:B.League

The Japan Basketball Association was formed in 1930 and has operated Japan's top basketball leagues under various names since 1967. Throughout the history of the association, teams have been affiliated with large corporations and players have been employed by their respective owner company rather than competing as professional basketball players. In the early 1990s soccer in Japan moved away from a similar corporate structure and launched the J.League in 1993.{{cite web |url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/997-July-2010/5577-how-japan-created-a-successful-league |title=How Japan created a successful league |publisher=When Saturday Comes |last=Anthony |first=Scott |date=18 July 2010 |access-date=8 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809201118/http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/997-July-2010/5577-how-japan-created-a-successful-league |archive-date=9 August 2016 |url-status=dead }} The JBA commenced investigating the professionalization of basketball in the same year, and in 1997 lifted the ban on professional players. Despite this, the structure of the Japan Super League remained amateur in nature, with most teams remaining under the control of a corporate sponsor/owner.

In 2005 a rival bj league was launched in competition with the Super League, based on an American franchise system of professional teams. In response, the JBA re-launched the Super League as the Japan Basketball League (JBL) in 2007, but there was still a mixture of professional and corporate teams in the competition. The JBL was again rebranded as the National Basketball League in 2013. Since the establishment of the bj league in 2005, both competitions rapidly expanded the number of teams, with 45 teams participating between the two competitions in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2015/10/03/basketball/bj-league/size-b-league-will-present-challenges-outset/ |title=Size of B. League will present challenges from the outset |publisher=Japan Times |last=Odeven |first=Kaz |date=3 October 2015 |access-date=8 June 2016}}

FIBA, the international governing body for basketball, grew concerned with the division and disorganization of the sport within the country. After the JBA failed to comply with deadlines to commence reorganizing the domestic leagues, FIBA suspended Japan from international competitions in November 2014. A task force to investigate the reformation of the domestic leagues was formed and Saburō Kawabuchi was appointed co-chairman. In May 2015, upon FIBA's recommendation, Kawabuchi was appointed as president of the JBA.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/news/kawabuchi-becomes-new-jba-president |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007115435/http://www.fiba.basketball/news/kawabuchi-becomes-new-jba-president |url-status=live |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |title=Kawabuchi becomes new JBA President |date=18 May 2015 |access-date=8 June 2016}} The merger of the two competing leagues into the B.League was announced in June 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2015/06/19/basketball/fiba-fast-track-fully-lift-japan-basketball-association-ban-august/ |title=FIBA on fast track to fully lift Japan Basketball Association ban in August |publisher=Japan Times |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |date=19 June 2015 |access-date=28 June 2016}} and the international suspension was lifted by FIBA in August.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2015/08/09/basketball/kawabuchi-welcomes-end-japans-international-basketball-ban/ |title=Kawabuchi welcomes end of Japan's international basketball ban |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |publisher=Japan Times |date=9 August 2015 |access-date=8 June 2016}} Telecommunications company Softbank was named as the league's top sponsor for the inaugural season in March 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/03/10/basketball/softbank-named-top-b-league-partner/ |title=Softbank named top B. League partner |date=10 March 2016 |publisher=Japan Times |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |access-date=8 June 2016}}

The 2016–17 season commenced with an inaugural match between four-time JBL/NBL champions Alvark Tokyo, who finished on top of the NBL ladder in 2015–16,{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/05/12/basketball/alvark-brex-enter-nbl-playoffs-top-teams/ |title=Alvark, Brex enter NBL playoffs as top teams |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |date=12 May 2016 |publisher=Japan Times |access-date=3 June 2016}} and four-time bj-league champions Ryukyu Golden Kings, who won the 2015–16 bj-league championship,{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/05/15/basketball/bj-league/golden-kings-bring-curtain-bj-league-fourth-title/ |title=Golden Kings bring curtain down on bj-league with fourth title |last=Odeven |first=Ed |publisher=Japan Times |date=15 May 2016 |access-date=3 June 2016}} at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on 22 September 2016. A full round of games involving all other teams commenced on September 24.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/05/24/basketball/b-league/kings-alvark-clash-b-league-opener/ |title=Kings, Alvark to clash in B. League opener |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |publisher=Japan Times |date=24 May 2016 |access-date=3 June 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bleague.jp/news/20160610.php |title=B.LEAGUE全36クラブの開幕日・開幕対戦カード2016–17シーズンスケジュール決定のお知らせ |trans-title=Announcement that opening day matches for all 36 B.League teams and the 2016–17 season schedule have been decided |date=10 June 2016 |access-date=13 June 2016 |language=ja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613080954/http://www.bleague.jp/news/20160610.php |archive-date=13 June 2016 }}

Since the 2021–22 season, the winners and runners-up of each season qualify for the East Asia Super League.

