# Start Lublin

Start Lublin, officially Polski Cukier Pszczółka Start Lublin for sponsporship reasons, is a Polish basketball club based in Lublin. The team plays in the Polish Basketball League (PLK) since 2014. Its home arena is the Globus, which has places for 5,000 people. The basketball team is a part of MKS Start Lublin, which also holds chess and athletics sections.

## History

MKS Start Lublin was founded in 1953, along with the basketball team. After seven years of existence, Start promoted to the Polish Basketball League (PLK), the national highest league. In the 1964–65 season, Start captured its first bronze medal. In 1978, Start was the first Polish club to sign an African-American played in Kent Washington. Washington was named PLK Most Valuable Player in 1980.
In the 2002–03 season, Start returned to the PLK after winning the First Division. After two years, the team relegated once again.
In the summer of 2014, Start Lublin received a wild card from the PLK because of the expansion from 12 to 16 teams.
Lublin had its most successful season in the 2019–20 PLK season, which was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the season was ended, the team was in second place with a 17–5 record. As such, it qualified for a European competition for the first time in the 2020–21 Basketball Champions League.

## Honours

Polish Basketball League
* Runners-up (1): 2019–20
* Bronze medal (3): 1964–65, 1978–79, 1979–80

### Polish Basketball Cup

* Runners-up (2): 2022, 2023

## Sponsorship names

Due to sponsorship reasons, the club has been known by several names:
* Start Jadar (1992–93)
* Start Instal (1993–96)
* Start Faelbud (1996–98)
* Gala Start (1998–99)
* AICE Start (2000–01)
* Start Lublin (2002–2005)
* Start AZS Lublin (2005–2008)
* Start Lublin (2008–2009)
* Olimp Start Lublin (2009–2011)
* Start Lublin (2011–2012)
* Wikana Start S.A. Lublin (2012–2015)
* TBV Start Lublin (2015–2019)
* Pszczółka Start Lublin (2020)
* Polski Cukier Pszczółka Start Lublin (2021–2025)
* PGE Start Lublin (2025–present)

## Season by season

| Season | Tier | League | Pos. | Polish Cup | European competitions | European competitions |
| 2006–07 | 2 | I liga | 10th | | | |
| 2007–08 | 2 | I liga | 16th | | | |
| 2008–09 | 3 | 2 Liga | 1st | | | |
| 2009–10 | 2 | I liga | 9th | | | |
| 2010–11 | 2 | I liga | 12th | | | |
| 2011–12 | 2 | I liga | 12th | | | |
| 2012–13 | 2 | I liga | 8th | | | |
| 2013–14 | 2 | I liga | 4th | | | |
| 2014–15 | 1 | PLK | 14th | | | |
| 2015–16 | 1 | PLK | 17th | | | |
| 2016–17 | 1 | PLK | 15th | | | |
| 2017–18 | 1 | PLK | 9th | Quarterfinalist | | |
| 2018–19 | 1 | PLK | 10th | | | |
| 2019–20 | 1 | PLK | 2nd | | | |
| 2020–21 | 1 | PLK | 6th | | 2 Champions League | RS |
| 2021–22 | 1 | PLK | 12th | Runners–up | | |
| 2022–23 | 1 | PLK | 13th | Runners–up | R ENBL | SF$^{3rd}$ |
| 2023–24 | 1 | PLK | 9th | Quarterfinalist | R ENBL | RS |
* ↑ Lublin received a wild card to play in the PLK, due to the expansion of the league.
* ↑ The 2019–20 PLK season was cancelled prematurely because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.

## Players
### Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

### Individual awards

PLK Most Valuable Player
* Kent Washington – 1980

### Notable players

* Brynton Lemar, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Chavaughn Lewis (born 1993), basketball player for Hapoel Galil Elyon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Devonte Upson (born 1993), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Kent Washington (born 1956), basketball player