Greek Basketball League

Greek Basketball League (GBL)

Founded	1927; 97 years ago (1927)
First season	1927–28
Country	Greece
Federation	HEBA
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	A2 Basketball League
Domestic cup(s)	Greek Cup Greek Super Cup
International cup(s)	EuroLeague EuroCup FIBA Champions League FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions	Panathinaikos (40th title)
Most championships	Panathinaikos (40 titles)
All-time top scorer	Vassilis Spanoulis
Commissioner	Vangelis Galatsopoulos
TV partners	ERT
Website	esake.gr (Greek)
2024–25 Greek Basketball League

The Greek Basketball League (abbreviated as GBL), and also known as the Stoiximan Greek Basketball League (GBL) for sponsorship reasons, is the first tier level professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by the Hellenic Basketball Association (abbreviated as HEBA; Greek: ΕΣΑΚΕ), under the legal authority of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (abbreviated as HBF; Greek: Ε.Ο.Κ.). Over the years, the league has previously been known by several different names, which have included: the Panhellenic Basketball Championship or Greek Basketball Championship, the Panhellenic Basketball First Category Championship (1st) (A) or Greek Basketball First Category Championship (1st) (A), the Greek Alpha National Basketball Category Championship (A), the Greek Alpha1 National Basketball Category Championship (A1), the HEBA Alpha1 (A1), and most recently, the Greek Basket League. The league's current official main sponsor is Stoiximan.

The GBL is the highest-tier level of the Greek league system. The GBL plays under FIBA rules and currently consists of 12 teams, with each season's lowest-placed team being relegated to the A2 Basketball League, and then being replaced by the winner of the playoffs of that tier. The league runs from October to June, with teams playing 22 games each during the regular season, and the top 8 placed teams in the regular season standings then competing in the league's playoffs.^[1] The first official Greek Basketball Championship was held in the 1927–28 season. The league held a competition in which the teams of the league played under a format with a nationwide schedule, for the first time, in the 1963–64 season. The league first held a playoff round in the 1986–87 season. The league first allowed foreign (non-Greek) players, in the 1988–89 season. The league first became a fully professional competition in the 1992–93 season, and that was also when its competition status was officially changed from the amateur category, to the professional category.

Historically, the GBL has been ranked as one of the top 3 level national domestic leagues in European basketball, since the league rankings began. For further information, see historical European national basketball league rankings, and European national basketball league rankings.

The first official regional club basketball tournament in Greece, took place in the year 1924.^[2] While the first edition of the Greek basketball championship took place in the 1927–28 season, the first fully organized Greek basketball championship began. The league was originally organized by the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association (SEGAS). There have been four different official championship eras. The first era was the Panhellenic Championship (Πανελλήνιο Πρωτάθλημα), which lasted from the 1927–28 to 1962–63 seasons, when the champions of every regional district played each other to decide the Greek Champion. The second era started in the 1963–64 season, when the A National Category (Α' Εθνική Κατηγορία), or Alpha National Category was founded.^[3]

In 1969, the Hellenic Basketball Federation (E.O.K.) took over the duties of overseeing the competition, and did so until the year 1992. The third era of the championship existed between the 1986–87 and 1991–92 seasons, when the first division A1 National Category (Α1 Εθνική Κατηγορία), with a regular season and playoffs, and the second division A2 National Category (Α2 Εθνική Κατηγορία) were formed. The 1988–89 season, marked the first time that Greek Basket League teams were allowed to have foreign players on their rosters.^[4]

The fourth era of the championship began in the 1992–93 season, when the Hellenic Basketball Association (HEBA) took over the competition and renamed the first division the HEBA A1 (ΕΣΑΚΕ Α1). The league was then renamed to Greek Basket League (Ελληνική Μπάσκετ Λιγκ), starting with the 2010–11 season.

The Greek League has been one of the most competitive basketball leagues in Europe through the years, and it was widely regarded as the second best national domestic league in the world, after only the NBA, in the 1990s decade. It currently ranks among the best national domestic leagues in the world (excluding the NBA), such as Liga ACB in Spain, VTB United League (counts as the domestic league for Russian clubs), and BSL in Turkey. Historically, the league has been ranked as one of the top 3 European national domestic leagues, along with Italy's Lega Basket Serie A and Spain's Liga ACB, under the historical European national basketball league rankings and European national basketball league rankings.

