# Lebanese Basketball League

The Lebanese Basketball League is recognized as the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation (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 Club Beirut.

## 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 its current fully professional format.
In 1998, Sporting Club (Al Riyadi) finished third in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, that same year Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship where Sagesse Club (Hekmeh) won, it was the first ever Arab basketball trophy for Lebanon.
In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship, Hekmeh were crowned champions again, in addition to being the first Lebanese and first Arab team to win the Asian cup.
The 1999 season was inaugurated by a huge event that included an exhibition game between Lebanese All-stars (represented by the top four teams Sagesse, Riyadi, Tadamon, and Rosaire) and Harlem Globetrotters.

## 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 5 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 10 teams play in the 2023–24 season.
| Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
| Al Riyadi | Beirut | Saeb Salam Arena | 2,500 |
| Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | 2,000 |
| Antonine | Baabda | Antonine Arena | 1,000 |
| Beirut Club | Beirut | Chiyah Stadium | 2,500 |
| Champville Maristes | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club Center | 3,500 |
| Mayrouba | Jounieh | Club Central | 1,000 |
| Homenetmen | Mezher | Homentmen Mezher | 1,000 |
| Hoops Club | Dora | Michel El Murr Complex | 2,000 |
| NSA | Jounieh | Fouad Chehab Stadium | 1,200 |
| Sagesse | Ghazir | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | 5,000 |

## Champions
### Wins by year

    FLB League (standings since 1993)
| Season | Champion | Runner-up |
| 1992–1993 | Al Riyadi | Kahraba Zouk |
| 1993–1994 | Sagesse | Kahraba Zouk |
| 1994–1995 | Al Riyadi (2) | Kahraba Zouk |
| 1995–1996 | League Cancelled | League Cancelled |
| 1996–1997 | Al Riyadi (3) | Tadamon Zouk |
| 1997–1998 | Sagesse (2) | Tadamon Zouk |
| 1998–1999 | Sagesse (3) | Tadamon Zouk |
| 1999–2000 | Sagesse (4) | Antranik Beirut |
| 2000–2001 | Sagesse (5) | Al Riyadi |
| 2001–2002 | Sagesse (6) | Champville |
| 2002–2003 | Sagesse (7) | Al Riyadi |
| 2003–2004 | Sagesse (8) | Champville |
| 2004–2005 | Al Riyadi (4) | Sagesse |
| 2005–2006 | Al Riyadi (5) | Sagesse |
| 2006–2007 | Al Riyadi (6) | Blue Stars |
| 2007–2008 | Al Riyadi (7) | Mouttahed |
| 2008–2009 | Al Riyadi (8) | Mouttahed |
| 2009–2010 | Al Riyadi (9) | Champville |
| 2010–2011 | Al Riyadi (10) | Champville |
| 2011–2012 | Champville | Anibal |
| 2012–2013 | League Cancelled | League Cancelled |
| 2013–2014 | Al Riyadi (11) | Sagesse |
| 2014–2015 | Al Riyadi (12) | Byblos Club |
| 2015–2016 | Al Riyadi (13) | Sagesse |
| 2016–2017 | Al Riyadi (14) | Homenetmen |
| 2017–2018 | Homenetmen | Al Riyadi |
| 2018–2019 | Al Riyadi (15) | Beirut Club |
| 2019–2020 | League Cancelled | League Cancelled |
| 2020–2021 | Al Riyadi (16) | Champville |
| 2021–2022 | Beirut Club | Al Riyadi |
| 2022–2023 | Al Riyadi (17) | Dynamo |
| 2023–2024 | Al Riyadi (18) | Sagesse |

### Wins by team

| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runner-up |
| Al Riyadi | 18 | 4 | 1992–93, 1994–1995, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–2024 | 2000–01, 2002–03, 2017–18, 2021–22 |
| Sagesse | 8 | 5 | 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 | 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2023–2024 |
| Champville | 1 | 5 | 2011–12 | 2001–02, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21 |
| Homenetmen | 1 | 1 | 2017–18 | 2016–17 |
| Beirut | 1 | 1 | 2021–22 | 2018–19 |
| Kahraba Zouk | 0 | 3 | | 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 |
| Tadamon Zouk | 0 | 3 | | 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99 |
| Mouttahed | 0 | 2 | | 2007–08, 2008–09 |
| Antranik Beirut | 0 | 1 | | 1999–2000 |
| Blue Stars | 0 | 1 | | 2006–07 |
| Anibal | 0 | 1 | | 2011–12 |
| Byblos | 0 | 1 | | 2014–15 |
| Dynamo | 0 | 1 | | 2022–23 |

