The Basketball League of Serbia (), commonly abbreviated as KLS, is a top-tier men's professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

league in Serbia. Founded in 2006. It is currently not run by the Basketball Federation of Serbia (KSS).

Rules

Competition format

The league, operated by the Basketball Federation of Serbia, consists of two stages: the First League which has 16 teams and the SuperLeague which has 8 teams. Since the 2017–18 season, the top 8 teams in First League are promoted to Super League with five Serbian teams from the

ABA League The ABA League, renamed the ABA League First Division in 2017, is the top-tier regional men's professional basketball league that originally featured clubs from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedoni ...

. Two lowest-placed teams, positioned 15th and 16th in the First League, are relegated to a lower-tier league – Second Basketball League of Serbia. Teams positioned 1st and 2nd in First League will be qualified for the next season's ABA League Second Division. The SuperLeague has 8 clubs divided into 2 groups of 4 teams. The best 4 clubs (top 2 teams from groups A and B each) in the SuperLeague go to the Playoff stage. The following is the access list for current season:

Arena standards

Currently, clubs must have home arenas with a capacity of a minimum of 1,000 seats.

History

Sponsorship naming

The League has had several denominations through the years due to its sponsorship: *

Sinalco Sinalco is a German brand of non-alcoholic drinks first marketed in 1902, with sales in now more than 40 countries. Sinalco is the oldest soft drink brand in Europe. It is produced by Sinalco International, a company headquartered in Detmold, ...

Basketball League of Serbia: 2006–2007 * Swisslion Basketball League of Serbia: 2007–2009 * Agroživ Basketball League of Serbia: 2011–2013 * Mozzart Basketball League of Serbia: 2016–2019 * Admiral Bet Basketball League of Serbia: 2021–present

Champions

* 2006–07: Partizan * 2007–08: Partizan Igokea * 2008–09: Partizan Igokea * 2009–10: Partizan * 2010–11: Partizan * 2011–12: Partizan mt:s * 2012–13: Partizan mt:s * 2013–14: Partizan * 2014–15: Crvena zvezda Telekom * 2015–16: Crvena zvezda Telekom * 2016–17: Crvena zvezda mts * 2017–18: Crvena zvezda mts * 2018–19: Crvena zvezda mts * 2019–20: ''Cancelled due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

'' * 2020–21: Crvena zvezda mts * 2021–22: Crvena zvezda mts * 2022–23: Crvena zvezda Meridianbet * 2023–24: Crvena zvezda Meridianbet * 2024–25: ''TBD''

Titles by club

League commissioners

* 2006–2011: Tihomir Bubalo * 2011–2013: Predrag Bojić * 2013–present: Darko Jovičić

League CEOs

* 2006–2014: Dragan Gogić * 2014–2021: Leon Deleon * 2021–present: Aleksandar Grujin

Current teams

Standings

First League

SuperLeague Play-off finals

All–time national champions

''Total number of national champions won by Serbian clubs. Table includes titles won during the Yugoslav First Federal League (1945–1992) and

First League of Serbia and Montenegro The First League of Serbia and Montenegro () was the top Association football, football league of Serbia and Montenegro, before the country's dissolution in 2006. The league was formed as the First League of FR Yugoslavia following the breakup of ...

(1992–2006) as well.''

Statistical leaders

Points

Rebounds

Assists

Awards

* BLS First League MVP * BLS Super League MVP *

BLS Playoff MVP The BLS Playoff MVP, or Serbian League Playoff MVP, is the award bestowed to the player that is deemed to be the "Most Valuable Player" during the playoff of the Basketball League of Serbia. The Basketball League of Serbia is the Serbian basketball ...

Notable players

* Nemanja Aleksandrov * Stefan Birčević * Nemanja Bjelica * Bogdan Bogdanović * Luka Bogdanović * Zlatko Bolić *

Branko Cvetković Branko Cvetković ( sr-cyr, Бранко Цветковић, born 5 March 1984) is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. He also represented the Serbian national team internationally. He is 2.00 m (6 ft 6 ¾ in) tall and p ...

Marko Čakarević Marko Čakarević ( sr-cyr, Марко Чакаревић, born May 13, 1988) is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for Qingdao Eagles. Professional career Čakarević started his professional career with the French team ASV ...

