# 2024–25 B1 League season

The 2024–25 B1 League season is ninth season of the B1 League, the top Japanese professional basketball league, since its establishment in 2015. The regular season began on 5 October 2024.
The Hiroshima Dragonflies are the defending champions, having won their first B1 League title after defeating the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the 2024 Finals.

## Teams
### Team changes

| Promoted from 2023–24 B2 League | Relegated from 2023–24 B1 League |
| Shiga Lakes Koshigaya Alphas | Shinshu Brave Warriors Toyama Grouses |

### Coaching changes

| Team | Outgoing | Incoming |
| Off-season |||
| Utsunomiya Brex | Norio Sassa | Kevin Braswell |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | Kyle Milling | Shogo Asayama |
| Gunma Crane Thunders | Kota Mizuno | Kyle Milling |
| Yokohama B-Corsairs | Taketo Aoki | Lassi Tuovi |
| Nagasaki Velca | Kenjiro Maeda | Mody Maor |
| Shiga Lakes | David Gómez | Kenjiro Maeda |
| Kawasaki Brave Thunders | Kenji Sato | Ronen Ginzburg |
| Ibaraki Robots | Richard Glesnann | Chris Holm |
| Sendai 89ers | Hiroki Fujita | Yoshiro Ochiai |
| Chiba Jets | John Patrick | Trevor Gleeson |
| In-season |||
| Utsunomiya Brex | Kevin Braswell (†) | Zico Coronel (interim) |

#### In-season

* On 24 January 2025, Utsunomiya Brex named Zico Coronel the interim head coach after Kevin Braswell was hospitalized. The team announced the death of Braswell on 24 February 2025.

## Foreign players

This is the full list of international players competing in the 2024–25 season.
| Team | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Replaced |
| Akita Northern Happinets | Mohammad Gadiaga | Tanner Leissner | Christian Mekowulu | Yannis Morin | – |
| Alvark Tokyo | Artūras Gudaitis | Léonardo Meindl | Sebastián Saiz | – | – |
| Chiba Jets | D. J. Hogg | John Mooney | Michael Ou | Chris Smith | – |
| Fighting Eagles Nagoya | Isaac Butts | Justin Harper | Sean O'Mara | Tseng Hsiang-chun | – |
| Gunma Crane Thunders | Trey McKinney-Jones | Kaleb Tarczewski | Johannes Thiemann | – | – |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | Kerry Blackshear | Dwayne Evans | Nick Mayo | Worth Smith | – |
| Ibaraki Robots | Robert Franks | Eric Jacobsen | Sun Siyao | Chehales Tapscott | – |
| Kawasaki Brave Thunders | Rosco Allen | Alize Johnson | Sacha Killeya-Jones | Matthew Wright | – |
| Koshigaya Alphas | Jeff Gibbs | L. J. Peak | Tim Soares | Kai Sotto | – |
| Kyoto Hannaryz | Angelo Caloiaro | Jordan Heath | Charles Jackson | – | – |
| Levanga Hokkaido | Terry Allen | Ryan Kriener | Dwight Ramos | Thomas Welsh | – |
| Nagasaki Velca | Jarrell Brantley | A. J. Edu | Mark Smith | Stephen Zack | – |
| Nagoya Diamond Dolphins | Zylan Cheatham | Scott Eatherton | Luke Maye | – | – |
| Osaka Evessa | Matt Bonds | Volodymyr Gerun | Ryan Luther | Ray Parks | – |
| Ryukyu Golden Kings | Keve Aluma | Jack Cooley | Vic Law | – | – |
| Saga Ballooners | Yoeli Childs | Chase Fieler | Reynaldo Garcia | – | – |
| San-en NeoPhoenix | David Dudzinski | Yante Maten | David Nwaba | – | – |
| SeaHorses Mikawa | Zach Auguste | Davante Gardner | Jake Layman | – | – |
| Sendai 89ers | Nathan Boothe | Cristiano Felício | Stanton Kidd | Yang Jae-min | – |
| Shiga Lakes | Javier Carter | Markeith Cummings | Brock Motum | Yu Ai-che | – |
| Shimane Susanoo Magic | Coty Clarke | Nick Kay | J. M. McAdoo | – | – |
| Sun Rockers Shibuya | Anthony Clemmons | Kevin Jones | Reid Travis | – | – |
| Utsunomiya Brex | Isaac Fotu | Grant Jerrett | D. J. Newbill | – | – |
| Yokohama B-Corsairs | Gary Clark | Damien Inglis | Maik Kotsar | Kiefer Ravena | – |

