2003–04 season. He stayed with the ...

* Sabah Khoury *

Omar El Turk Omar El Turk (in Arabic عمر الترك) (born September 30, 1981 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a retired Lebanese Canadian basketball player and member of the Lebanon national basketball team. Immigrating to Canada, he played with Montreal, Qu ...

Ghaleb Rida Ghaleb Rida or Ghaleb Reda ( ar, غالب رضا); (born July 10, 1981 in Nabatieh, Lebanon) is a professional Lebanese basketball player for sagesse Club and a member of Lebanon national basketball team as a shooting guard. He is tall. His ...

Ali Kanaan Ali Kanaan (born 12 December 1985 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese Canadian basketball player currently playing for Byblos and the Lebanon national basketball team. Early life and education Born to Anis Kanaan and Amira El-Fares of Beirut, ...

* Billy Pharis *

Daniel Faris Daniel Faris (born 2 May 1987) is a Lebanese-American basketball player who plays for Champville SC and . He is a tall power forward-center. College career Faris played four years of NCAA Division I basketball at the University of New Mexico. In ...

Matt Freije Matthew Wayne Freije (born October 2, 1981) is a Lebanese/ American former professional basketball player. Freije attended Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas before attending Vanderbilt University where he was an All-SEC p ...

Ekene Ibekwe Ekenechukwu Brian "Ekene" Ibekwe (born July 19, 1985) is a Nigerian American professional basketball player for Urunday Universitario of the Liga Uruguaya de Básquetbol. He played college basketball for the University of Maryland at College P ...

Ace Custis Adrian "Ace" Custis (born May 24, 1974) is a American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He last played in Japan with the Wakayama Trians and is now an NCAA Division I coach. After a severe knee injury while trying out fo ...

* DeWayne Jackson *

Patrick Rembert Patrick Ronald Rembert (born April 9, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Kalleh Mazandaran of the Iranian Basketball Super League. He played college basketball at UC Irvine from 2007 to 2011. College career After graduating, ...

Dion Dixon Diontae "Dion" Dwayne Dixon (born December 24, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Obras Sanitarias. He played college basketball at the University of Cincinnati. College career Dixon played 4 seasons of college basketball at ...

* Corey Williams *

Samaki Walker Samaki Ijuma Walker (born February 25, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball power forward and center. Walker played college basketball at the University of Louisville and was drafted in 1996 by the Dallas Mavericks, where he playe ...

* Brian Cook * Tony Madison *

Alvin Sims Alvin Sims (born October 18, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'4" (1.93 m) guard from Paris High School in Paris, Kentucky, Sims played at the University of Louisville from 1993 to 1997, where he averaged 11.9 point ...

C.J. Giles Chester Jarrel "C. J." Giles, Jr. (born September 23, 1985) is an American-Bahraini professional basketball player for Ezzahra Sports of the Championnat National A, as well as national player for Bahrain. He previously played for Pelita Jaya Bask ...

Darryl Watkins Darryl Finesse Watkins (born November 8, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player who played for BTN CLS Knights Indonesia of the Asean Basketball League. He is a former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange who has ...

Lee Nailon Lee Nailon (born February 22, 1975) is an American professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the 2007 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP. In 2011, he was the top scorer in the Is ...

* Herbert Hill * Jumaine Jones * Loren Woods * Priest Lauderdale * Dewarick Spencer *

Flip Murray Ronald "Flip" Murray (born July 29, 1979) is a retired American professional basketball player who last played for Al Mouttahed Tripoli of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is a , point guard–shooting guard. After attending Strawberry Mansion ...

Desmond Penigar Desmond Penigar (born July 16, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'7" tall forward, he attended Utah State University and Ventura College. Penigar was a member of the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Associati ...

* Rasheim Wright *

Marcus Haislip Marcus Deshon Haislip (born December 22, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other top leagues. Haislip attended Marshall County High School in Lewisburg, Tennesse ...

Harold Jamison Harold Sherill Jamison (born November 20, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, he is 6'8" and played at power forward. Basketball career In college, Jamison played for Clemson Universi ...

Andre Emmett Andre Emmett (August 27, 1982 – September 23, 2019) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was named a consensus All-American as a senior in 2004. He had brief stints in ...