The league has several European historical basketball powers, which also belong to some of the most traditional European basketball clubs, especially Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, and AEK (which had great success in the 1960s), which are three of the most successful European basketball clubs of all time. Also, Aris, led by Nikos Galis, Panagiotis Giannakis, and Slobodan "Lefteris" Subotić, was the dominant Greek club, and one of the most powerful European teams in the 1980s. Other clubs that have had significant success throughout the history of Greek basketball, as well as success in European basketball, are PAOK and Panellinios. The first five aforementioned clubs (Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, AEK, Aris and PAOK), are also the most widely supported by fans in Greece.

Despite the championship having been contested 84 times, only nine different clubs have won it so far. The dominating club has usually been Panathinaikos, having claimed the championship 40 times. Since the foundation of the Alpha National Category in the 1963–64 season, only two teams have participated in every season of the competition, Panathinaikos and Aris.

• Amateur era (1927–28 to 1991–92):
  • 1927–28 to 1960–61:  Panhellenic Championship
  • 1961–62 to 1962–63:  Panhellenic First Category Championship (1st) (A)
  • 1963–64 to 1985–86:  Alpha (A) National Category
  • 1986–87 to 1991–92:  Alpha1 (A1) National Category
• Professional era (1992–93 to present) :
  • 1992–93 to 2011–12:  HEBA Alpha1 (A1)
  • 2012–13 to 2023–24:  Greek Basket League
  • 2024–25 to present:  Greek Basketball League (GBL)

• OPAP
• Betshop
• Stoiximan
• ΕΚΟ
• Spalding

The main elements of the logo were changed in 2013.^[5]

• 
  2012–2013
• 
  2013–2024

The championship, in its current form, has been organized since the 1992–93 season by the Hellenic Basketball Association (HEBA), under the authority of the Hellenic Basketball Federation. The fully professional Greek basketball clubs compete in the first division championship, which is often colloquially called the "A1", in which 12 teams compete for the Greek National Championship. There is also a professional level second division championship that is run entirely by the Hellenic Basketball Federation, which is called the "A2", in which 16 teams compete for the second division crown. The bottom one place finishing team each year in the A1 division standings is relegated to the A2 division, due to poor performance. While conversely, the top one teams each year from the A2 division is promoted to the A1 division, due to good performance.

In order to compete in the Greek Basketball League, clubs must invest a minimum of €1 million on club operations per season. The minimum club budget per season is €800,000, and each club must also invest €200,000 into a league-wide fund that insures players get their full salaries. Most of the league's clubs invest more than the minimum requirements in each season.

Currently, Greek Basketball League clubs must play their home games in arenas with a seating capacity of at least 2,000 people, in order to play Greek domestic league games. Some Greek clubs have two arenas that they primarily use. One for domestic Greek League games, and one for European-wide games.

Greek clubs that play in European-wide competitions, such as the EuroLeague, the EuroCup, or the FIBA Champions League, must play their home games in those leagues in arenas that fit the arena standards of those leagues. Which are currently, a 5,000 seat minimum for the EuroLeague, and a 3,000 seat minimum for the EuroCup and FIBA Champions League.

Greek Basketball League teams were first allowed to have foreign (non-Greek) players on their rosters in the 1988–89 season.^[6] Under the league's current foreign player rules, Greek Basketball League teams must have at least 6 players with Greek citizenship on their active 12-man game rosters. Each team is allowed to have up to 6 foreign (non-Greek) players on their active 12-man game roster.

Starting with the 2022–23 season, each team can have a total of up to 7 foreign players registered on its active league roster. However, every team is obliged to select only 6 of them for the 12 man game rosters, right before each game is started. Originally, that rotation of 6 of the 7 foreign players was not allowed to take place during the league's playoffs. However, it was ultimately decided that starting with the 2023–24 season, the aforementioned rotation of 6 out of the 7 foreign players on each team's roster, is also allowed in the league's playoffs.

However, there are no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed by country of origin, or on the overall total number of foreign players allowed to be signed to a team's roster. Meaning that for example, any team in the league can sign any number of American players, Canadian players, or players from European countries, etc., that it wants to, and that any team in the league can sign as many foreign players overall to its roster as it wants to, but that they can only register 7 of them at a time to the active roster, and that they can only play 6 of them in any one game.^[7]

The clubs for the 2024–25 season:

