The USSR Premier Basketball League, or Soviet Union Premier Basketball League (also called Supreme League), was the first-tier men's professional basketball league in the Soviet Union. The league existed from 1923 to 1991, as the top professional basketball league of the Soviet Union, and from 1991 to 1992, as the top professional basketball league of the CIS. In the years 1924, 1928, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1956, 1959, 1963, and 1967, the league was contested by city teams, regional teams, and state national teams, rather than individual sports clubs.
CSKA Moscow was the league's most successful club, having won the league's championship 24 times, including winning 9 consecutive championships, from 1976 to 1984. The league featured the players of the senior men's Soviet Union national basketball team. The league exists in a similar format today, as the VTB United League. Although, the VTB United League can include clubs from countries that were not a part of the Soviet Union.
USSR League history
1923–24 to 1935–36 Soviet Union Regional League 1936–37 to 1990–91 Soviet Union National League ......1991 to 1992...... CIS National League
Title holders
1923–24: Team Moscow 1924–27: Not held 1927–28: Team Moscow 1928–33: Not held 1933–34: Team Leningrad 1934–35: Team Moscow 1935–36: Team Leningrad 1936–37: Dynamo Moscow 1937–38: Burevestnik Leningrad 1938–39: Lokomotiv Moscow 1939–40: Burevestnik Leningrad 1940–43: Not held 1943–44: Armia Tbilisi 1944–45: CDKA Moscow 1945–46: Armia Tbilisi 1946–47: SKIF Kaunas 1947–48: Dynamo Moscow 1948–49: Tartu Ülikool 1949–50: Dinamo Tbilisi 1950–51: Žalgiris Kaunas 1951–52: VVS Moscow 1952–53: Dinamo Tbilisi 1953–54: Dinamo Tbilisi 1954–55: Rīgas ASK 1955–56: Latvian SSR Team 1956–57: Rīgas ASK 1957–58: Rīgas ASK 1958–59: Team Moscow 1959–60: CSKA Moscow 1960–61: CSKA Moscow 1961–62: CSKA Moscow 1962–63: Team Moscow 1963–64: CSKA Moscow 1964–65: CSKA Moscow 1965–66: CSKA Moscow 1966–67: Ukrainian SSR Team 1967–68: Dinamo Tbilisi 1968–69: CSKA Moscow 1969–70: CSKA Moscow 1970–71: CSKA Moscow 1971–72: CSKA Moscow 1972–73: CSKA Moscow 1973–74: CSKA Moscow 1974–75: Spartak Leningrad 1975–76: CSKA Moscow 1976–77: CSKA Moscow 1977–78: CSKA Moscow 1978–79: CSKA Moscow 1979–80: CSKA Moscow 1980–81: CSKA Moscow 1981–82: CSKA Moscow 1982–83: CSKA Moscow 1983–84: CSKA Moscow 1984–85: Žalgiris Kaunas 1985–86: Žalgiris Kaunas 1986–87: Žalgiris Kaunas 1987–88: CSKA Moscow 1988–89: Budivelnyk Kyiv 1989–90: CSKA Moscow 1990–91: Kalev Tallinn 1991–92: Spartak Saint Petersburg
League medalists Year Champions Finalists 3rd PlaceNotes1924Team MoscowTeam Ural1928Team MoscowTeam Ukraine SSR1934Team LeningradTeam MoscowTeam Odessa1935Team MoscowTeam LeningradTeam Tiflis1936Team LeningradTeam MoscowTeam Odessa1937Dynamo MoscowRed Dawn LeningradLokomotiv MoscowThe First club Championship of the USSR1938Burevestnik LeningradLokomotiv MoscowGOLIFK Leningrad1939Lokomotiv MoscowGOLIFK LeningradLokomotiv Tbilisi1940Burevestnik LeningradLokomotiv TbilisiLokomotiv Moscow1944Armia TbilisiDynamo MoscowLokomotiv Moscow1945CSKA MoscowArmia