* Nate Johnson *

Marc Salyers Marc Douglas Salyers (born February 28, 1979) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played at the small forward and power forward positions. College career Salyers played college basketball at Samford University with the Samf ...

* Earl Barron *

Scotty Thurman Scotty Thurman (born November 10, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach, perhaps best known as the Arkansas Razorbacks' shooting guard who hit the high-arcing go-ahead three-pointer with 50.7 seco ...

* Rick Hughes *

DeShawn Sims DeShawn Adrian Sims Jr. (born January 21, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Pistoia of the Serie A2 Basket. He has previously played for Sagesse and Champville of the Lebanese Basketball League, as well as teams in Greece ...

* Aaron Harper *

LeRoy Hurd LeRoy Hurd (born May 26, 1980) is an American professional basketball player who last played for CSU Sibiu of the Romanian Liga Națională. Hurd was a multi-sport superstar at Moss Point High School before a five-inch growth spurt made a future ...

Tre Kelley Alfrie Eugene "Tre" Kelley III (born January 23, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the University of South Carolina. High school career Kelley g ...

Sam Hoskin Samuel Lonzo Hoskin (born December 29, 1979) is an American-Lebanese former professional basketball player. Career Hoskin was born in Detroit, Michigan. He played his high school basketball at Bishop Borgess High School in Detroit. Hoskin pl ...

* Quincy Douby *

Ronnie Fields Ronnie Fields (born February 28, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. High school Born and raised in Chicago, Fields played at Farragut Academy in Chicago from 1992–1996 and was a teammate of Kevin Garnett during the 199 ...

Willie Burton Willie Ricardo Burton (born May 26, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Miami Heat in the first round (9th overall pick) in the 1990 NBA draft from the University of Minnesota. Burton played for nume ...

* Marlon Parmer *

Booker Woodfox Booker Woodfox (born September 6, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. He was an All-American player at Creighton University. College career Woodfox, a 6'1" guard from Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas, played two ...

* Reyshawn Terry *

DerMarr Johnson DerMarr Miles Johnson (born May 5, 1980) is an American basketball assistant coach at West Virginia and retired professional basketball player who played seven seasons in the NBA. College career Johnson was a consensus McDonald's, Parade Magazi ...

* Rashad Anderson * Jerald Honeycutt * Hassan Whiteside * Terrell Stoglin * Dickey Simpkins * Cedric Henderson *

Jeremiah Massey Jeremiah Massey ( mk, Џеремаја Мејси; born July 22, 1982) is an American-born naturalized Macedonian professional basketball player who last played Ciclista Olímpico of the Liga Nacional de Básquet. Standing at 6 ft 7 in (2.02 ...

* Ruben Patterson * Rashad McCants *

Sherell Ford Sherell Ford (born August 26, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'7" forward from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ford was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round (26th overall) of the 1995 NBA ...

Jamal Robinson Jamal Tyrone Robinson (born December 27, 1973) is an American retired basketball small forward who played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Miami Heat during the 2000–01 season. Born in Queens, New York ...

Aleksandar Radojević Aleksandar Radojević ( sr-cyr, Александар Радојевић, ; born August 8, 1976) is a Bosnian former professional basketball player. Standing at , he played the center position. Radojević represented the Bosnia and Herzegovina nat ...

Alpha Bangura Alpha Mohamed Bangura (born February 4, 1980) is a Libyan-Sierra Leonean former professional basketball player who competed as a member of the Libya national basketball team at the FIBA Africa Championship 2009. Amateur career Bangura is a gradua ...

* Ismail Ahmed * Salah Mejri * Ali Traore *

Ndudi Ebi Ndudi Hamani Ebi (born 18 June 1984) is an English-born Nigerian former professional basketball player who most notably played for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 2003 and 2005. He initially commi ...

* Nikoloz Tskitishvili * Jeleel Akindele *

Dalibor Bagarić Dalibor Bagarić (born July 2, 1980) is a Croatian former professional basketball player. He had a stint with the NBA's Chicago Bulls from 2000 to 2003. Professional career A 7'1" (2.17 m) center born in Munich, West Germany, Bagarić had average ...

