Basketball in Great Britain has been all muddled up as of late. One minute, the game isn’t even being talked about. Next, the NBA is airing on the BBC. Then the London Lions Women become European champions – and now, we might not even have teams in the top tier in the near future.
Read on as TIBS News gives the lowdown on everything that’s happening with professional British basketball.
The fallout of the BBL
Let’s start at the beginning.
Since its inception in 1987, there’s been just one professional basketball league in the UK: the British Basketball League (BBL). That was until last year, when the league unexpectedly collapsed.
In the summer of 2024, the British Basketball Federation (BBF) revoked the BBL’s licence due to financial instability and mismanagement by its investors, 777 Partners. This left the entire league in chaos, with players, coaches, and staff suddenly unemployed.
Super League Basketball (SLB)
In an effort to salvage the professional game, the former BBL clubs came together to launch a new league, which was granted an official license in July 2024: Super League Basketball (SLB).
The inaugural 2024-25 SLB season saw the London Lions win the regular season, the Leicester Riders win the title though via the play-offs, Newcastle Eagles win the Trophy Final and the Surrey 89ers win the Cup.
Most of the original BBL teams joined the SLB, with the exception of Plymouth, making it a nine-team league.
So it seemed like British basketball had been saved. A new league. New energy. Back on track.
But not so fast.
The GBBL
The BBF recently awarded a 15-year league licence, starting in the 2026-27 season, to an entirely different organization: the Great Britain Basketball League (GBBL) – a new, American-backed league with serious financial power.
This means yet another rebrand of the top-flight British basketball league. But this time, it comes with big promises – and big money. The GBBL is launching with £15million in investment and an ambitious plan to change the game in the UK.
So, what are they offering? They’re offering higher salaries for top-level players, investment in grassroots development, a focus on raising the sport’s profile in the UK as well as a potential pathway into NBA Europe, if it ever forms.
On paper, it’s everything British basketball has been begging for. But not everyone’s convinced.
SLB vs GBBL
Those who created the SLB aren’t happy. After all, they stepped up to save British basketball when the BBL collapsed. Now, they feel their hard work is being undermined and the new investors are swooping in for all the glory.
Their concerns are clear:
The GBBL is starting from scratch, with no existing clubs, meaning no fanbases, no community ties, and no academies. And the league is business-first, with less emphasis on developing the sport locally.
On the flip side, GBBL supporters argue that this is the exact shake-up British basketball needs. A professionally-run league with proper funding, a national spotlight, and a real chance to compete with other UK sports for viewers and respect.
Personally, I think we need to go down the GBBL route.
For decades, we’ve been crying out for our professional league to be taken seriously, to get exposure, to grow, to stand alongside football, rugby, and cricket in the national conversation. Now that we finally have that opportunity… are we really going to turn it down?
Let’s be honest: the professional game in this country has never been about purely promoting homegrown talent. If it were, we’d have a fully British league with no international players allowed. If the SLB is truly serious about grassroots talent, then they should put their money where their mouth is and introduce British-only roster rules.
The truth is, the British game needs funding, exposure, and a platform to show the world that we can compete with the best. The GBBL might just be the answer we’ve been waiting for.
British basketball is standing at a crossroads, with two paths ahead. One sticks to tradition and community roots. The other shoots for something bigger.
Which direction should we take? Let us know what you think.
