Franca Basquetebol Clube (English: Franca Basketball Club), most known as Franca, or Sesi Franca for sponsorship reasons, is a Brazilian men's professional basketball club that is based in Franca, São Paulo state. Franca is the most decorated team in Brazilian basketball history, having won 13 national championships.
The club was founded on 10 May 1959, and home games are played at the Ginásio Pedrocão. Franca won the South American Club Championship six times, the Pan American Championship four times, and has won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2023.
History The club was a two-time FIBA Intercontinental Cup runner-up: in 1975 (as Esporte Clube Amazonas Franca), and in 1980 (as Associação Atlética Francana).
On 16 April 2023, Franca won the 2022–23 season of the Basketball Champions League Americas.
Achievements and honors Worldwide FIBA Intercontinental Cup Champions (1): 2023 Runners-up (2): 1975, 1980
Latin America Pan American Club Championship Champions (4): 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999 (record) Runners-up (1): 1996
Continental South American Club Championship Champions (6): 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1990, 1991 Runners-up (3): 1978, 1992, 1993 FIBA South American League Champions (1): 2018 Runners-up (2): 1998, 2007 Basketball Champions League Americas Champions (1): 2022–23
National Brazilian Championship Champions (15): 1971, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1981 (II), 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025(record) Runners-up (9): 1979, 1981 (I), 1982, 1986, 1989, 1994, 2007, 2011, 2019 Super 8 Cup Winners (2): 2020, 2023 Runners-up (1): 2018 Brazilian Supercup Winners (1): 2008
Regional São Paulo State Championship Champions (17 - record): 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 Runners-up (13): 1964, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2017, 2021
Current roster
Notable players
Rafael "Bábby" Araújo Fúlvio de Assis Leandrinho Barbosa Murilo Becker Vítor Benite Roberto "Robertão" José Corrêa Lucas Dias Gilson Trinidade de Jesus Wagner da Silva Josuel dos Santos Nezinho dos Santos Demétrius Ferraciú Francisco Sérgio García Zé Geraldo Jorge Guerra Rafael Hettsheimeir Rogério Klafke Marquinhos Leite Didi Louzada Sílvio Malvezi Rafael Mineiro Fernando Minucci Adilson Nascimento Paulão Prestes Hélio Rubens Anderson Varejão Marcelo Vido Marcos Mata José Vargas Eddie Basden Dexter Shouse Rocky Smith David Jackson
Head coaches Pedro "Pedroca" Morilla Fuentes: (1959–1981) Hélio Rubens: (1981–2000) Daniel Abrão Wattfy: (2000–2004) Marco Aurélio "Chuí" Pegolo dos Santos: (2004–2005) Hélio Rubens: (2005–2012) Lula Ferreira: (2012–2016) Helinho: (2016–present)
Official club names The club adopted several different names during its history:
Clube dos Bagres (1959–1971) Emmanuel Franca Esporte Clube (1972–1974) Esporte Clube Amazonas Franca (1975–1977) Associação Atlética Francana (1977–1984) Associação Francana de Basquetebol (1984–1988) Ravelli Franca Basquetebol (1988–1991) Franca Basquetebol Clube (1992–)
Since the foundation of Franca Basquetebol Clube (the club's current form), in 1992, the club has regularly changed its name according to its name sponsor:
All Star/Franca (1992) Satierf/Sabesp/Franca (1993) Cosesp/Franca (1994) Cougar/Franca (1996) Marathon/Franca (1997–2000) Unimed/Franca (2000–2001) Franca Basquetebol Clube (2001–2004, 2015-)* Franca/Petrocrystal/Ferracini (2004–2005) Franca/Mariner/Unimed (2005–2006) Unimed/Franca (2006–2008) Vivo/Franca (2008–2015) Sesi/Franca (2017–)
* Without an official sponsor.
References
External links Official website Latinbasket.com Team Profile