Asghar Kardoust Asghar Kardoust Poustinsaraei (, born March 21, 1986) is an Iranian professional basketball player. He currently plays for Petrochimi Bandar Imam in the Iranian Super League as well as for the Iranian national basketball team, as a Center. He p ...

* Hamed Haddadi * Ratko Varda * Vladan Vukosavljević *

Sani Sakakini Sani Sakakini ( ar, سني سكاكيني; born August 19, 1988) is a Palestinian professional basketball player. He ranks second all-time highest in the FIBA Asia Championship in scoring average, after the 2015 edition where he ranked first in ...

* Michael Madanly * Marcus Banks * Walter Hodge * Makrem Ben Romdhane *

Sam Young (basketball) Samuel David Young (born June 1, 1985) is an American/Lebanese former professional basketball player for Homenetmen Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League and the Lebanese National Basketball Team. He played college basketball at the University ...

Rony Seikaly Rony is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Ronielson da Silva Barbosa, Brazilian footballer better known as Rony *Rony Ahonen (born 1987), Finnish ice hockey defenceman *Rony Bakale (born 1987), Olympic swimmer from the Republ ...

Notable coaches

Ghassan Sarkis Ghassan Sarkis ( ar, غسان سركيس, born in Bikfaya in 1957) is a Lebanese-French basketball coach who has worked in the Lebanese Basketball League. He became especially famous during his time coaching the Lebanese team Sagesse in its golde ...

* Joe Moujaes * Joe Ghattas *

George Geagea George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

* Slobodan Subotić *

Ilias Zouros Ilias Zouros or Elias Zouros (Greek: Ηλίας Ζούρος; born March 11, 1966) is a Greek professional basketball coach, who last managed Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League and the EuroCup. Club coaching career Some of the teams Z ...

* Nenad Vucinic *

Veselin Matic Veselin (Cyrillic script: Веселин) is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It may refer to: *Veselin Beshevliev (1900–1992), Bulgarian historian and philologist *Veselin Bliznakov (born 1944), Bulgarian politician *Veselin Branimirov ( ...

Dragan Raca Dragan Raca ( sr-cyr, Драган Раца; born 3 March 1961) is a Cypriot–Serbian basketball coach and former player. He used to be the coach of the national basketball teams of Lebanon, Cyprus and North Macedonia national basketball team. He ...

Tab Baldwin Thomas Anthony "Tab" Baldwin (born 16 May 1958) is an American-New Zealand basketball coach who currently serves as the head of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth national basketball program and head coach for the Ateneo Blue Eagles of the University A ...

Women's league

2019–20 teams: *

Antranik SC The Antranik Youth Association (AYA) ( ar, جمعية شباب الأنترانيك; ), or simply Antranik (; ), is a Lebanese-Armenian multi-sports and cultural club based in Antelias, Matn District, Lebanon. Established in Beirut, Lebanon i ...

Al Riyadi Club Beirut Al Riyadi Club Beirut ( ar, نادي الرياضي بيروت, lit=Sporting Club Beirut) is a multi-sports club based in Manara, a district in Beirut, Lebanon. Founded in 1934, the basketball team competes in the Lebanese Basketball League. T ...

Homenetmen Antelias Homenetmen Antelias ( ar, نادي الهومنتمن أنطلياس hy, Հ.Մ.Ը.Մ. Անթիլիաս) is a Lebanese sports club most known for its basketball program playing in top division for women. It is located in Antelias, Matn District, ...

Hoops Club Hoops Club ( ar, نادي هوبس) is a Lebanese sports club. It is based in Beirut, Lebanon, with further branches in Antelias, Tyre, and southern suburbs of Beirut. Hoops club basketball team is part of the Lebanese Basketball League playin ...

Chabibeh The Lebanese Basketball League is the top-tier professional men's basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation ...

* Energy Sports Club

References

External links

Lebanese Basketball Federation (FLB) website

Lebanese Basketball League Facebook

Lebanese Basketball League Twitter

Lebanese Basketball League Twitter
{{Women's professional basketball leagues Lea Basketball leagues in Asia Women's basketball leagues in Asia Sports leagues established in 1992 1992 establishments in Lebanon Basketball