# Basketball League of Serbia

The Basketball League of Serbia (Serbian: Кошаркашка лига Србије / Košarkaška liga Srbije), commonly abbreviated as KLS, is a top-tier men's professional basketball 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. 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:
Access list for the 2022–23 Serbian League :
| | Teams entering in this round | Teams advancing from the previous round |
| First League (16 teams) | 14 highest-placed teams from the last season 2 highest-placed teams from the Second League | |
| Super League (8 teams) | 5 Adriatic League teams | 3 highest-placed teams from the First League |
| Playoffs (4 teams) | | 2 group winners from the Super League 2 group runners-ups from the Super League |

### 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 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
* 2020–21: Crvena zvezda mts
* 2021–22: Crvena zvezda mts
* 2022–23: Crvena zvezda Meridianbet
* 2023–24: Crvena zvezda Meridianbet

#### Titles by club

| Club | Champions | Winning years | Runner-up |
| Crvena zvezda | 9 | 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 | 5 |
| Partizan | 8 | 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 | 4 |
| FMP | 0 | | 4 |
| Vršac | 0 | | 3 |
| Mega | 0 | | 1 |

### 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

| Club | Home city | Arena | Capacity |
| Borac | Čačak | Borac Hall | 4,000 |
| Čačak 94 | Čačak | SC Mladost | 1,000 |
| Crvena zvezda | Belgrade | Aleksandar Nikolić Hall | 8,000 |
| Dynamic | Belgrade | SC Dynamic | / |
| FMP | Belgrade | Železnik Hall | 3,700 |
| Novi Pazar | Novi Pazar | Doguš Sports Academy | 800 |
| Joker | Sombor | City Hall Mostonga | 1,400 |
| Mega | Belgrade | Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall | 3,500 |
| Metalac | Valjevo | Valjevo Sports Hall | 2,500 |
| Mladost | Belgrade | Master Sports Center | 1,350 |
| OKK Beograd | Belgrade | Dejan Milojević Training Center | 700 |
| Partizan | Belgrade | Belgrade Arena | 18,000 |
| Radnički | Kragujevac | Jezero Hall | 3,570 |
| Sloboda | Užice | Veliki Park Hall | 2,200 |
| Sloga | Kraljevo | Kraljevo Sports Hall | 3,350 |
| Spartak | Subotica | Dudova Šuma Sports Hall | 3,500 |
| Tamiš | Pančevo | Strelište Sports Hall | 1,100 |
| Vojvodina | Novi Sad | SPC Vojvodina | 6,987 |
| Vršac | Vršac | Millennium Center | 4,400 |
| Mladost SP | Smederevska Palanka | OŠ Vuk Karadžić Sports Hall | 500 |
| Zlatibor | Čajetina | Čajetina Sports Hall | 1,000 |
| BKK Radnički | Belgrade | David Kalinić Sports Hall | 1,000 |
* Clubs in the 2024–25 First Adriatic League
* Clubs in the 2024–25 Second Adriatic League

## Standings
### First League

| Season | Clubs | Top seeder (Rc) | Runner-up (Rc) |
| 2006–07 | 12 | Vojvodina Srbijagas (21–1) | Sloga (14–8) |
| 2007–08 | 12 | Swisslion Takovo (17–5) | Vizura (14–8) |
| 2008–09 | 14 | Swisslion Takovo (22–4) | Borac Čačak (17–5) |
| 2009–10 | 14 | Borac Čačak (20–6) | Tamiš (19–7) |
| 2010–11 | 14 | FMP Železnik (22–4) | OKK Beograd (19–7) |
| 2011–12 | 14 | Vojvodina Srbijagas (23–3) | Radnički Beograd (19–7) |
| 2012–13 | 14 | Vojvodina Srbijagas (20–6) | Mega Basket (20–6) |
| 2013–14 | 14 | FMP (20–6) | Crnokosa (18–8) |
| 2014–15 | 12 | FMP (19–3) | Konstantin (17–7) |
| 2015–16 | 12 | FMP (24–2) | Borac Čačak (18–8) |
| 2016–17 | 14 | Vršac (22–4) | Borac Čačak (20–6) |
| 2017–18 | 14 | Borac Čačak (20–6) | Dynamic BG (19–7) |
| 2018–19 | 14 | Borac Čačak (22–4) | Novi Pazar (20–6) |
| 2019–20 | 14 | Borac Čačak (23–3) | Sloboda (20–6) |
| 2020–21 | 16 | Mladost Zemun (28–2) | Vojvodina (26–4) |
| 2021–22 | 16 | Zlatibor (22–8) | Sloga (20–10) |
| 2022–23 | 16 | Zlatibor (22–8) | Spartak (22–8) |
| 2023–24 | 16 | Vojvodina (26–4) | Spartak (24–6) |