Tadija Dragićević Tadija Dragićević ( sr-cyr, Тадија Драгићевић; born 28 January 1986) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. Standing at , he played the power forward (basketball), power forward position. Professional career Dragi� ...

Zoran Erceg Zoran Erceg (Serbian Cyrillic: Зоран Ерцег; born 11 January 1985) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He represented the Serbian national basketball team internationally. Standing at , he played the power forward positi ...

Marko Gudurić Marko Gudurić ( sr-cyr, Марко Гудурић, born March 8, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe Beko of the Turkish BSL and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Serbian national basketball team inte ...

* Milan Gurović *

Nikola Jokić Nikola Jokić ( ; sr-Cyrl, Никола Јокић ; born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player who is a Center (basketball), center for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the ...

* Stefan Jović * Nikola Kalinić * Raško Katić * Dušan Kecman *

Marko Kešelj Marko Kešelj ( sr-Cyrl, Марко Кешељ, born 2 January 1988) is a Serbian politician and retired professional basketball player serving as the state secretary in the Ministry of Sports since 4 November 2022. He previously served as a memb ...

Ognjen Kuzmić Ognjen Kuzmić ( sr-Cyrl, Огњен Кузмић, ; born May 16, 1990) is a Serbian professional basketball player for KK FMP of the Adriatic League. He has also represented the senior Serbian national team in international competition. Standi ...

* Dragan Labović *

Branko Lazić Branko Lazić ( sr-cyr, Бранко Лазић, ; born 12 January 1989) is a Serbian professional basketball player and the team captain for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS, the ABA League and the EuroLeague. He has also represented the senior ...

* Vladimir Lučić *

Milan Mačvan Milan Mačvan (; born 16 November 1989) is a Serbian politician and former professional basketball player serving as the deputy mayor of Šabac since 19 January 2024. Standing at , he played at the power forward position. He also represented the ...

Marko Marinović Marko Marinović ( sr-cyr, Марко Мариновић, ; born 15 March 1983) is a Serbian professional basketball coach and former player. Professional career On 12 July 2013, Marinović signed with Radnički Kragujevac for the 2013–14 seas ...

* Boban Marjanović * Stefan Marković * Branko Milisavljević *

Dragan Milosavljević Dragan Milosavljević ( sr-Cyrl, Драган Милосављевић; born May 11, 1989) is a Serbian professional basketball player and team captain for Igokea m:tel of the Bosnian League and the ABA League. He also represented the Serbian n ...

* Nemanja Nedović *

Ivan Paunić Ivan Paunić ( sr-cyr, Иван Паунић; born January 27, 1987) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He also represented the Serbia national basketball team, Serbian national basketball team internationally. Professional care ...

* Kosta Perović * Vuk Radivojević * Miroslav Raduljica *

Igor Rakočević Igor Rakočević ( sr-cyrl, Игор Ракочевић; born 29 March 1978) is a Serbian professional basketball executive and former player. At a height of 1.94 m (6'4 ") tall, he played at both the point guard and shooting guard positions, bu ...

Milovan Raković Milovan Raković (Serbian Cyrillic: Милован Раковић; born 19 February 1985) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He is a 2.08 m tall center. Professional career Raković played in youth categories of KK Partizan. ...

Aleksandar Rašić Aleksandar Rašić (; born March 16, 1984) is a Serbian former professional basketball player who is currently the team manager for Mega Basket of the Serbian League (KLS) and the ABA League. He represented the Serbia national basketball team int ...

* Boris Savović * Marko Simonović *

Miloš Teodosić Miloš Teodosić ( sr-cyr, Милош Теодосић, born March 19, 1987) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS, the ABA League and the EuroLeague. He also represents the National Basketball Team ...

Milenko Tepić Milenko Tepić (; born February 27, 1987) is a Serbian professional basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with t ...

Milenko Topić Milenko Topić (; born 6 March 1969) is a Serbian professional basketball coach and former player. Playing career A power forward, Topić spent most of his professional career playing in the YUBA League, representing Profikolor, BFC Beočin ...

Uroš Tripković Uroš Tripković ( sr-cyr, Урош Трипковић; born September 11, 1986) is a Serbian former professional basketball player. He represented the Serbian national basketball team internationally. Standing at , he played as a shooting guard ...

