The Pro Basketball League (PBL) was the highest tier level professional basketball league in Belgium for clubs. In 2021, the league was succeeded by the Belgian-Dutch BNXT League. The yearly Belgian playoffs as part of the BNXT League concludes with a Belgian League champion.

The league is organized by the Basketball League Belgium. The current president of the league is Maarten Bostyn.

The most successful team in the league is Oostende, which holds the record for the most league titles won, with 26, and the now defunct team of Racing Mechelen is second, with 15.

History On 15 March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the season was prematurely cancelled. Based on the standings in the regular season, Filou Oostende was crowned national champions.

Sponsorship names Until 2014: Ethias League 2014–2016: Scooore! League 2016–2021 EuroMillions Basketball League

Format and rules The BLB is played by the international FIBA rules. Since 2014–15 the BLB season has a new format. In the regular season, all teams play each other first home and away. After that first round the league is divided in two groups based on standings; in the first group teams ranked 1–6 play and in the second 7–11. After the split each team plays all others in its group once home and once away. After that the Playoffs are played by eight teams. The quarterfinals consist of best-of-three series and the semi- and finals are played in a best-of-five format.

Licensing Teams that play in the BLB all have to get a license to play in the league. There are three types of licenses: A-license: for teams who have more than a € 1 million budget. A-licensed team can qualify for European competitions. B-license: teams with at least a €750,000 budget. B-licensed teams can't qualify for European play. C-licence: given to teams that are on the rise, with a budget of at least €400,000. C-licenses do not allow teams to qualify for European play and have to get replaced by B-licenses after two years.

Current clubs

Club City Arena Capacity Antwerp Giants Antwerp Lotto Arena Belfius Mons-Hainaut Mons Mons Arena Filou Oostende Ostend Sleuyter Arena Kangoeroes Mechelen Mechelen De Winketaai Leuven Bears Leuven Sportoase Limburg United Hasselt Alverberg-sporthal Okapi Aalst Aalst Okapi Forum Phoenix Brussels Brussels Complexe sportif de Neder-Over-Hembeek Spirou Charleroi Spiroudome VOO Liège Liège Country Hall Ethias Liège

Finals Since 2005, play-offs are played to decide which team is crowned the champion of each season. The finals series are played in a best-of-five format, with the team which had the higher seed in the regular season having home court advantage. Season Champions Score Runners-up Bree Spirou Oostende Mons-Hainaut Oostende Bree Spirou Bree Spirou Mons-Hainaut Spirou Liège Basket Spirou Okapi Aalstar Oostende Spirou Oostende Mons-Hainaut Oostende Okapi Aalstar Oostende Mons-Hainaut Oostende Okapi Aalstar Oostende Brussels Oostende Antwerp Giants Oostende Antwerp Giants Oostende Mons-Hainaut Oostende Mons-Hainaut Oostende Kangoeroes Mechelen Oostende Antwerp Giants Oostende Antwerp Giants Oostende Kangoeroes Mechelen Antwerp Giants Oostende

Performances by club (2005–present) Team Champions Runners-up Years champions Years runners-up Oostende 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2026 Spirou 4 2 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 2005, 2012 Antwerp Giants 1 4 2026 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 Bree 1 2 2005 2007, 2008 Mons-Hainaut – 6 – 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021 Okapi Aalstar – 3 – 2011, 2014, 2016 Kangoeroes Mechelen – 2 – 2022, 2025 Liège – 1 – 2010 Brussels – 1 – 2017

Title holders

1927–28 Brussels A.C. 1928–29 Daring B.C. 1929–30 Brussels A.C. 1930–31 Brussels A.C. 1931–32 Daring B.C. 1932–33 Brussels A.C. 1933–34 Daring B.C. 1934–35 Amicale Sportive 1935–36 Amicale Sportive 1936–37 Fresh Air 1937–38 Fresh Air 1938–39 Royal IV 1939–41 Not held due to WWII 1941–42 Royal IV 1942–45 Not held due to WWII 1945–46 Semailles 1946–47 Semailles 1947–48 Semailles 1948–49 Semailles 1949–50 Semailles 1950–51 Semailles 1951–52 Royal IV 1953–53 Royal IV 1953–54 Royal IV 1954–55 Hellas Gent 1955–56 Antwerpse 1956–57 Royal IV 1957–58 Royal IV 1958–59 Antwerpse 1959–60 Antwerpse 1960–61 Antwerpse 1961–62 Antwerpse 1962–63 Antwerpse 1963–64 Antwerpse 1964–65 Racing Mechelen 1965–66 Racing Mechelen 1966–67 Racing Mechelen 1967–68 Standard Liège 1968–69 Racing Bell Mechelen 1969–70 Standard Liège 1970–71 Bus Fruit Lier 1971–72 Bus Fruit Lier 1972–73 Racing Antwerpen 1973–74 Maes Pils 1974–75 Maes Pils 1975–76 Maes Pils 1976–77 Standard Liège 1977–78 Fresh Air 1978–79 Fresh Air 1979–80 Maes Pils 1980–81 Sunair Oostende 1981–82 Sunair Oostende 1982–83 Sunair Oostende 1983–84 Sunair Oostende 1984–85 Sunair Oostende 1985–86 Sunair Oostende 1986–87 Maes Pils 1987–88 Sunair Oostende 1988–89 Maes Pils 1989–90 Maes Pils 1990–91 Maes Pils 1991–92 Maes Pils 1992–93 Maes Pils 1993–94 Maes Pils 1994–95 Sunair Oostende 1995–96 Spirou 1996–97 Spirou 1997–98 Spirou 1998–99 Spirou 1999–00 Telindus Racing Antwerpen 2000–01 Telindus Oostende 2001–02 Telindus Oostende 2002–03 Spirou 2003–04 Spirou 2004–05 Euphony Bree 2005–06 Telindus Oostende 2006–07 Telindus Oostende 2007–08 Spirou 2008–09 Spirou 2009–10 Spirou 2010–11 Spirou 2011–12 Telenet Oostende 2012–13 Telenet Oostende 2013–14 Telenet Oostende 2014–15 Telenet Oostende 2015–16 Telenet Oostende 2016–17 Telenet Oostende 2017–18 Telenet Oostende 2018–19 Filou Oostende 2019–20 Filou Oostende 2020–21 Filou Oostende 2021–22 Filou Oostende 2022–23 Filou Oostende 2023–24 Filou Oostende 2024–25 Filou Oostende 2025–26 Antwerp Giants

Performance by club + Key Denotes a team that has been dissolved. Titles Team Seasons Oostende 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Racing Mechelen+ 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Spirou 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Antwerpse+ 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1973 Royal IV+ 1939, 1942, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958 Semailles+ 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 Fresh Air 1937, 1938, 1978, 1979 Brussels A.C.+ 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933 Daring B.C.+ 1929, 1932, 1934 Standard Liège+ 1968, 1970, 1977 Antwerp Giants 2000, 2026 Lier+ 1971, 1972 Amicale Sportive+ 1935, 1936 Bree+ 2005 Hellas Gent+ 1955

Individual awards Not all awards are official ones handed out by the league itself, but all are regarded and respected as BLB awards. As example the Belgian Player of the Year award is handed out by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, but the league itself reports the winner on its website.

Belgian Basketball Player of the year Coach of the Year MVP Star of the Coaches Young Player of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award

See also Belgian Basketball All-Star Game

References

Sources List of Champions

External links Official website Eurobasket.com League Page