Korean Basketball League
Organising bodyKorea Basketball Association
Founded1997
First season1997
CountrySouth Korea
FederationKorea Basketball Association
ConfederationFIBA Asia
Divisions1
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Feeder toFIBA Asia Champions Cup
Domestic cup(s)KBL Cup
Current championsAnyang KGC (4th title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsUlsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus (7 titles)
Most appearancesJoo Hee-jung (1,009 matches)
All-time top scorerSeo Jang-hoon (13,231 pts.)
PresidentKim Hee-ok
TV partnersSPOTV
WebsiteKBL official website

The Korean Basketball League (Korean: 한국프로농구) or simply KBL is a professional men's basketball league in South Korea which was established in 1997. The league consists of ten teams and each team plays a total of 54 games (27 home and 27 away) in the regular season.

History

The Korean Basketball League was established in 1997. Prior to the professional era, domestic basketball was an amateur sport and all teams, whether sponsored by a corporate company or a university, participated in the National Basketball Festival (Korean: 농구대잔치), a competition sanctioned by the Korea Basketball Association. Early teams were sponsored by major corporate companies or universities. The Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) established their basketball teams as early as the 1950s and 1960s while Yonsei University and Korea University are considered pioneers of domestic college basketball, having introduced the sport to their institutions before World War II. During the 1970s and 1980s, major industrial companies such as Kia Motors, Hyundai Electronics and Samsung Electronics started their own basketball teams. The predecessor teams of Goyang Orion Orions, Anyang KGC and Wonju DB Promy were founded during the 1990s by smaller-scale companies hoping to take advantage of the "basketball craze".[1]

Professional era

The 1996–97 National Basketball Festival ended in January 1997, and the inaugural KBL season began one month later in February. The National Basketball Festival remains an amateur-only tournament to this day and is contested by university reserve teams, amateur teams and the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps's basketball team.

Sponsoring companies were given the option to register their basketball teams in the upcoming professional league. KDB and IBK opted to sell their teams; however, their new owners chose to re-start the teams as brand new franchises, only acquiring their players and staff but not inheriting the team's legacy or historical records.[2][3] The founding teams were Busan Kia Enterprise, Gyeongnam LG Sakers, Daegu Tongyang Orions, Suwon Samsung Thunders, Wonju Naray Blue Bird, Anyang SBS Stars, Incheon Daewoo Zeus, Daejeon Hyundai Dynat, and Gwangju Nasan Flamans. Some of the teams, such as Anyang SBS Stars, had been based in Seoul but chose to move to another city. The plan was to have a team based in each geographical region rather than only centralized in the Seoul Capital Area.[4] The 1997–98 season was the first full season played and the tenth team, Cheongju SK Knights, was added as a member. The KBL has had ten teams ever since.[5]

The early years of the league were plagued by the financial instability, exacerbated by the 1997 Asian financial crisis which had impacted South Korea especially hard. As with other domestic sports leagues, the KBL was not immune to the economic fall-out. The KBL had difficulty finding a league sponsor for the 1997–98 season while teams were forced to cut costs.[6][7] Between 1997 and 2001, five of the ten teams had changed ownership due to financial problems.

Format

The KBL follows FIBA rules regarding standards of play and court dimensions.[8]

For the regular season, the round-robin format is utilized as each team plays against every other team six times (three home and three away). A total of 54 games are played in six rounds. Only the top six teams in the regular season standings advance to the post-season playoffs.

League structure

KBL Cup

The KBL Cup was first introduced in 2020 as a pre-season competition for all teams to test out their strengths before the commencement of the regular season.

It is generally held in September. Aside from the participation of all 10 teams of the KBL league, Sangmu Basketball Team also participates in the KBL Cup, making it a total of 11 teams.[9]

Regular season

The regular season runs from October to early April. Each team plays against the other nine teams six times (3 home and 3 away). A total of 54 games are played in six rounds.

The annual KBL Award Ceremony takes place right after the end of the regular season.

Teams which failed to qualify for the post-season playoffs take a short break before commencing their off-season training to prepare them for the upcoming season.

Post-season playoffs

The playoffs usually begin a week after the end of the regular season.[10]

Only the top six teams in the regular season standings advance to the post-season playoffs.[11]

The qualification of the six teams for either the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the playoffs are determined by their regular season standings. The teams ranked from third to sixth qualify for the quarter-finals, and the teams ranked first and second earn an automatic advancement to the semi-finals.