TbilisiKalev Tallinn1946Armia TbilisiCSKA MoscowDynamo Moscow1947SKIF KaunasDinamo TbilisiCSKA Moscow1948Dynamo MoscowStroitel MoscowDinamo Tbilisi1949USK TartuŽalgiris KaunasVVS Moscow1950Dinamo TbilisiUSK TartuVVS Moscow1951Žalgiris KaunasVVS MoscowUSK Tartu1952VVS MoscowŽalgiris KaunasDinamo Tbilisi1953Dinamo TbilisiCSKA MoscowŽalgiris Kaunas1954Dinamo TbilisiCSKA MoscowŽalgiris Kaunas1955Rīgas ASKCSKA MoscowŽalgiris Kaunas1956Latvian SSR TeamTeam MoscowLithuanian SSR TeamUSSR Spartakiad1957Rīgas ASKCSKA MoscowDynamo Moscow1958Rīgas ASKCSKA MoscowDynamo Moscow1959Team MoscowGeorgian SSR TeamLatvian SSR TeamUSSR Spartakiad1960CSKA MoscowDinamo TbilisiVEF Riga1961CSKA MoscowDinamo TbilisiRīgas ASK1962CSKA MoscowRīgas ASKBudivelnyk Kyiv1963Team MoscowUkrainian SSR TeamLatvian SSR TeamUSSR Spartakiad1964CSKA MoscowRīgas ASKBudivelnyk Kyiv1965CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivDinamo Tbilisi1966CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivVEF Riga1967Ukrainian SSR TeamEstonian SSR TeamTeam MoscowUSSR Spartakiad1968Dinamo TbilisiCSKA KyivCSKA Moscow1969CSKA MoscowDinamo TbilisiSpartak Leningrad1970CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradBudivelnyk Kyiv1971CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradŽalgiris Kaunas1972CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradCSKA Kyiv1973CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradŽalgiris Kaunas1974CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradBudivelnyk Kyiv1975Spartak LeningradCSKA MoscowDynamo Moscow1976CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradDynamo Moscow1977CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivDinamo Tbilisi1978CSKA MoscowSpartak LeningradŽalgiris Kaunas1979CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivStatyba Vilnius (Rytas Vilnius)1980CSKA MoscowŽalgiris KaunasDynamo Moscow1981CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivSpartak Leningrad1982CSKA MoscowBudivelnyk KyivDynamo Moscow1983CSKA MoscowŽalgiris KaunasBudivelnyk Kyiv1984CSKA MoscowŽalgiris KaunasBudivelnyk Kyiv1985Žalgiris KaunasCSKA MoscowSpartak Leningrad1986Žalgiris KaunasCSKA MoscowSpartak Leningrad1987 Visshaya Liga (1986-1987) - eurobasket.comŽalgiris KaunasCSKA MoscowSpartak Leningrad1988 Visshaya Liga (1987-1988) - eurobasket.comCSKA MoscowŽalgiris KaunasBudivelnyk Kyiv1989 Visshaya Liga (1988-1989) - eurobasket.comBudivelnyk KyivŽalgiris KaunasCSKA Moscow1990 Visshaya Liga (1990-1991) - eurobasket.comCSKA MoscowDynamo MoscowBudivelnyk Kyiv1991 Visshaya Liga (1989-1990) - eurobasket.comKalev TallinnSpartak LeningradVEF Riga1992 Commonwealth of Independent States National League (1991-1992) - eurobasket.comSpartak Saint PetersburgAlma-AtaDynamo MoscowThe club championship of the CIS
Most championships won: CSKA Moscow: 24 Most consecutive championships won: CSKA Moscow: 9 (1976–1984)
