Japanese Basketball League (B1 League) History
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League status
The Japan Basketball League (JBL) is the first-tier professional basketball league in Japan. Japan Basketball League was established in 1991.
The B1 League sits above the B2 League which effectively forms the second-tier of Japanese basketball.
At the end of regular season, top 8 teams qualify to the play-offs.
Limits of non-Japanese players per team: 3 import players (non-Europeans), 3 Bosman players (with European passport) . Total number of allowed imports and Bosmans is 3.
League name history
1991-2013: Japan Basketball League 1999-2000 2000-2001 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013
2000-2001: JBL Pre Superleague
2016[+] until now: B1 League 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
League logos
 Until 2007 |  2007-2016 |  Since 2016 |
Title holders
- 2008-09:
Aishin Sea Horses - 2009-10:
Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya - 2010-11: Not held
- 2011-12:
Toyota Alvark - 2012-13: Aishin Sea Horses
- 2013-14:
Toshiba Brave Thunders
- 2014-15: Aishin Sea Horses
- 2015-16: Toshiba Brave Thunders
- 2016-17: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2017-18: Alvark Tokyo
- 2018-19: Alvark Tokyo
- 2019-20: Not held
- 2020-21:
Chiba Jets - 2021-22: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2022-23:
Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa - 2023-24:
Hiroshima Dragonflies - 2024-25: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2025-26:
Nagasaki Velca
- 2008-09: Aishin Sea Horses
- 2009-10: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2010-11: Not held
- 2011-12: Toyota Alvark
- 2012-13: Aishin Sea Horses
- 2013-14: Toshiba Brave Thunders
- 2014-15: Aishin Sea Horses
- 2015-16: Toshiba Brave Thunders
- 2016-17: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2017-18: Alvark Tokyo
- 2018-19: Alvark Tokyo
- 2019-20: Not held
- 2020-21: Chiba Jets
- 2021-22: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2022-23: Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa
- 2023-24: Hiroshima Dragonflies
- 2024-25: Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya
- 2025-26: Nagasaki Velca
Championships by club
| Titles | Club | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 5 |  Ryukyu GK | 2008-09, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2022-23 |
| 6 | Tochigi Brex | 2009-10, 2016-17, 2021-22, 2024-25, 2024-25, 2025-26 |
| 3 | Alvark Tokyo | 2011-12, 2017-18, 2018-19 |
| 3 |  Sea Horses M. | 2008-09, 2012-13, 2014-15 |
| 2 | Kawasaki BT | 2013-14, 2015-16 |
| 2 | Chiba Jets | 2020-21, 2023-24 |
| 2 |  Hiroshima D. | 2023-24, 2024-25 |
| 1 | Nagasaki | 2025-26 |
Finals year-by-year
| Season | Winner | Result | Finalist | Regular Season Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09 | Aishin Sea Horses | 3-1 |  Hitachi Sunrockers Tokyo | Aishin Sea Horses |
| 2009-10 | Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya | 3-0 | Aishin Sea Horses | Aishin Sea Horses |
| 2010-11 | Not held | |||
| 2011-12 | Toyota Alvark | 3-1 | Aishin Sea Horses | Aishin Sea Horses |
| 2012-13 | Aishin Sea Horses | 3-2 | Toshiba Brave Thunders | Aishin Sea Horses |
| 2013-14 | Toshiba Brave Thunders | 3-0 |  Wakayama Trians | Toshiba Brave Thunders |
| 2014-15 | Aishin Sea Horses | 3-1 | Toyota Alvark | Hitachi Sunrockers Tokyo |
| 2015-16 | Toshiba Brave Thunders | 3-2 | SeaHorses Mikawa | Alvark Tokyo |
| 2016-17 | Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya | 85-79 | Toshiba Brave Thunders | Toshiba Brave Thunders |
| 2017-18 | Alvark Tokyo | 85-60 | Chiba Jets | SeaHorses Mikawa |
| 2018-19 | Alvark Tokyo | 71-67 | Chiba Jets | Chiba Jets |
| 2019-20 | Not held | |||
| 2020-21 | Chiba Jets | 2-1 | Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya | |
| 2021-22 | Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya | 2-0 | Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa | |
| 2022-23 | Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa | 2-0 | Chiba Jets | |
| 2023-24 | Hiroshima Dragonflies | 50-65 | Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa | |
| 2024-25 | Link Tochigi Brex Utsunomiya | 2-1 | Ryukyu Golden Kings Okinawa | |
Finals participants
| Club | W | L | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Horses M. | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Ryukyu GK | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Tochigi Brex | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Kawasaki BT | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Alvark Tokyo | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Chiba Jets | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Sunrockers Sh. | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hiroshima D. | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Wakayama T. | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Nagasaki | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Final Four participants
| Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tochigi Brex | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Sea Horses M. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Alvark Tokyo | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Kawasaki BT | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Ryukyu GK | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Chiba Jets | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Hiroshima D. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nagasaki | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sunrockers Sh. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Wakayama T. | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Panasonic T. | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Nagoya DD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Shimane SM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yokohama BC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| San-en NP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Players with the most appearances in the Japanese Finals
| Player | Finals Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| JR Sakuragi | 6 | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 |
| Yuta Tabuse | 5 | 2010, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2025 |
| Makoto Hiejima | 5 | 2015, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2025 |
| Gavin Edwards | 5 | 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025 |
| Alex Kirk | 5 | 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Jack Cooley | 5 | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Ryuichi Kishimoto | 5 | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Shota Onodera | 5 | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Kazutaka Takashima | 4 | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 |
| Ryoma Hashimoto | 4 | 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 |
Players with the most Japanese titles
| Player | Count | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| Yuta Tabuse | 4 | 2010, 2017, 2022, 2025 |
| JR Sakuragi | 3 | 2009, 2013, 2015 |
| Kosuke Takeuchi | 3 | 2012, 2022, 2025 |
| Takeki Shonaka | 3 | 2012, 2018, 2019 |
| Makoto Hiejima | 3 | 2015, 2022, 2025 |
| Hironori Watanabe | 3 | 2017, 2022, 2025 |
| Yusuke Endo | 3 | 2017, 2022, 2025 |
| Yudai Baba | 3 | 2018, 2019, 2026 |
| Daiki Tanaka | 3 | 2018, 2019, 2025 |
| Kazutaka Takashima | 2 | 2009, 2013 |