The quarter-finals are played in a best-of-three format. The two winning teams of the quarter-finals then advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-finals are played in a best-of-five format. The two winning teams of the semi-finals then compete for the KBL championship title in the finals.

The finals are played in a best-of-seven format.[12]

KBL All-Star Game

The KBL All-Star Game is held in mid-January every year. The event is usually held in Seoul, except for multiple occasions where it was held outside of Seoul (2007 in Ulsan, 2017 in Busan, and 2021 in Daegu).

Based on the 2021–22 All-Star Game format, five players from each of the ten teams are nominated for the All-Star fan vote. Only the top 24 players in the fan vote standings are selected to participate in the All-Star Game. The two players with the most number of votes form their respective teams by recruiting eleven players each, regardless of their original teams.[13]

Current clubs

Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined
Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters Anyang Anyang Gymnasium 6,690 1992 1997
Busan KCC Egis Busan Busan Sajik Gymnasium 14,099 1977 1997
Changwon LG Sakers Changwon Changwon Gymnasium 6,000 1994 1997
Daegu KOGAS Pegasus Daegu Daegu Gymnasium 3,867 1994 1997
Goyang Sono Skygunners Goyang Goyang Gymnasium 6,216 1996 1997
Seoul Samsung Thunders Seoul Jamsil Arena 11,069 1978 1997
Seoul SK Knights Seoul Jamsil Students' Gymnasium 5,400 1997
Suwon KT Sonicboom Suwon Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena 3,339 1997
Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium 5,831 1986 1997
Wonju DB Promy Wonju Wonju Gymnasium 4,600 1996 1997

Results

Finals

Year Champions Result Runners-up Playoffs MVP
1997Busan Kia Enterprise4–1Wonju Naray Blue BirdKang Dong-hee (Kia)
1997–98Daejeon Hyundai Dynat4–3Busan Kia EnterpriseHur Jae (Kia)
1998–99Daejeon Hyundai Dynat4–1Busan Kia EnterpriseCho Sung-won (Hyundai)
1999–2000Cheongju SK Knights4–2Daejeon Hyundai GulliversSeo Jang-hoon (SK)
2000–01Suwon Samsung Thunders4–1Changwon LG SakersJoo Hee-jung (Samsung)
2001–02Daegu Tongyang Orions4–3Seoul SK KnightsMarcus Hicks (Tongyang)
2002–03Wonju TG Xers4–2Daegu Tongyang OrionsDavid Jackson (TG)
2003–04Jeonju KCC Egis4–3Wonju TG Sambo XersLee Sang-min (KCC)
2004–05Wonju TG Sambo Xers4–2Jeonju KCC EgisKim Joo-sung (TG Sambo)
2005–06Seoul Samsung Thunders4–0Ulsan Mobis PhoebusKang Hyuk (Samsung)
2006–07Ulsan Mobis Phoebus4–3Busan KTF Magic WingsYang Dong-geun (Mobis)
2007–08Wonju Dongbu Promy4–1Seoul Samsung ThundersKim Joo-sung (Dongbu)
2008–09Jeonju KCC Egis4–3Seoul Samsung ThundersChoo Seung-gyun (KCC)
2009–10Ulsan Mobis Phoebus4–2Jeonju KCC EgisHam Ji-hoon (Mobis)
2010–11Jeonju KCC Egis4–2Wonju Dongbu PromyHa Seung-jin (KCC)
2011–12Anyang KGC4–2Wonju Dongbu PromyOh Se-keun (KGC)
2012–13Ulsan Mobis Phoebus4–0Seoul SK KnightsYang Dong-geun (Mobis)
2013–14Ulsan Mobis Phoebus4–2Changwon LG SakersMoon Tae-young (Mobis)
2014–15Ulsan Mobis Phoebus4–0Wonju Dongbu PromyYang Dong-geun (Mobis)
2015–16Goyang Orion Orions4–2Jeonju KCC EgisLee Seung-hyun (Orion)
2016–17Anyang KGC4–2Seoul Samsung ThundersOh Se-keun (KGC)
2017–18Seoul SK Knights4–2Wonju DB PromyTerrico White (SK)
2018–19Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus4–1Incheon Electroland ElephantsLee Dae-sung (Mobis)
2019–20Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21Anyang KGC4–0Jeonju KCC EgisJared Sullinger (KGC)
2021–22Seoul SK Knights4–1Anyang KGCKim Sun-hyung (SK)
2022–23Anyang KGC4–3Seoul SK KnightsOh Se-keun (KGC)