Team	City	Arena	Capacity	Appearances in GBL
AEK	Athens	SUNEL Arena (Ano Liosia Olympic Hall)	9,327 (collapsible) 8,327 (permanent)	57
Aris	Thessaloniki	Alexandreio Melathron Hall	5,138	60
Karditsa	Karditsa	Giannis Bourousis Indoor Hall	3,500[8][9]	1
Kolossos Rodou	Rhodes (Faliraki)	Kallithea Palais des Sports	3,400	17
Lavrio	Lavrio	Lavrio Indoor Hall	1,700	8
Maroussi	Athens (Marousi)	Maroussi Saint Thomas Indoor Hall	1,700	14
Olympiacos	Piraeus	Peace and Friendship Stadium	14,776[10]	55
Panathinaikos	Athens (Marousi)	O.A.C.A. Hall	18,300[11]	60
Panionios	Athens (Nea Smyrni)	National Athletic Center Glyfada Makis Liougas	3,500 (collapsible) 2,272 (permanent)	47
PAOK	Thessaloniki (Pylaia)	P.A.O.K. Sports Arena	8,162[12]	59
Peristeri	Athens (Peristeri)	Peristeri Hall	4,000	24
Promitheas Patras	Patras (Proastio)	Dimitris Tofalos Arena	5,500	7

^[13]

Titles	Champions	Years
40	Panathinaikos	1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
14	Olympiacos	1948–49, 1959–60, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2021–22, 2022–23
10	Aris	1929–30, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91
8	AEK	1957–58, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1969–70, 2001–02
6	Panellinios	1928–29, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57
2	Iraklis	1927–28, 1934–35
	PAOK	1958–59, 1991–92
1	Near East	1935–36
	Athens University	1936–37

Season	Home court advantage	Result	Home court disadvantage	1st of Regular season	Regular season Record
1986–87	Aris	3–0	Panionios	Aris	18–0
1987–88	Aris	3–0	PAOK	Aris	18–0
1988–89	Aris	3–1	PAOK	Aris	17–1
1989–90	PAOK	r.r.	Aris	PAOK	20–2
1990–91	Aris	4–2	PAOK	Aris	20–2
1991–92	PAOK	4–1	Olympiacos	PAOK	20–2
1992–93	Panathinaikos	1–3	Olympiacos	PAOK	22–4
1993–94	Olympiacos	3–2	PAOK Bravo	Olympiacos	22–4
1994–95	Olympiacos	3–2	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	24–2
1995–96	Olympiacos	3–2	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	24–2
1996–97	Olympiacos	3–1	AEK	Olympiacos	21–5
1997–98	Panathinaikos	3–2	PAOK	Panathinaikos	21–5
1998–99	Olympiacos	2–3	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	21–5
1999–00	Panathinaikos	3–0	PAOK	Olympiacos	21–5
2000–01	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	22–4
2001–02	AEK	3–2	Olympiacos	AEK	23–3
2002–03	Panathinaikos	3–1	AEK	Panathinaikos	21–5
2003–04	Panathinaikos	3–0	Maroussi TIM	Panathinaikos	22–4
2004–05	Panathinaikos	3–1	AEK	Panathinaikos	22–4
2005–06	Panathinaikos	3–0	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	24–2
2006–07	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	24–2
2007–08	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	23–3
2008–09	Olympiacos	1–3	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	25–1
2009–10	Panathinaikos	3–1	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	25–1
2010–11	Olympiacos	1–3	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	26–0
2011–12	Olympiacos	3–2	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	23–1
2012–13	Olympiacos	0–3	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	25–1
2013–14	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	25–1
2014–15	Olympiacos	3–0	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	25–1
2015–16	Olympiacos	3–1	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	25–1
2016–17	Olympiacos	2–3	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	25–1
2017–18	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	26–0
2018–19	Panathinaikos	3–0	Promitheas Patras	AEK	18–8
2019–20	Panathinaikos declared champion through regular season standings due to COVID-19 pandemic			Panathinaikos	18–2
2020–21	Panathinaikos	3–1	Lavrio	Panathinaikos	20–2
2021–22	Olympiacos	3–0	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	23–1
2022–23	Olympiacos	3–1	Panathinaikos	Olympiacos	22–0
2023–24	Panathinaikos	3–2	Olympiacos	Panathinaikos	26–1

Club	W	L	Total
Panathinaikos	19	8	27
Olympiacos	10	14	24
Aris	4	0	4
PAOK	1	6	7
AEK	1	3	4
Panionios	0	1	1
Maroussi	0	1	1
Promitheas Patras	0	1	1
Lavrio	0	1	1

The number of times that clubs participated in the league's original format, the Panhellenic Championship.

