All you need to know about Pro International Basketball League

Players will be auctioned on the 9th of January with the league starting on the 15th of January.

The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and Indian National Basketball League (INBL) have announced a new Pro International Basketball League (InBL PRO U-25) where Indian players under the age of 25 and international players will be part of six teams—Gujarat, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Punjab. The goal of this league is to transform grassroots basketball and also generate more opportunities for Indian ballers.

A first of its kind in India, the under-25 league will pave the way for India to compete in the Olympics and achieve top three rankings in Asia. “The InBL PRO U-25 is a significant initiative that will raise the standards of Indian basketball.

“By blending international expertise with local talent, a new benchmark for the sport is being set in India and we, at BFI is happy to collaborate with INBL in this landmark league,” said BFI President Aadhav Arjuna.

International Basketball League Format

The league will feature one game a day starting from January 15th, 2025, till March 2025 where the final four will be played in Abu Dhabi.

“This league will elevate the game in India by creating never-seen-before opportunities for India’s youngtalent to learn, grow, and compete at a professional level. With international players andcoaches, the Indian players will be able to get unmatched experiences that will set them for theglobal stage,” shared BFI Secretary Kulwinder Singh Gill.

Team composition

Each team will feature 12 players with six U25 Indian players and six international players from the USA, Australia, New Zealand and others. The International Basketball League will also have 12 international coaches and six Indian assistant coaches.

INBL CEO Parveen Batish also mentioned that the league will have a “Rapid League,” an idea from New Zealand’s NBL which will help players with less playing time compete and showcase their talent to earn more time in the game.

International exposure

The best Indian players will also have a chance to play for the Indian Panthers in New Zealand’s NBL, which is situated in Southern Auckland, a region according to Justin Nelson, Commissioner of the New Zealand National Basketball League, has the highest population of Indian immigrants and Indian-origin nationals.

The top 10-12 Indian players will live and train in Auckland, New Zealand, and represent India for five months, competing against other professional teams weekly in high-level international games. The Panthers will also provide Indian players with advanced training methodologies, game preparation, and strategy in one of the most competitive basketball environments.

NBL has produced some good NBA stars, most prominent of them Houston Rockets centre Steven Adams. 15 players from the league have featured in the G League and many more are part of top NCAA programme.

Also Read: BFI launches new tournament Pro International Basketball League for U25 players

From standoff to partnership

Earlier this year, BFI and INBL were in a legal standoff with regard to their showcase event in Delhi. Where BFI contested that the private organisers cannot use India for the home team without the permission of the national federation. BFI President addressed it with saying that they entered into negotiations and decided to drop the case to improve the state of basketball together.

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