Titles by club

ClubTitlesRunners-upWinning seasonsRunner-up seasons
Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus 7 3 1997, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19 1997–98, 1998–99, 2005–06
Busan KCC Egis 5 5 1997–98, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11 1999–2000, 2004–05, 2009–10, 2015–16, 2020–21
Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters 4 1 2011–12, 2016–17, 2020–21, 2022–23 2021–22
Wonju DB Promy 3 6 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08 1997, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2017–18
Seoul SK Knights 3 3 1999–2000, 2017–18, 2021–22 2001–02, 2012–13, 2022–23
Seoul Samsung Thunders 2 3 2000–01, 2005–06 2007–08, 2008–09, 2016–17
Goyang Sono Skygunners 2 1 2001–02, 2015–16 2002–03
Changwon LG Sakers 0 2 — 2000–01, 2013–14
Suwon KT Sonicboom 0 1 — 2006–07
Daegu KOGAS Pegasus 0 1 — 2018–19

Prize money

  • Champions (finals winners)
    • KRW 100,000,000 + trophy (1997–present)
  • Runners-up (finals losers)
    • KRW 50,000,000 (1997–present)
  • Regular season first place
    • KRW 50,000,000 + trophy (1997–2005)
    • KRW 100,000,000 + trophy (2005–present)
  • Regular season second place
    • KRW 30,000,000 (1997–2005)
    • KRW 50,000,000 (2005–present)
  • Regular season third place
    • KRW 20,000,000 (1997–2005)
    • KRW 30,000,000 (2005–present)

Individual achievements

Awards

The KBL awards ceremony is held annually at the end of the regular season. As of the 2020–21 season, the following honours are awarded:[14]

The awards ceremony takes place at the conclusion of the regular season, before the playoffs begin. The Playoffs MVP is only awarded at the conclusion of the final Championship game.

Top scorer

Year Player Team Points per game
1997 United States Carl Ray Harris Wonju Naray Blue Bird 32.3[15]
1997–98 United States Larry Davis Anyang SBS Stars 30.6[16]
1998–99 United States Bernard Blunt Changwon LG Sakers 29.9[17]
1999–2000 United States Eric Eberz Gwangju Goldbank Clickers 27.7[18]
2000–01 United States Dennis Edwards Anyang SBS Stars 33.4[19]
2001–02 United States Eric Eberz (2) Yeosu Korea Tender Prumi 28.3[18]
2002–03 United States Virgin Islands Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Leon Trimmingham Seoul SK Knights 27.4[20]
2003–04 Cameroon Canada Charles Minlend Jeonju KCC Egis 27.1[21]
2004–05 United States Nate Johnson Daegu Orions 28.7[22]
2005–06 United States Dontae' Jones Anyang KT&G Kites 29.2[23]
2006–07 United States Pete Mickeal Daegu Orions 35.1[24]
2007–08 United States Terrence Shannon Incheon ET Land Black Slamer 27.2[25]
2008–09 United States Terrence Leather Seoul Samsung Thunders 27.5[26]
2009–10 United States Greg Stevenson Changwon LG Sakers 21.9[27]
2010–11 United States Aaron Haynes Seoul Samsung Thunders 23.1[28]
2011–12 United States Aaron Haynes (2) Changwon LG Sakers 27.6[28]
2012–13 United States Jasper Johnson Busan KT Sonicboom 19.7[29]
2013–14 United States Tyler Wilkerson Jeonju KCC Egis 21.5[30]
2014–15 United States Davon Jefferson Changwon LG Sakers 21.3[31]
2015–16 United States Andre Emmett Jeonju KCC Egis 26.2[32]
2016–17 United States Andre Emmett (2) Jeonju KCC Egis 28.8[33]
2017–18 United States David Simon Anyang KGC 26.1[34]
2018–19 Central African Republic James Mays Changwon LG Sakers 26.6[35]

Draft

Domestic players

Domestic players, defined as possessing South Korean citizenship according to FIBA laws, are recruited through an annual rookie draft. The draft was held since 1998. In 2009, an ethnic draft was introduced to allow the recruitment of players who have acquired South Korean nationality, or either of their parents is a Korean.[36] Players recruited through ethnic drafts are waived from being counted as an import player. However, due to the controversial nature of the recruitment rules and the backlash, the ethnic draft was eventually abolished in 2013.[37]

Import players

From 2018, all teams are allowed to freely select their import players, subject to a "two-import" quota per team and a salary cap of $700,000. Only one foreign player is allowed to play on court in every quarter.