Club Times Panellinios Athens 17 Panathinaikos 13 Olympiacos Piraeus 13 Sporting Athens 12 HAN Thessaloniki 10 Iraklis Thessaloniki 10 Aris Thessaloniki 9 AEK Athens 9 PAOK Thessaloniki 7

Club Times Triton Athens 7 Near East Atens 5 Panionios Athens 4 Skagiopouleio Patras 4 Ethnikos Athens 3 Athens University 3 Neoi Vironas 2 EA Patras 2 VAO Thessaloniki 2

Club Times Peiraikos Syndesmos 2 Anatolia College 2 AO Palaio Faliro 2 AE Chalkida 2 Triton Chalkida 2 Olympiacos Addis Ababa 1 Keravnos Cairo 1 Diagoras Rhodes 1 AE Emporoypallilon 1

Club Times HAN Nikaia / HAN Kokkinia 1 Apollon Athens 1 HAN Athens 1 AO Neochori Rodos 1 PO Patras 1 Triton Maroussi 1

The number of times that clubs participated in the top A National Category, while it existed from the 1963–64 season to the 1985–86 season. As well as the number of times that clubs have participated in the top A1 National Category, since it began with the 1986–87 season. Only two clubs, Panathinaikos and Aris, have played in the top division every year since its formation.

• 1963–64 to 1985–86: Alpha (A) National Category
• 1986–87 to 1991–92: Alpha1 (A1) National Category
• 1992–93 to 2009–10: HEBA Alpha1 (A1)
• 2012–13 to 2023–24: Greek Basket League
• 2024–25 to present: Greek Basketball League (GBL)

Club Times Aris Thessaloniki 59 Panathinaikos 59 PAOK Thessaloniki 58 AEK Athens 56 Olympiacos Piraeus 54 Panionios Athens 47 Iraklis Thessaloniki 44 Apollon Patras 33 Sporting Athens 31 Panellinios Athens 30 GS Maroussi 24 GS Peristeri 23 AO Pagrati 17 Kolossos Rhodes 16 Ionikos Nikaia 15 GS Larissa 13 HAN Thessaloniki 12 AGO Rethymno 10 Ilysiakos Athens 9 Dimokritos Thessaloniki 9 AO Dafni 8 OAA Irakleio 8 Near East Athens 7

Club Times AS Papagou 7 Olympia Larissa 7 GS Lavrio 7 Makedonikos Thessaloniki 6 Esperos Kallithea 6 EK Kavala 6 Promitheas Patras 6 AO Trikala 5 KAOD Thessaloniki 5 VAO Thessaloniki 5 Koroivos Amaliada 4 Ionikos Nea Filadelfia 4 Triton Athens 4 Amyntas Athens 4 Ikaros Kallithea 4 GS Kymi 3 AE Larissa 3 AE Nea Kifissia 3 Panelefsiniakos 3 AO Aigaleo 3 Apollon Kalamaria 3 Aetos Thessaloniki 3 KAE Larissa 3

Club Times Trikala 2000 2 Olympias Patras 2 Anatolia College 2 HAN Nikaia / HAN Kokkinia 2 Niki Volos 2 Ifaistos Limnou 2 Philippos Thessaloniki 2 Milon 2 Ampelokipoi Athens 2 Peiraikos Syndesmos 2 AE Holargos 1 Doxa Lefkada 1 Arkadikos Tripoli 1 Thyella Serres 1 MENT Thessaloniki 1 Charilaos Trikoupis 1 Pierikos Katerini 1

The total number of times that each club has played in the top-tier level Greek Basket League, through all of its different league formats.

• 1927–28 to 1960–61: Panhellenic Championship
• 1961–62 to 1962–63: Panhellenic First Category Championship (1st) (A)
• 1963–64 to 1985–86: Alpha (A) National Category
• 1986–87 to 1991–92: Alpha1 (A1) National Category
• 1992–93 to 2009–10: HEBA Alpha1 (A1)
• 2010–11 to 2023–24: Greek Basket League
• 2024–25 to present: Greek Basketball League (GBL)

Club Times Panathinaikos 72 Aris Thessaloniki 68 Olympiacos Piraeus 67 AEK Athens 65 PAOK Thessaloniki 65 Iraklis Thessaloniki 54 Panionios Athens 51 Panellinios Athens 47 Sporting Athens 43 Apollon Patras 33 GS Maroussi 24 GS Peristeri 23 HAN Thessaloniki 22 AO Pagrati 17 Kolossos Rhodes 16 Ionikos Nikaia 15 GS Larissa 12 Near East Athens 12 Triton Athens 11 AGO Rethymno 10 Dimokritos Thessaloniki 9