## Regular season

    As of 19 March 2025

### Standings
#### By division

| Pos | Central Division | GP | W | L | Pct | GB | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | San-en NeoPhoenix | 41 | 37 | 4 | .902 | – | 3830 | 3253 | +577 |
| 2 | Alvark Tokyo | 42 | 30 | 12 | .714 | 7.5 | 3214 | 2971 | +243 |
| 3 | SeaHorses Mikawa | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | 8.5 | 3466 | 3137 | +329 |
| 4 | Nagoya Diamond Dolphins | 42 | 23 | 19 | .548 | 14.5 | 3439 | 3413 | +26 |
| 5 | Sun Rockers Shibuya | 42 | 23 | 19 | .548 | 14.5 | 3139 | 2995 | +144 |
| 6 | Fighting Eagles Nagoya | 42 | 20 | 22 | .476 | 17.5 | 3284 | 3365 | -81 |
| 7 | Yokohama B-Corsairs | 42 | 17 | 25 | .405 | 20.5 | 3169 | 3343 | -174 |
| 8 | Kawasaki Brave Thunders | 42 | 13 | 29 | .310 | 24.5 | 3260 | 3611 | -351 |
| Pos | East Division | GP | W | L | Pct | GB | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | Utsunomiya Brex | 42 | 35 | 7 | .833 | – | 3606 | 3167 | +439 |
| 2 | Gunma Crane Thunders | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | 6 | 3291 | 3032 | +259 |
| 3 | Chiba Jets | 42 | 28 | 14 | .667 | 7 | 3422 | 3247 | +175 |
| 4 | Akita Northern Happinets | 42 | 19 | 23 | .452 | 16 | 3073 | 3131 | -58 |
| 5 | Levanga Hokkaido | 42 | 16 | 26 | .381 | 19 | 3153 | 3322 | -169 |
| 6 | Koshigaya Alphas | 42 | 14 | 28 | .333 | 21 | 3253 | 3410 | -157 |
| 7 | Ibaraki Robots | 42 | 8 | 34 | .190 | 27 | 3059 | 3421 | -362 |
| 8 | Sendai 89ers | 42 | 8 | 34 | .190 | 27 | 3057 | 3485 | -428 |
| Pos | West Division | GP | W | L | Pct | GB | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | Ryukyu Golden Kings | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | – | 3531 | 3243 | +288 |
| 2 | Shimane Susanoo Magic | 42 | 27 | 15 | .643 | 2 | 3369 | 3131 | +238 |
| 3 | Osaka Evessa | 42 | 22 | 20 | .524 | 7 | 3453 | 3436 | +17 |
| 4 | Kyoto Hannaryz | 42 | 21 | 21 | .500 | 8 | 3399 | 3356 | +43 |
| 5 | Nagasaki Velca | 42 | 20 | 22 | .476 | 9 | 3205 | 3269 | -64 |
| 6 | Hiroshima Dragonflies | 42 | 19 | 23 | .452 | 10 | 3311 | 3467 | -156 |
| 7 | Saga Ballooners | 42 | 12 | 30 | .286 | 17 | 3132 | 3302 | -170 |
| 8 | Shiga Lakes | 41 | 4 | 37 | .098 | 24.5 | 3111 | 3719 | -608 |
Notes
* x – Clinched playoff spot
* y – Clinched wildcard playoff spot

