Lietuvos krepšinio lyga
King Mindaugas Cup | |
International cup(s) | EuroLeague EuroCup Champions League FIBA Europe Cup |
---|---|
Current champions | Žalgiris (24th title) (2022–23) |
Most championships | Žalgiris (24 titles) |
President | Remigijus Milašius |
TV partners | Go3 BTV |
Website | en |
2023–24 season |
Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL; English: Lithuanian Basketball League), also known as Betsafe LKL for sponsorship reasons, is the premier professional men's club basketball league in Lithuania. It is composed of 12 teams, and it is a member of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation. The best LKL clubs are also annual participants of the top European-wide basketball competitions, including the top-tier level EuroLeague.
On April 22, 1993, the Lietuvos krepšinio asociacija (English: Lithuanian Basketball Association) (LKA) was founded. It was the first professional sports organisation in Lithuania. Lietuvos krepšinio lyga was built on the foundation of the LKA. Former basketball player Šarūnas Marčiulionis is named as the founder of the league. He was the first president of the LKL and served from 1993 to 2002. Remigijus Milašius is the current president of the league since 2013. The league's headquarters is located in Vilnius.
A total of 28 teams have competed in the LKL since its inception. Only two teams have been crowned champions, with Žalgiris Kaunas winning the title a record 24 times and Rytas Vilnius six times.
Competition format
The competition format follows a quadruple round-robin format, which means that during the course of a regular season, which lasts from late September to May, each club plays every other club four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 44 games. Teams receive one point for a win, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the eight highest-ranked clubs at the end of the season plays the playoffs and the winner of the playoffs is crowned a champion.
Promotion and relegation
A system of promotion and relegation exists between the LKL and the NKL. The lowest placed team in LKL is relegated to the NKL, and the top team from the NKL promoted to LKL. However, the last team that has been promoted from the NKL to the LKL was
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Qualifying for European competitions
Žalgiris directly enters the EuroLeague as a licensed club. The highest-placed team, apart from licensed club Zalgiris, gets an invite to play in the EuroCup. The second and third highest-placed teams, apart from licensed club, get an invite to play in the Basketball Champions League.
In the 2022–23 season:
- Žalgiris competed in the EuroLeague
- Lietkabelis competed in the EuroCup
- Rytas competed in the Basketball Champions League
History
Foundation and Žalgiris dominance
The Lithuanian Basketball Association was founded on 22 April 1993, when eight of the strongest Lithuanian basketball clubs' officials met with representatives of the
Following the 1993–94 season, the finalists of last season's
During this time period, the league had been dominated by Žalgiris. They won the league's championship trophy for six consecutive years, from 1994 through 1999. Their main rival during those years was Atletas Kaunas led by Saulius Štombergas and a young Žydrūnas Ilgauskas acquired from Žalgiris' youth team. Ilgauskas was selected 20th overall in the 1996 NBA draft, making him the first NBA player coming straight from the LKL. In 1999 Žalgiris, led by Tyus Edney, became the first Lithuanian team to win the top European basketball competition, the EuroLeague title.
Golden era of Lithuanian basketball
In the 1999–2000 season,
Modern era
2010–11 saw Žalgiris reclaim the title, beating Lietuvos rytas 4–1. In the finals of 2012 Žalgiris was the winner again, by sweeping Lietuvos Rytas 3–0. During the 2013–14 season, Žalgiris defeated Neptūnas in the final.[citation needed]
The 2014–2015 season saw the introduction of the 'four wheel system', where all the teams have to play 40 games with no exceptions for teams competing in international competition like in the past. This year Žalgiris was able to finished 1st, but not before a dramatic win against Lietuvos rytas in the last game of the season 82–81.
"...there's no better advertisement for Lithuanian basketball than this match. The season is long, forty games, but everything is settled not only in the last game of the season, but in the last seconds of that game."
— Gintaras Krapikas, head coach of Žalgiris
Žalgiris continued to dominate in the playoffs sweeping rivals Lietuvos rytas once again in the final. Despite a familiar ending, the season was marked by the growing competitiveness of the league, Neptūnas joined Žalgiris and Lietuvos rytas as a powerhouse and this edition saw a couple of upsets and close games from teams such as
Six
The
"Does not matter the strength of the opponent, no matter, if Žalgiris Kaunas or Rytas Vilnius wins, the result does not mater, it is important, that the Lord is with us."
— Pope Francis, during his speech with youngsters at the Cathedral Square in Vilnius, surprised by mentioning two strongest teams of the Lithuanian league.[7]
In the
During the 2019–20 season, the LKL board ended the season prematurely due to the coronavirus outbreak and crowned Žalgiris champions.[8]
In the
During
Teams
This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (December 2023) |
Champions by season
- In 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons no bronze medal game was played. Positions are determined by regular season standings of the semifinalists.
- ^ Žalgiris declared champion through regular season standings after the premature ending of the league due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Performance by club
Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Winning years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Žalgiris | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2010-11, 2022-23
|
Lietuvos rytas / Rytas | 6 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1999-00, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2021–22
|
Atletas | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
Neptūnas | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
Lietkabelis | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
Olimpas
|
0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Šiauliai | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | |
Rūdupis/Prienai | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
Alita | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
Sakalai | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
Juventus
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
Lavera | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Statyba | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Šilutė | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Nevėžis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
Alytus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
Jonava | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
All–time national champions
Total number of national champions won by Lithuanian clubs. Table includes titles won during the Lithuanian Championships (1924–1941) and (1990–present) and the USSR Premier Basketball League (1945–1991).
Club | Trophies | Years won |
---|---|---|
Žalgiris Kaunas | 32
|
1947, 1951, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2023
|
LFLS Kaunas | 6
|
1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1935, 1936 |
Rytas Vilnius | 6
|
2000, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2022
|
CJSO Kaunas | 3
|
1937, 1938, 1940 |
LGSF Kaunas | 2
|
1933, 1934 |
Kovas Kaunas
|
1
|
1925 |
Perkūnas Kaunas | 1
|
1941 |
Awards
Lithuanian All-Star Game
See also
- List of Lithuanian basketball league champions
- King Mindaugas Cup
- King Mindaugas Cup MVP
- LKF Cup
- Basketball in Lithuania
References
- ^ "Apie mus". LKL.lt. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ^ "Pirmieji LKL žingsniai – per kliūtis". lrytas.lt. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- ^ "Istorinis įvykis: "Lietuvos ryto" pirmasis LKL čempiono titulas - Krepsinis.net". Retrieved 14 December 2017.
- ^ "FIBA sprendimas: "Lietkabelio" ir "Vytauto" į turnyrą nepriėmė". Krepsinis.net. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ "BBL reguliariajame sezone varžysis trys Lietuvos komandos". BasketNews.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 21 August 2015.
- ^ "LKL lankomumas – didžiausias lygos istorijoje". BasketNews.lt (in Lithuanian).
- Lietuvos Radijas ir Televizija(in Lithuanian). Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ^ "Betsafe LKL season cancelled, Zalgiris crowned as champions - LKL.LT". en.lkl.lt. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "Historic TV rights agreement: Lithuanian Basketball League will be broadcast abroad". en.lkl.lt. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "LKL valdyba nubalsavo – kitą sezoną čempionate rungtyniaus 11 komandų". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "LKL Valdyba nubalsavo – kitais metais "Betsafe-LKL" čempionate rungtyniaus 12 komandų". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "Mažeikių komandai suteikta "Betsafe-LKL" licencija". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 22 May 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.