This article has problems which may render some text or images unreadable or difficult to read in dark mode. Desktop readers can switch to light mode temporarily using the eyeglasses icon at the top of the page. You can help fix these problems; see the official how-to.
In Israel, basketball is a popular sport, with a multi-tiered professional club league system, as well as men's and women's national teams.
Professional league structure
Israeli Basketball Premier League
Ligat Ha'Al or the Israeli Premier League, is the top tier level league of basketball competition in Israel, making it Israel's primary basketball competition. Ligat HaAl comprises the top twelve basketball clubs, and was founded in 1954.[1]
Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit is the second tier level league of basketball competition.
The league contains 14 clubs that compete in a home-and-away round-robin. At the end of the season, the top eight clubs advance to the play-offs. The first round is played on a best-of-three basis. The four winning clubs advance to two best-of-five playoffs, the winners of which are promoted to the Super League. The two teams that finish at the bottom of the table are relegated to Liga Artzit.
Liga Artzit
Liga Artzit is the third tier level league of basketball competition. The league contains 24 clubs (in two districts of 12 teams each one), which compete in a home-and-away round-robin. At the end of the season, the first team from each district (South/North) is promoted to the Liga Leumit. The two teams that finish at the bottom of the table are relegated to Liga Alef.[2]
Liga Alef
Liga Alef is the fourth tier in Israeli Basketball.
Liga Bet
Liga Bet is the fifth and lowest level tier in Israeli Basketball.
State Cups
Israeli Basketball State Cup
The Israeli Basketball State Cup is the second most important basketball competition in Israel, after Ligat HaAl.
The tournament began in 1956, and is run by the IBA. The tournament format consists rounds each consisting of one game elimination matches.[3]
Maccabi Tel Aviv has won the most tournaments, having won 45, last winning the contest in the 2020–21 season.
Israeli Basketball National League Cup
The tournament cup for teams from the second division. tournament held since 2021.
Israeli Basketball League Cup
The Israeli Basketball League Cup is a pre-season basketball tournament held since 2006. It is held the week before the Ligat HaAl season.
The Israeli team has participated 28 times in the European championship tournament. Their best achievements were a silver medal in 1979, and 5th place in 1953 and 1977. Israel is currently ranked 37th in the world by FIBA,[6] and 14th in Europe (July 2014).[7] Israel will also be the host nation of the competition in 2017.[8]
Omri Casspi played for seven different teams over a ten-year NBA career. He was drafted 23rd overall in the 2009 NBA draft, making him the first Israeli to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft.[14]