The Slovenian Basketball League (Slovene: 1. slovenska košarkarska liga), abbreviated as 1. SKL and known as the Liga OTP banka due to sponsorship reasons, is the top-level professional men's basketball league in Slovenia. The league is operated by the Basketball Federation of Slovenia and consists of eleven clubs. The most successful team is Cedevita Olimpija with 21 titles.

Liga OTP banka
Founded1991; 33 years ago (1991)
First season1991–92
CountrySlovenia
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Number of teams11
Level on pyramid1
Relegation to2. SKL
Domestic cup(s)Slovenian Cup
SupercupSlovenian Supercup
International cup(s)Basketball Champions League
FIBA Europe Cup
Current championsCedevita Olimpija (21st title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsCedevita Olimpija (21 titles)
TV partnersRTV Slovenija
Šport TV
WebsiteOfficial website

History

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The league was founded in 1991, shortly after Slovenia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia. Before the independence, the Slovenian Republic League was played as a second or third level of Yugoslav basketball. Olimpija, Ljubljana, Slovan, ŽKK Maribor, Lesonit, and Branik Maribor were the only Slovenian teams that played in the Yugoslav First Federal League.

Names

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Since 1991, the league has been named after sponsors on several occasions, giving it the following names:

  • Liga Kolinska (1998–2001)
  • HYPO Liga (2001–2002)
  • 1. A SKL (2002–2006)
  • Liga UPC Telemach (2006–2009)
  • Liga Telemach (2009–2016)
  • Liga Nova KBM (2016–2019)
  • 1. SKL (2019–2020)
  • Liga Nova KBM (2020)[1]
  • 1. SKL (2020–21)
  • Liga Nova KBM (2021–2024)[2]
  • Liga OTP banka (2024–present)[3]

Competition format

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In the regular season, ten teams play each other three times for a total of 27 games. If a team competes in international competitions (Basketball Champions League, EuroLeague or EuroCup Basketball) and plays at least ten international games per season, that team automatically enters the quarterfinals and does not compete in the regular season. The bottom-placed team of the regular season is relegated to the 2. SKL.

The top seven teams from the regular season advance to the quarterfinals and are joined by a team that did not compete in the regular season. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, a best-of-three playoff is used. The semifinal winners advance to the best-of-five championship finals, with the winners crowned as league champions.[4]

Current teams

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As of the 2024–25 season

Team Location Arena Established Head coach
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana Arena Stožice 2019   Zvezdan Mitrović
ECE Triglav Kranj Kranj Planina Sports Hall 1950   Danijel Radosavljević
GGD Šenčur Šenčur Šenčur Sports Hall 1973   Miljan Pavković
Ilirija Ljubljana Tivoli Hall 1957   Stipe Modrić
Kansai Helios Domžale Domžale Domžale Sports Hall 1949   Jure Močnik
Krka Novo Mesto Leon Štukelj Hall 1948   Dejan Jakara
LTH Castings Škofja Loka Poden Sports Hall 1954   Dejan Prokić
Rogaška Rogaška Slatina Rogaška Slatina Sports Hall 1998   Dragiša Drobnjak
Šentjur Šentjur OŠ Hruševec Hall 1969   Jan Šentjurc
Terme Olimia Podčetrtek Podčetrtek Podčetrtek Sports Hall 1999   Davor Brečko
Zlatorog Laško Laško Tri Lilije Hall 1969   Nejc Kobal