## Rivalries

The Big Rivalry
* Al Riyadi vs Sagesse Club
Other Rivalries
* Al Riyadi vs Champville
* Homenetmen Beirut vs Al Riyadi
* Champville vs Sagesse Club
* Tadamon Zouk vs Sagesse Club
* Antranik vs Homenetmen Beirut
* Tadamon Zouk vs Kahraba Zouk

## Notable players

* Bassel Bawji
* Rony Fahed
* Hayk Gyokchyan
* Rodrigue Akl
* Roy Samaha
* Ali Haidar
* Elie Stephan
* Elie Rustom
* Elie Mechantaf
* Ali Mezher
* Wael Arakji
* Mohammad Ibrahim
* Ahmad Ibrahim
* Amir Saoud
* Fadi El Khatib
* Joe Vogel
* Ali Mahmoud
* Brian Beshara
* Jean Abdelnour
* Sabah Khoury
* Omar El Turk
* Ghaleb Rida
* Ali Kanaan
* Billy Pharis
* Daniel Faris
* Matt Freije
* / Ekene Ibekwe
* Duop Reath
* Jean-Paul Afif
* Samaki Walker
* Cliff Alexander
* Kerwin Roach
* Hassan Whiteside
* Shabazz Muhammad
* Rashad McCants
* Jeremy Pargo
* Norvel Pelle
* Isaiah Austin
* Danny Pippen
* JJ Hickson
* Mike Taylor (basketball player)
* Troy Williams
* Diamond Stone
* Zach Lofton
* Kevin Murphy (basketball)
* Ace Custis
* DeWayne Jackson
* Patrick Rembert
* Dion Dixon
* Corey Williams
* Brian Cook
* Tony Madison
* Alvin Sims
* C.J. Giles
* Darryl Watkins
* Lee Nailon
* Herbert Hill
* Jumaine Jones
* Loren Woods
* Priest Lauderdale
* Dewarick Spencer
* Flip Murray
* Desmond Penigar
* Rasheim Wright
* Marcus Haislip
* Harold Jamison
* Andre Emmett
* Nate Johnson
* Marc Salyers
* Earl Barron
* Scotty Thurman
* Rick Hughes
* DeShawn Sims
* Aaron Harper
* LeRoy Hurd
* Tre Kelley
* Sam Hoskin
* Quincy Douby
* Ronnie Fields
* Willie Burton
* Marlon Parmer
* Booker Woodfox
* Reyshawn Terry
* DerMarr Johnson
* Rashad Anderson
* Jerald Honeycutt
* Terrell Stoglin
* Dickey Simpkins
* Cedric Henderson
* Jeremiah Massey
* Ruben Patterson
* Sherell Ford
* Jamal Robinson
* Nate Robinson
* Jonathan Gibson
* Cleanthony Early
* Nick Rakocevic
* Dar Tucker
* Ater Majok
* Aleksandar Radojević
* Alpha Bangura
* Ismail Ahmad
* Salah Mejri
* Ali Traore
* Ndudi Ebi
* Nikoloz Tskitishvili
* Jeleel Akindele
* Dalibor Bagarić
* Asghar Kardoust
* Hamed Haddadi
* Ratko Varda
* Vladan Vukosavljević
* Sani Sakakini
* Michael Madanly
* Marcus Banks
* Walter Hodge
* Makrem Ben Romdhane
* Sam Young (basketball)
* Rony Seikaly
* Justin Brownlee
* Thon Maker

## Notable coaches

* Ghassan Sarkis
* Slobodan Subotić
* Ilias Zouros
* Nenad Vucinic
* Veselin Matic
* Dragan Raca
* Tab Baldwin