Greek Basket League (GBL)

Current season or competition: Greek Basket League 2011–12
120px Logo GBL
Sport	Basketball
Founded	1927
Commissioner	Vassilis Economidis
Inaugural season	1927-28
No. of teams	13
Country(ies)	Greece
Continent	FIBA Europe (Europe)
Most recent champion(s)	Panathinaikos (32nd title)
Most titles	Panathinaikos (32 titles)
TV partner(s)	ERT
Level on pyramid	1st Tier
Relegation to	HEBA A2
Domestic cup(s)	Greek Cup
Official website	Esake.gr (English) Esake.gr (Greek) Live Match Center (English)

The Greek Basket League (GBL), commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA (Greek: ΕΣΑΚΕ). The league is also known as the Greek Basket League OPAP for sponsorship reasons.

It is ranked as one of the 3 "A" level national domestic leagues in European basketball by the ULEB League Rankings System. It consists of 14 teams and runs from October to June, with teams playing 26 games each during the regular season, and the top 8 teams then competing in the playoffs. The first official Greek Basketball Championship was held in the 1927-28 season.

History[link]

Basketball first came to Greece in the year 1910. By the 1927-28 season, the first official championship began. 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) was founded.

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 fourth era of the championship began in the 1992-93 season, when the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association (HEBA) took over the competition and renamed the first division the HEBA A1 (ΕΣΑΚΕ Α1), and the second division the HEBA A2 (ΕΣΑΚΕ Α2).

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 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 and Lega A in Italy. It is considered one of the 3 European "A" level leagues under the ULEB League Rankings System. The league has several great powers which belong to the most traditional European basketball clubs, especially the Euroleague giants Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Other clubs that have had significant successes throughout the history of Greek basketball are AEK Athens and Aris. Along with PAOK, the aforementioned clubs are the most successful and widely supported in Greece.

Despite the championship having been contested 71 times, only nine different clubs have won it so far. The dominating club has always been Panathinaikos, having claimed the championship 32 times. Since its foundation, only two teams have participated in every season of the first division since 1963-64: Panathinaikos and Aris.

Promotion and relegation[link]

The championship, in its current form, has been organized since the 1992-93 season by the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association (HEBA). 30 pro Greek basketball teams are split into two different divisions. The first division championship, which is called the "A1", in which 14 teams compete for the Greek National Championship, and the second division championship, which is called the "HEBA A2", in which 16 teams compete for the second division crown. The bottom two place finishing teams each year in the A1 division standings are relegated to the A2 division, due to poor performance. While conversely, the top two teams each year from the A2 division are promoted to the A1 division, due to good performance.

Arena standards[link]

Currently, Greek clubs must play their home games in arenas that seat at least 1,000 people in order to play Greek domestic league matches. Starting with the 2012-13 season, clubs must play their home Greek League matches in arenas that seat at least 3,500 people. Several Greek clubs have two arenas that they primarily use. One for domestic Greek League matches, and one for European-wide matches.

Greek clubs that play in the Euroleague or the Eurocup, must play their home games in those leagues in arenas that fit the arena standards of those leagues. Currently, a 5,000 seat arena minimum for the Euroleague, and a 3,000 seat arena minimum for the Eurocup. Starting with the 2012-13 season, the minimum arena seating capacity to compete in the Eurocup will be 5,000.

Current clubs[link]

The clubs for the 2011-12 season:

• *Arenas that meet ULEB European arena requirements, and where the clubs play their home games at if they are competing in the Euroleague and/or the Eurocup.

KAOD

Aris

Kolossos

Peristeri

Kavala

Maroussi

Ikaros

Olympiacos

Ilissiakos

Panathinaikos

Panionios

PAOK

Rethymno Aegean

2011-12 Greek A1 League Season Club Locations.

Champions[link]

• 1927-28 to 1962-63: Panhellenic Championship
• 1963-64 to 1985-86: A National Category
• 1986-87 to 1991-92: A1 National Category
• 1992-93 to present: HEBA A1

Performance by club[link]

A1 Finals[link]

By Club[link]

Number of seasons in the A and A1 National Categories by club (1963-64 - 2011-12)[link]

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: A National Category
• 1986-87 to 1991-92: A1 National Category
• 1992-93 to present: HEBA A1

The best regular season records in the history of the A and A1 National Categories (1963–2011)[link]

^[4][5]

• 1963-64 to 1985-86: A National Category
• 1986-87 to 1991-92: A1 National Category
• 1992-93 to present: HEBA A1