The league consists of two divisions, named B1 and B2. For the 2022–23 season, the first division (B1) has 24 teams and the second division (B2) has 14 teams, with a system of promotion and relegation between these two divisions. Each of the first two divisions is further divided into two conferences, East and West.{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/04/14/basketball/b-league/b-league-realign-teams-two-conferences-2020-21-season/ |title=B. League to realign teams into two conferences for 2020-21 season |date=14 April 2020 |access-date=13 September 2020 |last=Nagatsuka |first=Kaz |publisher=The Japan Times}}

In the first division, each team plays a 60-game regular-season schedule that consists of 36 games against teams within their conference (4 games against each team) and 24 games against teams in the other conference (2 games against eight teams and 4 games against the remaining two teams). Eight teams qualify for the playoffs, including the top three teams from each conference, and the next two teams with the best records, regardless of their conference, as wild cards. The playoffs consist of the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds, with a best-of-three format in each round. Each round is played at the team's home court, which finished with the higher winning percentage during the season.{{cite web|url=https://translation2.j-server.com/LUCBLEAGUE/ns/tl.cgi/https://www.bleague.jp/regulation/?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0 |title=Regulation |access-date=13 September 2020 |publisher=Japan Professional Basketball League}}

In the second division, the regular season will also consist of a 60-game schedule, but with 42 games against teams within their own conference (6 games against each team) and 18 games against teams in the other conference (2 games against seven teams and 4 games against the remaining team). The playoff qualification and match format is identical to the first division: Eight teams qualify for the playoffs, which includes the top three teams from each conference, and the next two teams with the best records, regardless of their conference, as wild cards. The playoffs consist of quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds, with a best-of-three format in each round. Each round is played at the home court of the team that finished with the higher winning percentage during the season.

The B.League typically holds promotion-relegation playoffs each year to determine which second division teams will be promoted to the first division and which first division teams will be relegated to the second division for the following season. For the 2020–21 season, it was announced that the top two teams from the second division will be automatically promoted to the first division. Other promotions and relegations will not take place.

In the 2014–15 season, there were 12 teams in the NBL, 10 teams in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL, the NBL's second division league) and 24 teams in the bj-league. All 46 teams sought entrance to the B.League's inaugural 2016–17 season, along with the Wakayama Trians, who withdrew from the NBL in January 2015 due to financial difficulty. Ultimately, all clubs were accepted into the league except for the Trians and the Hiroshima Lightning, who were in their first season as a bj-league expansion club.{{cite web|url=http://hirospo.com/pickup/19677.html |title=広島ライトニング、バスケの新リーグ参入への道、開かれず |trans-title=Road to new league doesn't open for Hiroshima Lightning |language=ja |date=16 July 2015 |work=Hiroshima Sport |access-date=27 September 2016}} The allocation of the 45 teams into three divisions was announced in two phases in July and August 2015. In April 2016 the league announced rules regarding official team names, shortened names and abbreviations to be used by the clubs. A list of names to be used by each club in the 2016–17 season was also published.{{cite web|url=http://www.bleague.jp/news/20160406.php |title=Bクラブのチーム名・呼称・略称決定 |trans-title=Team names, short names and abbreviations for B.League clubs decided |date=6 April 2016 |access-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519044642/http://www.bleague.jp/news/20160406.php |archive-date=19 May 2016}} Beginning in the 2020–21 season, the B.League was reformatted to only have two conferences each, East and West, in the first and second divisions. However, the first division reverted to a three-conference system, East, Central, and West, beginning in the 2022–23 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bleague.jp/news_detail/id=232384|title=B.LEAGUE 2021-22シーズン終了のご報告と来シーズンB1・B2所属クラブ決定のお知らせ|website=JAPAN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE}} {{in lang|ja}}

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{{Location map+ |Japan|float=right |width=550 |caption=Locations of the B.League teams |places=

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=43.066667 |long=141.35|label=Levanga Hokkaido|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=40.8327 |long=140.737296|label=Aomori Wat's|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=39.720039 |long=140.109072|label=Akita Happinets|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=38.255417 |long=140.339611|label=Yamagata Wyverns|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=39.699442 |long=141.142507|label=Iwate Big Bulls|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=38.257808 |long=140.871237|label=Sendai 89ers|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=37.393791 |long=140.385418|label=Fukushima Firebonds|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=37.446194 |long=138.85125|label=Albirex|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=34.988333 |long=138.426750|label=Veltex Shizuoka|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=36.69731 |long=137.22967|label=Toyama Grouses|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=36.478056 |long=138.153361|label=Shinshu Brave Warriors|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=36.561056 |long=136.656417|label=Kanazawa Samuraiz|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=35.472472|long=133.065917|label=Shimane Susanoo Magic|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=34.677528|long=133.919694|label=Tryhoop|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=34.385278|long=132.455278|label=Dragonflies|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=33.946833|long=131.272222|label=Patsfive|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=34.350000|long=134.050000|label=5Arrows|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=33.833333|long=132.766667|label=Ehime Vikings|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=33.590139 |long=130.401722|label=Rizing Zephyr|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=33.278476 |long=130.294880|label=Ballooners|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=32.778778 |long=129.854917|label=Velca|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=32.783333 |long=130.733333|label=Kumamoto Volters|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=31.596806 |long=130.557139|label=Kagoshima Rebnise|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan |lat=26.334167 |long=127.805556|label=Ryukyu Golden Kings|position=right}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Japan Kanto|float=left |width=350 |caption=Locations of the B.League Kanto teams |places=