Titles by club Titles Club Years24 CSKA Moscow 1944–45, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1989–905 Žalgiris Kaunas 1946–47, 1950–51, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–875 Team Moscow 1923–24, 1927–28, 1934–35, 1958–59, 1962–63 Dinamo Tbilisi 1949–50, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1967–683 Rīgas ASK 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–582 Team Leningrad 1933–34, 1935–36 Burevestnik Leningrad 1937–38, 1939–40 Armia Tbilisi 1943–44, 1944–46 Dynamo Moscow 1936–37, 1947–48 Spartak Saint Petersburg 1974–75, 1991–921 Lokomotiv Moscow 1938–39 Tartu Ülikool 1948–49 VVS Moscow 1951–52 Latvian SSR Team 1955–56 Ukrainian SSR Team 1966–67 Budivelnyk Kyiv 1988–89 Kalev Tallinn 1990–91
Titles by Republic Titles Republic 39 Russian SFSR6 Georgian SSR5 Lithuanian SSR4 Latvian SSR2 Ukrainian SSR2 Estonian SSR
Soviet basketball clubs in European and worldwide competitions
Historical players By Soviet Republic of birth:
Armenian SSR: Armenak Alachachian
Azerbaijan SSR: Aleksandr Petrov
Byelorussian SSR: Ivan Edeshko
Estonian SSR: Heino Enden Heino Kruus Ilmar Kullam Jaak Lipso Joann Lõssov Tiit Sokk Priit Tomson
Georgian SSR: Mikheil Korkia Otar Korkia Guram Minashvili Levan Moseshvili Zurab Sakandelidze Vladimer Ugrekhelidze
Kazakh SSR: Alzhan Zharmukhamedov
Karelo-Finnish SSR: Andrey Makeyev
Latvian SSR: Alvils Gulbis Oļģerts Hehts Juris Kalniņš Jānis Krūmiņš Igors Miglinieks Raimonds Miglinieks Valdis Muižnieks Maigonis Valdmanis Valdis Valters Gundars Vētra
Lithuanian SSR: Stepas Butautas Raimundas Čivilis Valdemaras Chomičius Gintaras Einikis Gintaras Krapikas Sergejus Jovaiša Artūras Karnišovas Rimas Kurtinaitis Algirdas Linkevičius Darius Lukminas Šarūnas Marčiulionis Modestas Paulauskas Arvydas Sabonis Arūnas Visockas
Russian SFSR: Vladimir Andreev Vladimir Arzamaskov Sergei Bazarevich Sasha Belov Sergei Belov Arkady Bochkaryov Ivan Dvorny Valeri Fedorov Andrei Fetisov Vadim Kapranov Vasily Karasev Vyacheslav Khrynin Evgeni Kisurin Anatoly Konev Yuri Korneev Sergei Kovalenko Igor Kudelin Andrey Lopatov Mikhail Mikhailov Valery Miloserdov Anatoly Myshkin Nikita Morgunov Viktor Pankrashkin Sergei Panov Evgeniy Pashutin Yuri Selikhov Mikhail Semyonov Sergei Tarakanov Vladimir Tkachenko Aleksandr Travin Gennadi Volnov Stanislav Yeryomin Viktor Zubkov
Ukrainian SSR: Sasha Volkov Anatolij Kovtun Valery Goborov Anatoli Polivoda Sergei Kovalenko Aleksandr Salnikov Alexander Belostenny
Uzbek SSR: Valeri Tikhonenko
Historical coaches By Soviet Republic of birth: Armenian SSR: Armenak Alachachian Stepan Spandaryan
Georgian SSR: Otar Korkia
Lithuanian SSR: Vladas Garastas
Russian SFSR: Sergei Belov Alexander Gomelsky Vladimir Kondrashin Vladimir Obuchov Yuri Selikhov Pavel Tsetlin Konstantin Travin
The lineups and rosters of the USSR League champions
1923–24: Team Moscow: Belyaev, A. Kovalev, S. Pashkov, V. Strepiheev, S. Chesnokov.
1927–28: Team Moscow: S. Vorobyov, A. Gusev, M.Medvedev, N. Strokin, K. Travin.
1933–34: Team Leningrad: F. Hostilius, Krasovskii, S. Kuznetsov, M. Morozov, P. Osipov, Vn. Rodionov, G. Tishinskiy.
1934–35: Team Moscow: E. Bokunyaev, V. Gorokhov, Zimin, A. Lobanov, M. Semichastny, J. Titov, K. Travin, A. Tolkachev.
1935–36: Team Leningrad: F. Hostilius, A. Elenskiy, Kuznetsov, V. Kurkov, M. Sverckov, G. Tishinskiy.