### SuperLeague Play-off finals

| Season | Home court advantage | Result | Home court disadvantage | SuperLeague top seeders | Record |
| 2006–07 | Partizan (14) | 3–1 | Crvena zvezda | Hemofarm | 12–2 |
| 2007–08 | Partizan Igokea (15) | 3–1 | Hemofarm | Partizan Igokea | 12–2 |
| 2008–09 | Partizan Igokea (16) | 3–2 | Crvena zvezda | Partizan Igokea | 6–0 |
| 2009–10 | Partizan (17) | 3–0 | Hemofarm | Partizan | 13–1 |
| 2010–11 | Partizan (18) | 3–0 | Hemofarm | Partizan | 13–1 |
| 2011–12 | Partizan mt:s (19) | 3–1 | Crvena zvezda | Partizan mt:s | 12–2 |
| 2012–13 | Partizan mt:s (20) | 3–1 | Crvena zvezda | Partizan mt:s | 12–2 |
| 2013–14 | Partizan (21) | 3–1 | Crvena zvezda Telekom | Partizan | 13–1 |
| 2014–15 | Crvena zvezda Telekom (16) | 3–0 | Partizan NIS | Crvena zvezda Telekom | 13–1 |
| 2015–16 | Crvena zvezda Telekom (17) | 3–1 | Partizan NIS | Crvena zvezda Telekom | 6–0 |
| 2016–17 | Crvena zvezda mts (18) | 3–0 | FMP | Crvena zvezda mts | 13–1 |
| 2017–18 | Crvena zvezda mts (19) | 3–0 | FMP | FMP | 9–1 |
| 2018–19 | Crvena zvezda mts (20) | 3–1 | Partizan NIS | Crvena zvezda mts / Partizan NIS | 10–0 |
| 2019–20 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | Crvena zvezda mts (21) | 2–1 | Mega Soccerbet | Not held | — |
| 2021–22 | Crvena zvezda mts (22) | 2–0 | FMP Meridian | Not held | — |
| 2022–23 | Crvena zvezda mts (23) | 2–0 | FMP Soccerbet | Not held | — |
| 2023–24 | Crvena zvezda mts (24) | 2–0 | Partizan Mozzart Bet | Not held | — |

## 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 (1992–2006) as well.
| Club | Champions | Winning years | Runner-up |
| Crvena zvezda | 24 | 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 | 14 |
| Partizan | 21 | 1975–76, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 | 18 |
| OKK Beograd | 4 | 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964 | 1 |
| Proleter Zrenjanin | 1 | 1956 | 4 |
| Radnički Belgrade | 1 | 1972–73 | |

## Awards

* BLS First League MVP
* BLS Super League MVP
* BLS Playoff MVP

## Notable players

* Nemanja Aleksandrov
* Stefan Birčević
* Nemanja Bjelica
* Bogdan Bogdanović
* Luka Bogdanović
* Zlatko Bolić
* Branko Cvetković
* Marko Čakarević
* Tadija Dragićević
* Zoran Erceg
* Marko Gudurić
* Milan Gurović
* Nikola Jokić
* Stefan Jović
* Nikola Kalinić
* Raško Katić
* Dušan Kecman
* Marko Kešelj
* Ognjen Kuzmić
* Dragan Labović
* Branko Lazić
* Vladimir Lučić
* Milan Mačvan
* Marko Marinović
* Boban Marjanović
* Stefan Marković
* Branko Milisavljević
* Dragan Milosavljević
* Nemanja Nedović
* Ivan Paunić
* Kosta Perović
* Vuk Radivojević
* Miroslav Raduljica
* Igor Rakočević
* Milovan Raković
* Aleksandar Rašić
* Boris Savović
* Marko Simonović
* Miloš Teodosić
* Milenko Tepić
* Milenko Topić
* Uroš Tripković
* Novica Veličković
* Čedomir Vitkovac
* Rade Zagorac
* Jonah Bolden
* Nathan Jawai
* Aleks Marić
* Steven Marković
* Ratko Varda
* Milt Palacio
* Filip Videnov
* Ivica Zubac
* Jan Veselý
* Jamar Wilson
* Joffrey Lauvergne
* Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
* Léo Westermann
* Stéphane Lasme
* Maik Zirbes
* Rawle Marshall
* István Németh
* Dāvis Bertāns
* Corey Webster
* Bo McCalebb
* Pero Antić
* Predrag Samardžiski
* Omar Cook
* Vladimir Dašić
* Predrag Drobnjak
* Aleksandar Pavlović
* Nikola Peković
* Slavko Vraneš
* Jaka Blažič
* Goran Jagodnik
* Edo Murić
* Duşan Çantekin
* Semih Erden
* Vonteego Cummings
* James Gist
* Dominic James
* Charles Jenkins
* Curtis Jerrells
* Michael Lee
* Quincy Miller
* DeMarcus Nelson
* Lawrence Roberts
* Michael Scott
* David Simon
* Omar Thomas
* Nate Wolters
* Terrico White
* Marcus Williams