Lebanese Basketball League
The Lebanese Basketball League, officially Decathlon Lebanese Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, is recognized as the top-tier professional men's basketball league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketball Federation.
Currently, the league consists of [|12 teams], of which six are located in Beirut. The most successful club in the history of the league is Al Riyadi Club Beirut.
History
The initial Lebanese basketball league was formed in as early as the 1950s; however, it was stopped during the Lebanese Civil War. In 1992, the league was reformed into its current fully professional format.In 1998, Sporting Club finished third in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, that same year Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship where Sagesse won, it was the first ever Arab basketball trophy for Lebanon.
In 1999, Beirut hosted the Arab Club Championship, Hekmeh were crowned champions again, in addition to being the first Lebanese and first Arab team to win the Asian cup.
The 1999 season was inaugurated by a huge event that included an exhibition game between Lebanese All-stars and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Overview
The league is the first division in Lebanese basketball. The team that finishes last each season is relegated to the Second Division, while the Second Division's top four teams compete in a play-off system. The team that wins is promoted for the next season.Competition
There are 12 teams in the league. They play a round-robin format; each team plays all other teams once home and once away. At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams enter the playoffs and play a best of 5 series in the quarterfinals. The winners of the quarterfinals advance to the best of 5 series in the semifinals. The two teams that advance play a best of seven series in the final, and the winner is the league champion.Teams
The following 12 teams play in the 2025–26 season.| Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
| Al Riyadi | Beirut | Saeb Salam Arena | 2500 |
| Antranik | Antelias | AGBU Demirdjian Center | 2000 |
| Antonine | Baabda | Antonine Arena | 1000 |
| Beirut Club | Beirut | Chiyah Stadium | 2500 |
| Champville Maristes | Dik El Mehdi | Champville Club Center | |
| Club Central Jounieh | Jounieh | Club Central | |
| Club Jeunesse Sportif Batroun | Batroun | Batroun Sports Club | |
| Homenetmen Beirut | Mezher | Adom & Sella Tenjukian stadium | |
| Hoops Club | Beirut | Rockland Arena | |
| NSA | Jounieh | Fouad Chehab Stadium | 1200 |
| Sagesse | Ghazir | Antoine Choueiri Stadium | 5000 |
| Tadamon Hrajel | Zouk Mikael | Kahraba Zouk Club Stadium | 1000 |
Since 1993, 40 teams participated in the League. The list consists of:
1-Al Riyadi Club Beirut
2- Homenetmen Beirut
3- Anibal Zahle
4- Tadamon Zouk
5- Kahraba Zouk
6- Club Jeunesse Meziara
7- Club Central Jounieh
8- Mont La Salle Club
9- Taadod Club Beirut
10-ENB Beyrouth
11-Hawch Sour
12-Club Carmelite
13-Sagesse BC
14-Antranik Youth Association
15-Rosaire Club Mansouriyeh
16-Beit Mery Club
17-Animation Club Zouk
18-Ghazir Club
19-Abnaa Khalij Jounieh
20-Jamhour Blue Stars
21-Shabeb Ghobeiry
22-CS Maristes
23-Rabta Club Chekka
24-Sadaka SC
25-Café Najjar
26-Feytroun Club
27-Mouttahed Club
28-Club Sportif Antonin
29-Tebnin SC/Dynamo Beirut
30-Hoops Club
31-Byblos Club
32-Chabibet Haouch el Oumara
33-Bejjeh Club
34-Club Amchit
35-Club Louaize/Leaders Club
36-Mayrouba SC
37-Beirut Club
38-Club Atlas Ferzol
39-NSA Club
40-Tadamon Hrajel
41-Club Jeunesse Sportif Batroun
Champions
Wins by year
Wins by team
Rivalries
Beirut derby- Al Riyadi vs Sagesse Club
- Al Riyadi vs Champville
- Homenetmen Beirut vs Al Riyadi
- Champville vs Sagesse Club
- Tadamon Zouk vs Sagesse Club
- Antranik vs Homenetmen Beirut
- Tadamon Zouk vs '''Kahraba Zouk'''
Notable players
- Bassel Bawji
- Rony Fahed
- Hayk Gyokchyan
- Nadim Souaid
- Roy Samaha
- Ali Haidar
- Elie Stephan
- Elie Rustom
- Elie Mechantaf
- Ali Mezher
- Wael Arakji
- Mohammad Ibrahim
- Ahmad Ibrahim
- Amir Saoud
- Fadi El Khatib
- Joe Vogel
- Ali Mahmoud
- Brian Beshara
- Jean Abdelnour
- Sabah Khoury
- Omar El Turk
- Anthony Khoury
- Billy Pharis
- Ghaleb Rida
- Ali Kanaan
- Billy Pharis
- Jason Azzi
- Daniel Faris
- Charbel Kassis
- Matt Freije
- / Ekene Ibekwe
- Duop Reath
- Jean-Paul Afif
- Samaki Walker
- Cliff Alexander
- Kerwin Roach
- Hassan Whiteside
- Shabazz Muhammad
- Rashad McCants
- Jeremy Pargo
- Norvel Pelle
- Isaiah Austin
- Danny Pippen
- JJ Hickson
- Mike Taylor
- Troy Williams
- Diamond Stone
- Zach Lofton
- Kevin Murphy
- Ace Custis
- DeWayne Jackson
- Patrick Rembert
- Dion Dixon
- Corey Williams
- Brian Cook
- Tony Madison
- Alvin Sims
- C.J. Giles
- Darryl Watkins
- Lee Nailon
- Herbert Hill
- Jumaine Jones
- Loren Woods
- Priest Lauderdale
- Dewarick Spencer
- Flip Murray
- Desmond Penigar
- Rasheim Wright
- Marcus Haislip
- Harold Jamison
- Andre Emmett
- Nate Johnson
- Marc Salyers
- Earl Barron
- Scotty Thurman
- Rick Hughes
- DeShawn Sims
- Aaron Harper
- LeRoy Hurd
- Tre Kelley
- Sam Hoskin
- Quincy Douby
- Ronnie Fields
- Willie Burton
- Marlon Parmer
- Booker Woodfox
- Reyshawn Terry
- DerMarr Johnson
- Rashad Anderson
- Jerald Honeycutt
- Terrell Stoglin
- Dickey Simpkins
- Cedric Henderson
- Jeremiah Massey
- Ruben Patterson
- Sherell Ford
- Jamal Robinson
- Nate Robinson
- Jonathan Gibson
- Cleanthony Early
- Nick Rakocevic
- Dar Tucker
- Ater Majok
- Aleksandar Radojević
- Alpha Bangura
- Ismail Ahmad
- Salah Mejri
- Ali Traore
- Ndudi Ebi
- Nikoloz Tskitishvili
- Jeleel Akindele
- Dalibor Bagarić
- Asghar Kardoust
- Hamed Haddadi
- Ratko Varda
- Vladan Vukosavljević
- Sani Sakakini
- Michael Madanly
- Marcus Banks
- Walter Hodge
- Makrem Ben Romdhane
- Sam Young
- Rony Seikaly
- Justin Brownlee
- Thon Maker
Notable coaches
- Ghassan Sarkis
- Ahmad Farran
- Slobodan Subotić
- Ilias Zouros
- Nenad Vucinic
- Veselin Matic
- Dragan Raca
- Tab Baldwin