The best regular season records of the HEBA A1 (1992–2011)[link]

Greek basketball clubs in European-wide competitions[link]

Greek basketball clubs in the Euroleague[link]

• The years in which clubs from the Greek Basketball League competed in Europe's first tier continental-wide professional club basketball competition, the Euroleague:

Greek basketball clubs at the Euroleague Final Four[link]

Panathinaikos has made 11 Euroleague Final Four appearances (with 12 top 4 place finishes), has played in the Euroleague Final 7 times, and has won the Euroleague championship 6 times. Olympiacos has made 7 Euroleague Final Four appearances, has played in the Euroleague Final 5 times, and has won the Euroleague championship twice. AEK Athens has made 3 Euroleague Final Four appearances and has played in the Euroleague Final once. PAOK has also played in the Euroleague Final Four once.

† Panathinaikos and Iraklis played in the FIBA SuproLeague during the 2000-01 season.

Greek basketball clubs in the Saporta Cup[link]

• Greek clubs that finished in the top 3 places of the now defunct Saporta Cup (1966-67 to 2001-02), which was the second-tier European-wide continental competition:

Greek basketball clubs in the Korać Cup[link]

• Greek clubs that finished in the top 3 places of the now defunct Korać Cup (1971-72 to 2001-02), which was the third-tier European-wide continental competition:

Greek League awards[link]

MVP Award[link]

^[6][7]

Season	MVP	Team
1987-88	- Nikos Galis	Aris
1988-89	- Nikos Galis	Aris
1989-90	- Nikos Galis	Aris
1990-91	- Nikos Galis	Aris
1991-92	Giorgos Sigalas	Olympiacos
1992-93	Giorgos Sigalas	Olympiacos
1993-94	Giorgos Sigalas	Olympiacos
1994-95	Giorgos Sigalas	Olympiacos
1995-96	Giorgos Sigalas	Olympiacos
1996-97	David Rivers	Olympiacos
1997-98	Peja Stojaković	PAOK
1998-99	Dejan Bodiroga	Panathinaikos
1999-00	Željko Rebrača	Panathinaikos
2000-01	Alphonso Ford	Peristeri
2001-02	Dimos Dikoudis	AEK Athens
2002-03	Fragiskos Alvertis	Panathinaikos
2003-04	Dimitris Diamantidis	Iraklis
2004-05	Jaka Lakovič	Panathinaikos
2005-06	Dimitris Diamantidis	Panathinaikos
2006-07	Dimitris Diamantidis	Panathinaikos
2007-08	Dimitris Diamantidis	Panathinaikos
2008-09	Vassilis Spanoulis	Panathinaikos
2009-10	Mike Batiste	Panathinaikos
2010-11	Dimitris Diamantidis	Panathinaikos

Best Young Player[link]

• 1998-99: Kostas Tsartsaris (Near East)
• 2000-01: Nikos Zisis (AEK Athens)
• 2001-02: Vassilis Spanoulis (Maroussi)
• 2005-06: Dimitrios Tsaldaris (Aris)
• 2006-07: Georgios Printezis (Olympia Larissa)
• 2007-08: Ian Vougioukas (Rethymno Aegean)
• 2008-09: Kostas Papanikolaou (Aris)
• 2009-10: Nikos Pappas (Kolossos)
• 2010-11: Kostas Sloukas (Aris)

Most Improved Player[link]

• 2010-11: Nick Calathes (Panathinaikos)

Best Defender[link]

• 2010-11: Dimitris Diamantidis (Panathinaikos)

Coach of the Year[link]

• 2006-07: Željko Obradović (Panathinaikos)
• 2007-08: Soulis Markopoulos (Maroussi)
• 2008-09: Željko Obradović (Panathinaikos)
• 2009-10: Georgios Bartzokas (Maroussi)
• 2010-11: Željko Obradović (Panathinaikos)

Scoring leaders (since the 1963-64 season)[link]