Finals

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Season Champions Runners-up Result Finals MVP Champion's coach
1991–92 Smelt Olimpija Optimizem Postojna
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
1992–93 Smelt Olimpija Slovenica Koper
3–1
  Zmago Sagadin
1993–94 Smelt Olimpija TAM Bus Maribor
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
1994–95 Smelt Olimpija Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela
3–0
  Sergej Ravnikar
1995–96 Smelt Olimpija Interier Krško
3–1
  Žarko Đurišić
1996–97 Smelt Olimpija Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela
3–1
  Zmago Sagadin
1997–98 Union Olimpija Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
1998–99 Union Olimpija Pivovarna Laško
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
1999–00 Krka Telekom Pivovarna Laško
3–1
  Ivan Sunara
2000–01 Union Olimpija Krka Telekom
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
2001–02 Union Olimpija Krka
3–0
  Zmago Sagadin
2002–03 Krka Union Olimpija
3–2
  Neven Spahija
2003–04 Union Olimpija Pivovarna Laško
3–0
  Sašo Filipovski
2004–05 Union Olimpija Geoplin Slovan
3–2
  Sašo Filipovski
2005–06 Union Olimpija Geoplin Slovan
3–2
  Zmago Sagadin
2006–07 Helios Domžale Union Olimpija
3–2
  Memi Bečirovič
2007–08 Union Olimpija Helios Domžale
3–1
  Aleksandar Džikić
2008–09 Union Olimpija Helios Domžale
3–0
  Jure Zdovc
2009–10 Krka Union Olimpija
3–2
  Smiljan Pavič   Aleksandar Džikić
2010–11 Krka Union Olimpija
3–2
  Zoran Dragić   Aleksandar Džikić
2011–12 Krka Union Olimpija
3–1
  Afik Nissim   Aleksander Sekulić
2012–13 Krka Union Olimpija
3–1
  Matjaž Smodiš   Gašper Potočnik
2013–14 Krka Union Olimpija
3–2
  Jaka Klobučar   Aleksandar Džikić
2014–15 Tajfun Rogaška
3–1
  Dragiša Drobnjak   Dejan Mihevc
2015–16 Helios Suns Zlatorog Laško
3–1
  Marjan Čakarun   Jakša Vulić
2016–17 Union Olimpija Rogaška
3–1
  Devin Oliver   Gašper Okorn
2017–18 Petrol Olimpija Krka
3–2
  Devin Oliver   Zoran Martič
2018–19 Sixt Primorska Petrol Olimpija
3–0
  Marjan Čakarun   Jurica Golemac
2019–20 The season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Cedevita Olimpija Krka
3–0
  Kendrick Perry   Jurica Golemac
2021–22 Cedevita Olimpija Helios Suns
3–0
  Alen Omić   Jurica Golemac
2022–23 Cedevita Olimpija Helios Suns
3–1
  Yogi Ferrell   Miro Alilović
2023–24 Cedevita Olimpija Kansai Helios Domžale
3–0
  Alen Omić   Zoran Martić

Titles by club

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Club Title(s) Seasons won
Cedevita Olimpija[a]
21
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Krka
7
2000, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Kansai Helios Domžale
2
2007, 2016
Šentjur
1
2015
Primorska
1
2019

Finals appearances

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Num Team W L
29 Cedevita Olimpija[a] 21 8
11 Krka 7 4
7 Kansai Helios Domžale 2 5
1 Šentjur 1 0
1 Primorska 1 0
4 Zlatorog Laško 0 4
3 Hopsi Polzela 0 3
2 Slovan 0 2
2 Rogaška 0 2
1 Postojna 0 1
1 Koper 0 1
1 TAM Bus 0 1
1 Krško 0 1
  1. ^ a b Including inherited titles of KK Olimpija.

Statistical leaders

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Season Top rating PIR Top scorer PPG Top rebounder RPG Top Assistant APG
2007–08   Dejan Grković 19.19   Miroslav Jurić 19.58   Dejan Grković 8.81   Jure Močnik 4.85
2008–09   Shawn King 31.26   Gilbert Goodrich 22.15   Shawn King 14.79   Jure Močnik 4.59
2009–10   Shawn King 27.61   Sandi Čebular 20.69   Shawn King 11.30   Tadej Koštomaj 5.44
2010–11   Gregg Thondique 22.84   Benjamin Raymond 17.68   Gregg Thondique 10.53   Igor Mijajlović 4.68
2011–12   Travis Nelson 20.88   Travis Nelson 17.46   Miloš Miljković 8.57   Luka Rupnik 5.33
2012–13   Kervin Bristol 20.07   Sašo Zagorac 17.50   Kervin Bristol 10.86   Daniel Vujasinović 5.81
2013–14   Ousman Krubally 20.03   Ousman Krubally 17.17   Ousman Krubally 9.07   Daniel Vujasinović 7.63
2014–15   Sašo Zagorac 20.41   Sašo Zagorac 18.86   Smiljan Pavič 8.86   Jan Močnik 6.96
2015–16   Jan Barbarič 23.20   Jan Barbarič 18.60   Smiljan Pavič 8.39   Matic Rebec 5.59
2016–17   Igor Tratnik 19.45   Duda Sanadze 17.32   Jakob Čebašek 8.63   Daniel Vujasinović 8.29
2017–18   Smiljan Pavič 19.63   Blaž Mahkovic 18.97   Dino Murić 8.27   Žan Mark Šiško 7.03
2018–19   Davor Konjević 22.37   Davor Konjević 19.96   Matur Maker 9.59   Žan Mark Šiško 6.83
2020–21   Dino Murić 24.00   Dino Murić 19.21   Aaron Carver 12.41   Daniel Vujasinović 8.20

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Košarkarsko državno prvenstvo znova liga Nova KBM" (in Slovenian). Šport TV. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Z banko Nova KBM spet v drugi del državnega prvenstva za moške". kzs.si (in Slovenian). 22 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Prva liga odslej pod imenom Liga OTP banka". kzs.si (in Slovenian). 9 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Tekmovalni pravilnik 2022/23" (PDF). kzs.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 19 August 2022.
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