#### Overall

| Pos | Central Division | GP | W | L | Pct | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | San-en NeoPhoenix | 41 | 37 | 4 | .902 | 3830 | 3253 | +577 |
| 2 | Utsunomiya Brex | 42 | 35 | 7 | .833 | 3606 | 3167 | +439 |
| 3 | Alvark Tokyo | 42 | 30 | 12 | .714 | 3214 | 2971 | +243 |
| 4 | SeaHorses Mikawa | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | 3466 | 3137 | +329 |
| 5 | Ryukyu Golden Kings | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | 3531 | 3243 | +288 |
| 6 | Gunma Crane Thunders | 42 | 29 | 13 | .690 | 3291 | 3032 | +259 |
| 7 | Chiba Jets | 42 | 28 | 14 | .667 | 3422 | 3247 | +175 |
| 8 | Shimane Susanoo Magic | 42 | 27 | 15 | .643 | 3369 | 3131 | +238 |
| 9 | Nagoya Diamond Dolphins | 42 | 23 | 19 | .548 | 3439 | 3413 | +26 |
| 10 | Sun Rockers Shibuya | 42 | 23 | 19 | .548 | 3139 | 2995 | +144 |
| 11 | Osaka Evessa | 42 | 22 | 20 | .524 | 3453 | 3436 | +17 |
| 12 | Kyoto Hannaryz | 42 | 21 | 21 | .500 | 3399 | 3356 | +43 |
| 13 | Nagasaki Velca | 42 | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3205 | 3269 | -64 |
| 14 | Fighting Eagles Nagoya | 42 | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3284 | 3365 | -81 |
| 15 | Akita Northern Happinets | 42 | 19 | 23 | .452 | 3073 | 3131 | -58 |
| 16 | Hiroshima Dragonflies | 42 | 19 | 23 | .452 | 3311 | 3467 | -156 |
| 17 | Yokohama B-Corsairs | 42 | 17 | 25 | .405 | 3169 | 3343 | -174 |
| 18 | Levanga Hokkaido | 42 | 16 | 26 | .381 | 3153 | 3322 | -169 |
| 19 | Koshigaya Alphas | 42 | 14 | 28 | .333 | 3253 | 3410 | -157 |
| 20 | Kawasaki Brave Thunders | 42 | 13 | 29 | .310 | 3260 | 3611 | -351 |
| 21 | Saga Ballooners | 42 | 12 | 30 | .286 | 3132 | 3302 | -170 |
| 22 | Ibaraki Robots | 42 | 8 | 34 | .190 | 3059 | 3421 | -362 |
| 23 | Sendai 89ers | 42 | 8 | 34 | .190 | 3057 | 3485 | -428 |
| 24 | Shiga Lakes | 41 | 4 | 37 | .098 | 3111 | 3719 | -608 |

### Canceled games

* 5 January: Shiga Lakes vs. San-en NeoPhoenix was abandoned after Javier Carter suffered a medical emergency on the court.

### Statistics
#### Individual statistic leaders

| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
| Points per game | Brock Motum | Shiga Lakes | 21.1 |
| Rebounds per game | Thomas Welsh | Levanga Hokkaido | 14.0 |
| Assists per game | Takumi Saito | Nagoya Diamond Dolphins | 6.8 |
| Steals per game | James Michael McAdoo | Shimane Susanoo Magic | 2.0 |
| Blocks per game | Sacha Killeya-Jones | Kawasaki Brave Thunders | 2.1 |
| 3FG% | Makoto Hiejima | Utsunomiya Brex | 44.8% |
| FT% | Shuuto Terazono | Levanga Hokkaido | 89.7% |

#### Team statistic leaders

| Category | Team | Statistic |
| Points per game | San-en NeoPhoenix | 93.4 |
| Rebounds per game | Ryukyu Golden Kings | 43.6 |
| Assists per game | San-en NeoPhoenix | 22.7 |
| Steals per game | Akita Northern Happinets | 8.6 |
| Blocks per game | San-en NeoPhoenix | 4.2 |
| 3FG% | San-en NeoPhoenix | 37.0% |
| FT% | Ryukyu Golden Kings | 78.1% |

## Playoffs
### Bracket

All matches in the playoffs are in a best-of-three series. Teams in bold advanced to the next round.
| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |

## B1 League clubs in Asian competitions

| Team | Competition | Progress |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | Basketball Champions League Asia | Semifinals, 3rd place |
| Hiroshima Dragonflies | East Asia Super League | Finals, Champions |
| Ryukyu Golden Kings | East Asia Super League | Semifinals, 4th place |