Novica Veličković Novica Veličković ( sr-cyr, Новица Величковић; born 5 October 1986) is a Serbian former professional basketball player who last worked as the team manager for Mega Basket of the Serbian League (KLS) and the ABA League. He also ...

* Čedomir Vitkovac *

Rade Zagorac Rade Zagorac ( sr-Cyrl, Раде Загорац; born 12 August 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for ONVO Büyükçekmece of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). Standing at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he plays at the small fo ...

Jonah Bolden Jonah Anthony Bolden (born 2 January 1996) is an Australian-American professional basketball player for the Cangrejeros de Santurce of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He started his professional career with FMP in Serbia, where he was ...

* Nathan Jawai * Aleks Marić * Steven Marković *

Ratko Varda Ratko Varda ( sr-cyr, Ратко Варда; born 6 May 1979) is a Serbian-Bosnian former basketball player who played professionally for 22 years. Standing at , he played the center position. He first represented FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Monten ...

Milt Palacio Milton Sigmund Palacio (born February 7, 1978) is a Belizean American professional basketball coach and former player. Early life Palacio, a Belizean citizen, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California by Belizean parents. College career P ...

* Filip Videnov *

Ivica Zubac Ivica Zubac ( ; ; born 18 March 1997) is a Croatian professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Croatian national basketball team. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in ...

* Jan Veselý *

Jamar Wilson Jamar J. Wilson (born February 22, 1984) is an American-Finnish former professional basketball player who last played for Boulazac Basket Dordogne of the LNB Pro B. He currently works as an assistant coach for I division A team Tapiolan Honka. H ...

* Joffrey Lauvergne *

Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (; born 9 May 1995) is a French professional basketball player for Saski Baskonia of the ACB league and the EuroLeague. He was selected 24th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA draft. Professional car ...

* Léo Westermann * Stéphane Lasme * Maik Zirbes * Rawle Marshall * István Németh *

Dāvis Bertāns Dāvis Bertāns (born 12 November 1992) is a Latvian professional basketball player for Dubai Basketball of the ABA League. Nicknamed the "Latvian Laser", he also represents the Latvian national team. He was the 42nd pick in the 2011 NBA draft ...

* Corey Webster * Bo McCalebb * Pero Antić * Predrag Samardžiski *

Omar Cook Omar-Sharif Cook (; born January 28, 1982) is an American-Montenegrin professional basketball coach and former player currently working as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He represente ...

* Vladimir Dašić *

Predrag Drobnjak Predrag "Peđa" Drobnjak ( sr-cyrl, Предраг "Пеђа" Дробњак; born 27 October 1975) is a Montenegrin professional basketball scout and former player. At , he played at the Power forward (basketball), power forward and Center (bask ...

* Aleksandar Pavlović *

Nikola Peković Nikola Peković (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Пековић; born 3 January 1986) is a Montenegrin businessman, basketball executive and former professional player who is the current president of the Basketball Federation of Montenegro. He beg ...

* Slavko Vraneš *

Jaka Blažič Jaka Blažič (born 30 June 1990) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for KK Cedevita Olimpija, Cedevita Olimpija of the Adriatic League and the Premier A Slovenian Basketball League, Slovenian Basketball League. He also represents the ...

* Goran Jagodnik * Edo Murić * Duşan Çantekin *

Semih Erden Semih Erden (born July 28, 1986) is a Turkish former professional basketball player. Standing at , he played at the center position. Professional career Early years Erden played with Darüşşafaka in the Turkish Basketball League in 2003–04 ...

Vonteego Cummings Vonteego Marfeek Cummings (born February 29, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for Atenienses de Manatí (basketball), Atenienses de Manatí of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. A co ...

* James Gist * Dominic James * Charles Jenkins * Curtis Jerrells * Michael Lee * Quincy Miller *

DeMarcus Nelson DeMarcus De'Juan Nelson (born November 2, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. Standing at 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) he played at the point guard position. He also holds Serbian citizenship as of 2014. College career Nelson ...

* Lawrence Roberts * Michael Scott *

David Simon David Judah Simon (born February 9, 1960) is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). He worked for ''The Baltimore Sun'' City Desk for twelve years (1982–1995), wrote '' ...

* Omar Thomas * Nate Wolters * Terrico White * Marcus Williams

References

External links

*
Basketball League of Serbia
at eurobasket.com {{YUBA League

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

2006 establishments in Serbia Professional sports leagues in Serbia