Bulgarian Basketball League (National Basketball League) History

League status

The National Basketball League is the first-tier professional basketball league in Bulgaria. NBL was established in 1942.
The NBL sits above the BBL Division A which effectively forms the second-tier of Bulgarian basketball.
At the end of regular season, top 8 teams qualify to the play-offs.
Limits of non-Bulgarian players per team: 6 import players (non-Europeans), 6 Bosman players (with European passport) . Total number of allowed imports and Bosmans is 6.

League name history

1942-1992: A Division 
1992-2008: Pro A1  1996-1997 1997-1998 1998-1999 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008
2008 until now: National Basketball League  2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026
Until 2008
Since 2008

Title holders

Championships by club

TitlesClubYears
4Balkan 2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2025-26
4Akademik S. 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15
3Levski 2013-14, 2017-18, 2020-21
3Rilski 2015-16, 2023-24, 2024-25
1Beroe 2016-17

Finals year-by-year

SeasonWinnerResultFinalistRegular Season Champ
2010-11Lukoil Akademik Sofia2-0Levski SofiaLevski Sofia
2011-12Lukoil Akademik Sofia3-0Levski SofiaLevski Sofia
2012-13Lukoil Akademik Sofia2-1Levski SofiaLukoil Akademik Sofia
2013-14Levski Sofia3-2Lukoil Akademik SofiaLukoil Akademik Sofia
2014-15Lukoil Akademik Sofia1-1Balkan BotevgradLukoil Akademik Sofia
2015-16Rilski Sportist Samokov3-0Spartak PlevenLukoil Akademik Sofia
2016-17BC Beroe Stara Zagora2-0Lukoil Akademik SofiaLukoil Akademik Sofia
2017-18Levski Sofia1-1Balkan BotevgradBalkan Botevgrad
2018-19Balkan Botevgrad1-1Levski Lukoil SofiaLevski Lukoil Sofia
2019-20Not held
2020-21Levski Lukoil Sofia2-1Rilski Sportist SamokovRilski Sportist Samokov
2021-22Balkan Botevgrad3-1Rilski Sportist SamokovRilski Sportist Samokov
2022-23Balkan Botevgrad3-0Chernomorets BurgasRilski Sportist Samokov
2023-24Rilski Sportist Samokov3-1Balkan BotevgradChernomorets Burgas
2024-25Rilski Sportist Samokov3-1Cherno More Ticha VarnaRilski Sportist Samokov
2025-26Balkan Botevgrad3-2PlovdivRilski Sportist Samokov

Finals participants

ClubWLTotal
Levski347
Balkan437
Akademik S.426
Rilski325
Spartak Pleven011
Cherno More011
Chernomorets011
Beroe101
Lokomotiv Pl.011

Final Four participants

Club1st2nd3rd4th
Balkan4332
Akademik S.4210
Levski3410
Rilski3244
Beroe1010
Cherno More0114
Spartak Pleven0112
Chernomorets0110
Lokomotiv Pl.0100
Yambol0011
Akademik P.0011
CSKA0001

Players with the most appearances in the Bulgarian Finals

PlayerFinals AppearancesYears
Kris Minkov102011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
Veselin Veselinov92011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Dimitar Dimitrov92013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
Georgi Georgiev72011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021
Aleks Simeonov72011, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026
Tencho Banev62011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017
Bozhidar Avramov62011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019
Hristo Zahariev62014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023
Deyan Karamfilov62018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
Zlatin Georgiev52011, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2022

Players with the most Bulgarian titles

PlayerCountYears Won
Kris Minkov82011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
Veselin Veselinov62011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018
Dimitar Dimitrov62014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2026
Todor Stoykov52011, 2011, 2012, 2012, 2013
Brandon Heath42011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Ilko Valchev42011, 2012, 2013, 2015
Tencho Banev42011, 2012, 2013, 2015
Hristo Zahariev42014, 2015, 2021, 2023
Aleks Simeonov42014, 2024, 2025, 2026
Bruno Sundov32011, 2012, 2015