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=36.3895 |long=139.063417|label=Gunma Crane Thunders|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=36.555111 |long=139.882556|label=Utsunomiya Brex|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=36.365833 |long=140.47125|label=Ibaraki Robots|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.799611 |long=139.468611|label=Saitama Broncos|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.891139 |long=139.790917|label=Koshigaya Alphas|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.694556|long=139.982556|label=Chiba Jets|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.603056|long=140.111667|label=Altiri Chiba|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.587287|long=139.647357|label=Brave Thunders|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.564111|long=139.594472|label=Yokohama B-Corsairs|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.439583|long=139.63625|label=Yokohama Excellence|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kanto|lat=35.38925|long=139.444222|label=Shonan United|position=bottom}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Japan Tokyo|float=left |width=350 |caption=Locations of the B.League Tokyo teams |places=

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.666444|long=139.316|label=Tokyo Hachioji Bee Trains|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.66775|long=139.700139|label=Alvark Tokyo|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.661111|long=139.710556|label=Sun Rockers Shibuya|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.564500|long=139.727861|label=Earthfriends Tokyo Z|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.715444|long=139.416417|label=Tachikawa Dice|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Tokyo|lat=35.643556|long=139.79425|label=Tokyo United|position=right}}

}}

{{Location map+ |Japan Kansai|float=left |width=350 |caption=Locations of the B.League Kansai and Tokai teams |places=

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.016667 |long=135.85|label=Lakes|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=34.683333 |long=135.8|label=Nara|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.011667 |long=135.768333|label=Kyoto Hannaryz|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=34.693889 |long=135.502222|label=Osaka Evessa|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=34.737597 |long=135.341564|label=Nishinomiya Storks|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.183086|long=136.902561|label=Dolphins|position=left}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.019575|long=137.010433|label=SeaHorses|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.188847|long=136.875028|label=Toyotsu|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=34.758108|long=137.324936|label=San-en NeoPhoenix|position=right}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=35.391594|long=136.725647|label=Gifu Swoops|position=top}}

{{location map~ |Japan Kansai |lat=34.9522175|long=136.6148119|label=Veertien Mie|position=bottom}}

}}

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Numbers in brackets denote the team's seed in its conference from the regular season.

Each club in the first and second divisions will be allowed up to three registered foreign players, excluding one foreign-born player who has become a naturalized Japanese citizen.{{cite web |last=B.League |url=https://www.bleague.jp/files/user/news/pdf/20180620.pdf |title=B.LEAGUE 2018-19 SEASON 競技レギュレーション|date=20 June 2018 |access-date=24 June 2018}}

Two foreign players will be allowed on the court.

Naturalized players can play as Japanese citizens and have no limitations. Each club will be allowed one naturalized player.

In line with Japan Basketball Association regulations, foreign citizens who were either born or raised in Japan and graduated from Japanese elementary and junior high school will not be treated as a foreign player for the purpose of these rules.

In January 2024, the Australian National Basketball League announced a partnership with the B.League which will see future collaboration on pre-season game crossovers and potential exploration of the viability of a team from Japan participating in the Australian NBL.{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/nbl-signs-mou-with-japanese-counterpart-bleague|title=NBL signs MOU with Japanese counterpart B.LEAGUE|work=NBL.com.au|date=28 January 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128020058/https://nbl.com.au/news/nbl-signs-mou-with-japanese-counterpart-bleague|archive-date=28 January 2024}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://sports.yahoo.co.jp/basket/ Yahoo Japan Sportsnavi Basketball]
• {{commonscatinline}}

{{B.LeagueArena}}

{{B.LeagueCoach}}

{{Basketball in Japan}}

{{Japanese B.League}}

{{Sports leagues in Japan}}

{{Men's professional basketball leagues}}

Category:Basketball leagues in Japan

Category:2015 establishments in Japan

Category:Sports leagues established in 2015

Category:Professional sports leagues in Japan