1936–37: Dynamo Moscow: V. Gorokhov, A. Grigoriev, V. Dmitriev, Alexander Zaitsev, A. Zinin, Rumyantsev, S. Spandaryan.
1937–38: Burevestnik Leningrad: B. Abramov, V. Zhebokritsky, B. Kondrashov, A. Selivanov, Stepanov.
1938–39: Lokomotiv Moscow: En. Alekseev, Belyaev, A. Lobanov, V. Kiselev, Romishevsky, Y. Titov, K. Travin.
1939–40: Burevestnik Leningrad: B. Abramov, V. Zhebokritsky, Zlobin, V. Kondrashov, V. Razzhivin, Rogov, A. Selivanov, Stepanov.
1943–44: Armia Tbilisi: N. Jorjkia, L. Dzekonsky, Ermakov, G. Zahlyan, B. Oganezov, B. Sarkisov, M. Filippov.
1944–45: CSKA Moscow: Ev. Alekseev, En. Alekseev, Bajkov, Grebenshchikov, V. Kudryashov, S. Kuznetsov, B. Mershin.
1945–46: Armia Tbilisi: G. Akhvlediani, A. Vachadze, G. Gupalov, L. Dzekonsky, N. Jorjikia, S. Oganezov, B. Sarkisov, O. Sulaberidze, M. Filippov.
1946–47: SKIF Kaunas: S. Butautas, A. Vilimas, V. Dzenis, I. Kilšauskas, J. Lagunavičius, V. Majorovas, K. Petkevičius, V. Sercevičius, V. Kulakauskas.
1947–48: Dynamo Moscow: G. Bajkov, V. Vlasov, V. Kolpakov, A. Konev, Kogan, Y. Ozerov, Al. Saychuk, P. Sergeev, B. Fedotov, Yuri Ushakov.
1948–49: Tartu Ülikool: U. Kiivet, H. Krevald, I. Kull, V. Laats, I. Lysov, G. Rekker, H. Russak, E. Ehaveer, O.Õun, H. Kruus.
1949–50: Dinamo Tbilisi: D. Godziashvili, N. Jorjikia, V. Zhgenti, S. Tortladze, L. Intskirveli, S. Korkashvili, O. Korkia, A. Meskhi, J. Nizharadze, G. Rukhadze.
1950–51: Žalgiris Kaunas: I. Balakauskas, G. Butautas, J. Lagunavičius, A. Nemcevičius, K. Petkevičius, Z. Sabulis, V. Sercevičius, L. Tendzegolskis, V. Timleris.
1951–52: VVS Moscow: Ev. Alekseev, En. Alekseev, V. Antonov, G. Gupalov, E. Kazakov, A. Konev, A. Moiseev, D. Osipov, G. Silins, S. Tarasov.
1952–53: Dinamo Tbilisi: G.K. Abashidze, G.A. Abashidze, V. Gvantseladze, N. Jorjikia, M. Eganov, V. Zhgenti, L. Intskirveli, A. Kiladze, O. Korkia, G. Minashvili, J. Nizharadze.
1953–54: Dinamo Tbilisi: G.K. Abashidze, G.A. Abashidze, M. Asitashvili, N. Jorjikia, V. Zhgenti, L. Intskirveli, M. Kvachantiradze, A. Kiladze, O. Korkia, G. Kutchava, J. Nizharadze.
1954–55: Rīgas ASK: M. Valdmanis, T. Gavars, A. Gulbis, T. Kalhert, J. Krumins, A. Leonchik, V. Muiznieks, G. Silins, V. Skalder, O. Hecht, L. Jankowski.
1955–56: Latvian SSR Team: M. Valdmanis, I. Veritis, J. Kalnins, T. Kalhert, R. Karnitis, J. Krumins, A. Leonchik, V. Muiznieks, G. Silins, O. Hecht, L. Jankowski.
1956–57; Rīgas ASK: M. Valdmanis, I. Veritis, A. Gulbis, J. Davids, T. Kalhert, J. Krumins, A. Leonchik, V. Muiznieks, Ostrouhs J., G. Silins, O. Hecht.