Asian player quota

In a move to further develop the quality of basketball in the country, the "Asian Player Quota" programme was introduced ahead of the 2020–21 season for Japanese players.[38] This programme allows each team to recruit one Japanese player (excluding naturalized, dual citizenship and mixed race players) from Japan's B.League.[39] Players recruited under the "Asian Player Quota" programme are excluded from the foreign player quota, and included in the domestic player salary cap. Wonju DB Promy became the first team in the league to recruit a Japanese player, as they inked a one-year deal with Taichi Nakamura.[40] Ahead of the 2022–23 season, the programme was extended to Filipino players (owns a Philippine passport and both parents must have either Philippine citizenship or passport).[41] In June 2022, Daegu KOGAS Pegasus becomes the first team to recruit a Filipino player, as they announced a two-year deal with SJ Belangel.[42]

Mandatory military service

Players of the Korean Basketball League are eligible to apply to fulfil their military service obligations as members of the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps. Alongside military duties, they are allowed to train as professional athletes and play for the Sangmu Basketball Team. Successful applicants officially enlists in May or June and are discharged eighteen months later in January, returning to the team rosters for the final rounds of the regular season.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "나래이동통신, '남자 농구팀' 창단". Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). September 3, 1996.
  2. ↑ "[탐방! 프로농구 TG삼보] '나래 블루버드'로 출발…". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). March 3, 2005.
  3. ↑ "기업은행 농구팀 해체-창단 34년만애 매각 추진". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). November 26, 1996.
  4. ↑ "프로농구 연고지 확정-서울은 공동.부산은 기아자동차". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). November 27, 1996.
  5. ↑ "청주에서 시작한 SK 나이츠, 서울로 정착하다". BasketKorea (in Korean). March 26, 2020.
  6. ↑ "IMF 한파 농구코트도 '꽁꽁'". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). December 12, 1997.
  7. ↑ "IMF 한파에 체육기반 흔들". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). December 17, 1997.
  8. ↑ "Rule Differences". FIBA. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Sangmu - Basketball, South Korea: Results, Fixtures - Soccerstand.com". www.soccerstand.com. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  10. ↑ "[프로농구]프로농구 45경기 늘어난다…팀당 54경기 6라운드". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). October 17, 2001.
  11. ↑ "Knights beat Anyang in first best-of-seven playoff match". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Korea Herald". koreaherald.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "KBL All Star match rosters have been finalized". donga.com. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "2020–2021 현대모비스 프로농구 시상식 개최 안내" (in Korean). Korean Basketball League. March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Calray Harris". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Laray Davis". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Bernard Blunt". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  18. 1 2 "Eric Eberz". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Dennis Edwards". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Leon Trimmingham". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Charles Minlend". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Nathanel Johnson". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Dantae Jones". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Fenton Mickeal". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Terrence Shannon". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Terrence Leather". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Gregory Stevenson". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  28. 1 2 "Aaron Haynes". worldhoopstats.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  29. ↑ "KBL 2012-2013". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  30. ↑ "KBL 2013-2014". asia-basket.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  31. ↑ "KBL 2014-2015". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  32. ↑ "KBL 2015-2016". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  33. ↑ "KBL 2016-2017". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  34. ↑ "KBL 2017-2018". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  35. ↑ "KBL 2018-2019". asia-basket.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  36. ↑ "KBL Finalizes Rules for Ethnic Korean Draft". The Korea Times. 2008-12-23. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  37. ↑ "막 내리는 '귀화혼혈선수' 시대의 명과 암". 오마이스타 (in Korean). 2020-05-26. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  38. ↑ "KBL, 일본선수 대상으로 아시아쿼터 시행…DB는 영입 추진 중". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  39. ↑ "Korea, Japan cooperate with implementation of Asian Player Quotas in professional leagues". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  40. ↑ 김용호. "[구단소식] 원주 DB, 아시아쿼터제로 나카무라 타이치 공식 영입". sports.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  41. ↑ Li, Matthew (18 April 2022). "KBL expands Asian Quota to Filipinos". Tiebreaker Times -US. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  42. ↑ "[단독] 한국가스공사, KBL 1호 필리핀 선수 영입". ROOKIE (in Korean). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
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