Season	Scoring Leader	Team	Scoring Average
1963-64	Giorgos Kolokithas	Sporting
1964-65	Giorgos Amerikanos	AEK Athens
1965-66	Giorgos Kolokithas	Panathinaikos
1966-67	Giorgos Kolokithas	Panathinaikos
1967-68	Giorgos Amerikanos	AEK Athens
1968-69	Takis Maglos	Pagrati
1969-70	Vasilis Goumas	Panellinios
1970-71	Paraschos Tsantalis	Panellinios
1971-72	Aristeidis Moumoglou	Iraklis
1972-73	Kostas Diamantopoulos	Sporting
1973-74	Vasilis Goumas	Panellinios
1974-75	Vasilis Goumas	Panellinios
1975-76	Harris Papageorgiou	Aris
1976-77	Vasilis Goumas	Panellinios
1977-78	Pavlos Stamelos	Sporting
1978-79	Harris Papageorgiou	Aris
1979-80	Panagiotis Yiannakis	Ionikos Nikaias
1980-81	- Nikos Galis	Aris	43.9
1981-82	- Nikos Galis	Aris	37.6
1982-83	- Nikos Galis	Aris	36.2
1983-84	- Nikos Galis	Aris	41.2
1984-85	- Nikos Galis	Aris	37.1
1985-86	- Nikos Galis	Aris	39.3
1986-87	- Nikos Galis	Aris	39.7
1987-88	- Nikos Galis	Aris	37.4
1988-89	- Nikos Galis	Aris	37.7
1989-90	- Nikos Galis	Aris	38.8
1990-91	- Nikos Galis	Aris	35.3
1991-92	Žarko Paspalj	Olympiacos	33.7
1992-93	Richard Rellford	Dafni	27.9
1993-94	Mitchell Wiggins	Milon	31.3
1994-95	Walter Berry	Iraklis	29.1
1995-96	Mitchell Wiggins	Sporting	29.5
1996-97	Alphonso Ford	Papagou	24.6
1997-98	Tony Dawson	Apollon Patras	26.1
1998-99	Alphonso Ford	Sporting	22.3
1999-00	Alphonso Ford	Peristeri	22.2
2000-01	Alphonso Ford	Peristeri	23.7
2001-02	Nikos Chatzivrettas	Iraklis	22.2
2002-03	Giorgos Diamantopoulos	Panionios	26.5
2003-04	Nestoras Kommatos	Aris	21.5
2004-05	Nikos Ikonomou	Panionios	18.7
2005-06	Damir Mulaomerović	Panellinios	21.1
2006-07	Kee Kee Clark	Egaleo	18.8
2007-08	Anthony Grundy	Panellinios	21.5
2008-09	Anthony Grundy	Panellinios	15.1
2009-10	Josh Childress	Olympiacos	15.3
2010-11	- Rawle Marshall	PAOK	17.2
2011-12	Dionte Christmas	A.G.O.R.	18.2

Rebounding leaders (since the 1986-87 season)[link]

Season	Rebounding Leader	Team	Rebounding Average
1986-87	Panagiotis Fasoulas	PAOK	15.5
1987-88	- David Stergakos	Panathinaikos	12.2
1988-89	Mark Landsberger	Panionios	17.9
1989-90	Earl Harrison	Pagrati	15.3
1990-91	Earl Harrison	Pagrati	12.8
1991-92	Antonio Davis	Panathinaikos	14.6
1992-93	Roy Tarpley	Aris	17.2
1993-94	Rod Sellers	Apollon Patras	14.3
1994-95	Thomas Jordan	Pagrati	13.9
1995-96	José Ortiz	Iraklio	13.3
1996-97	Andres Guibert	Sporting	11.3
1997-98	Dino Rađa	Panathinaikos	13.0
1998-99	Erik Meek	Maroussi	11.3
1999-00	James Forrest	Iraklio	10.9
2000-01	Dino Rađa	Olympiacos	11.8
2001-02	Andres Guibert	KAOD	10.1
2002-03	Ben Handlogten	Makedonikos	12.8
2003-04	Travis Watson	Panionios	11.1
2004-05	Travis Watson	Panionios	10.0
2005-06	Jeremiah Massey	AEL 1964	9.3
2006-07	Andre Hutson	Panionios	8.6
2007-08	K'zell Wesson	AEK Athens	8.9
2008-09	Torin Francis	AEL 1964	8.8
2009-10	Chris Massie	Trikala	10.7
2010-11	Cedric Simmons	Kavala	9.8
2011-12	Aron Baynes	Ikaros	8.7

A1 National Category all-time cumulative stats leaders (since the 1986-87 season)[link]

• This counts only the stats since the two divisions were formed, starting with the 1986-87 season.
• Counting only games played in the A1 Division, and not counting any games played in the A2 Division or the Greek Cup:

• 1986-87 to 1991-92: A1 National Category
• 1992-93 to present: HEBA A1

• *Currently Active Players
• Last update: June 20, 2011