The National Basketball League (NBL), also known as NBL–Pilipinas, is a men's regional professional basketball league in the Philippines.

History

On June 7, 2018, Celso "Soy" Mercado established the league and named National Basketball League Philippines to search undiscovered talents.

The league will feature an away-and-home format and will focus on giving homegrown players (aged 18–29 years old and a bonafide resident of the team's province, city or municipality) an opportunity to showcase their skills in the hope of making it to the professional and semi-professional leagues.

The league began its inaugural season on August 25, 2018, with 10 teams from Luzon. Games were played every Saturdays and Sundays. The Parañaque Aces became the league's first champions after defeating the Dasmariñas Ballers in the best-of-three championship round.

In 2019, the league expanded to 15 teams, while two of the founding teams folded (Marikina Shoemakers and Bulacan Makabayan). The Women's National Basketball League began their inaugural season on April 7, 2019.

The league's youth division, named NBL-Youth, began its season on May 20, 2019.

NBL Philippines Season 3 opened November 16, 2019, with 14 teams competing. (only Bulacan, Iriga, Rizal, Zambales, Imus & Cainta begged off from competing, while Marikina Best Shoemakers are returning to the league after a year absence)

On August 26, 2020. The Games and Amusements Board have accepted the NBL and WNBL's application to become a professional league. Both leagues will start its first season as a professional league in 2021.

After getting the green light to start from the Games and Amusements Board, the first professional season of the NBL began on July 18, 2021, at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in Pampanga.

Die Philippinen-NBL (Nationale Basketball-Liga) ist eine professionelle Basketballliga auf den Philippinen. Sie wurde 1975 als Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) gegründet und ist die zweithöchste Basketballliga des Landes nach der Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Die NBL besteht derzeit aus 12 Mannschaften, die in zwei Konferenzen aufgeteilt sind: der Nordkonferenz und der Südostkonferenz. Die reguläre Saison läuft von Januar bis Juni, wobei jedes Team 22 Spiele absolviert. Die vier besten Mannschaften jeder Konferenz qualifizieren sich für die Playoffs, die im Juli und August stattfinden.

Der NBL-Champion erhält den Commissioner's Cup, benannt nach dem ehemaligen NBL-Kommissar Chito Narvasa. Zu den bemerkenswerten ehemaligen NBL-Spielern gehören Aric del Rosario, Danny Ildefonso, Olsen Racela und Samboy Lim.

Die NBL ist bekannt für ihren intensiven Wettbewerb und ihre leidenschaftlichen Fans. Sie gilt als Sprungbrett für Spieler, die in die PBA aufsteigen wollen, und hat im Laufe der Jahre einige der besten Basketballtalente des Landes hervorgebracht.