Club Times AO Dafni 8 OAA Irakleio 8 Ilysiakos Athens 8 VAO Thessaloniki 7 AS Papagou 7 Olympia Larissa 7 GS Lavrio 7 Esperos Kallithea 6 Makedonikos Thessaloniki 6 EK Kavala 6 Promitheas Patras 6 AO Trikala 5 KAOD Thessaloniki 5 Koroivos Amaliada 4 Peiraikos Syndesmos 4 Skagiopouleio Patras 4 Anatolia College 4 Amyntas Athens 4 Ionikos Nea Filadelfia 4 Ikaros Kallithea 4 Kymi 3

Club Times AO Egaleo 3 Apollon Kalamaria 3 Aetos Thessaloniki 3 Ethnikos Athens 3 Athens University 3 HAN Nikaias / HAN Kokkinias 3 Panelefsiniakos 3 AE Nea Kifissia 3 AE Larissa 3 KAE Larissa 3 Trikala 2000 2 Olympias Patras 2 Ifaistos Limnou 2 Neoi Vironas 2 EA Patras 2 AO Palaio Faliro 2 AE Chalkida 2 Triton Chalkida 2 Ampelokipoi Athens 2 Niki Volos 2 Philippos Thessaloniki 2

Club Times Milon 2 Doxa Lefkada 1 AE Holargos 1 Αrkadikos Tripoli 1 Keravnos Cairo 1 Diagoras Rhodes 1 Olympiacos Addis Ababa 1 Triton Maroussi 1 AE Emporoypallilon 1 Thyella Serres 1 Pierikos Katerini 1 MENT Thessaloniki 1 Apollon Athens 1 Charilaos Trikoupis 1 HAN Athens 1 AO eochori Rhodes 1 PO Patras 1

^[15][16]

• 1963–64 to 1985–86: Alpha (A) National Category
• 1986–87 to 1991–92: Alpha1 (A1) National Category
• 1992–93 to 2009–10: HEBA Alpha1 (A1)
• 2010–11 to 2023–24: Greek Basket League
• 2024–25 to present: Greek Basketball League (GBL)

Season	Team	Regular season Record	Playoff record	Final Record (Including playoffs)	Final Season Result
1985–86	Aris	26-0	—	26-0	Champion
1967–68	AEK	22-0	—	22-0	Champion
1975–76	Olympiacos	22-0	—	22-0	Champion
1986–87	Aris	18-0	3-0	21-0	Champion
1987–88	Aris	18-0	3-0	21-0	Champion
2017–18	Panathinaikos	26-0	8-2	34-2	Champion
1979–80	Panathinaikos	16-0	12-2	28-2	Champion
2010–11	Olympiacos	26-0	6–3	32–3	Finalist

Season	Club	Regular season Record	Playoff record	Final Record	Final Season Result
2017–18	Panathinaikos	26–0	8–2	34–2	Champion
2009–10	Panathinaikos	25–1	8–1	33–2	Champion
2014–15	Olympiacos	25–1	8–1	33–2	Champion
2015–16	Olympiacos	25–1	8–1	33–2	Champion
2013–14	Panathinaikos	25–1	8–2	33–3	Champion
2023–24	Panathinaikos	26–1	7–2	33–3	Champion
2005–06	Panathinaikos	24–2	8–0	32–2	Champion
2018–19	Panathinaikos	24–2	8–0	32–2	Champion
2010–11	Panathinaikos	24–2	8–1	32–3	Champion
2010–11	Olympiacos	26–0	6–3	32–3	Finalist
2006–07	Panathinaikos	24–2	8–2	32–4	Champion
2021–22	Olympiacos	23–1	8–0	31–1	Champion
2011–12	Olympiacos	23–1	8–2	31–3	Champion
2008–09	Olympiacos	25–1	6–3	31–4	Finalist
2016–17	Panathinaikos	25–1	6–3	31–4	Champion
2022–23	Olympiacos	22–0	8–1	30–1	Champion

The all-time stats leaders of the HEBA fully professional level era Greek Basketball League, from the 1992–93 season to the present. These are the officially recognized league stats leaders. Although the Greek Basketball League officially recognizes results and championships from the earlier formats of the league, it only officially recognizes the stats leaders since the league's professional era began, with the 1992–93 season. The competition's stats from years prior, when the league was officially classified as an amateur level competition, are not officially recognized.

• Through the 2023–24 season.
• Currently active players in the league in bold.

• Greek Cup
• Greek Super Cup
• Greek basketball clubs in international competitions
• Greek Basketball League Hall of Fame
• HEBA Greek All-Star Game
• Greek 2nd Division
• HEBA
• Basketball in Greece

• Official website (in Greek)
• Greek Basketball (Men) Eurobasket.com (in English)
• Official Hellenic Basketball Federation Site (in Greek)