The National Professional Basketball League ( or LNBP), officially known as the Liga Caliente LNBP for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball league in Mexico. The league was founded in 2000 with 10 teams.
Notable basketball players who have played in the league include Jamario Moon,Se impone Fuerza Regia a Selección . June 24, 2006. Retrieved on July 18, 2008. Dennis RodmanRodman comes back, first in Mexico. October 12, 2004. Retrieved on July 18, 2008. and Sun Mingming,Fuerza Regia le quitó lo invicto a Halcones UV. October 28, 2007. Retrieved on July 18, 2008. among many others.
History Foundation In January 2000, some teams of CIMEBA (Circuito Mexicano de Básquetbol), the national basketball league in Mexico at the time, exited the league, citing CIMEBA's financial difficulties, and decided to form a new league. On March 11, 2000 the league was founded in the city of Durango with 11 teams participating. These were the founding teams, with the respective city and state:
Algodoneros de la Comarca (Torreon, Coahuila) Correcaminos Matamoros de la UAT (Matamoros, Tamaulipas) Correcaminos Reynosa de la UAT (Reynosa, Tamaulipas) Correcaminos Tampico de la UAT (Tampico, Tamaulipas) Correcaminos Victoria de la UAT (Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas) Dorados de Chiuhuahua (Chihuahua, Chihuahua) Garzas de Plata de la UAEH (Pachuca, Hidalgo) Indios de la UACJ (Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua) La Ola Roja del Distrito Federal (Mexico City, Distrito Federal) Osos de Saltillo (Saltillo, Coahuila) Vaqueros de Agua Prieta (Agua Prieta, Sonora)
The first president was Modesto Robledo. The LNBP set out to support and develop professional basketball in Mexico. The first edition of the league started on August 7, 2000 and finished in December, with the regular season finishing on November 11 and the playoffs starting on November 14. The first game was played in Torreón between Algodoneros de Torreón and Dorados de Chihuahua at the Auditorio Municipal: Dorados won, 80–78. The league coexisted in its first seasons with CIMEBA.
Format Regular season The regular season is played in round-robin format in which the 8 best-placed teams qualify to the postseason. For every game won 2 points are added and for every game lost one point is added. For example: If team one played 10 games and won 7, losing the remaining 3, it would have 17 points; 14 points for the 7 games won and 3 points for the games lost.
Playoffs The eight top-seeded teams play each other. The 1st-placed team plays the 8th-place team while the 2nd plays the 7th and the 3rd plays the 6th and so on. The semi-finals are played like the quarterfinals while the Serie Final is played by the two teams remaining with the best-placed team having home field advantage.
Teams
<onlyinclude> TeamCityArenaCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coachAbejas de León León, GuanajuatoDomo de la Feria4,463 2009 Jean SerranoAstros de Jalisco Guadalajara, JaliscoArena Astros4,000 2019 Iván DénizEl Calor de Cancún Cancún, Quintana RooPolifórum Benito Juárez4,800 2024 Néstor GarcíaCorrebasket UAT Ciudad Victoria, TamaulipasGimnasio Multidisciplinario UAT Victoria2,600 2000 2022 Lewis LaSalle TaylorDiablos Rojos del México Benito Juárez, Mexico CityGimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera5,242 2024 Gustavo de ContiDorados de Chihuahua Chihuahua City, ChihuahuaGimnasio Manuel Bernardo Aguirre9,600 2000 2019 Jorge ElorduyFreseros de Irapuato Irapuato, GuanajuatoInforum Irapuato3,000 2023 Christopher GutiérrezFuerza Regia de Monterrey Monterrey, Nuevo LeónArena Mobil5,000 2001 José NetoGambusinos de Fresnillo Fresnillo, ZacatecasGimnasio Nico Varela4,500 2002 2025 Elian VillafañeLobos de Puebla Puebla City, PueblaGimnasio Miguel Hidalgo4,000 2004 2026 Paco OlmosMineros de Zacatecas Zacatecas City, ZacatecasGimnasio Marcelino González3,458 2017 2022 Facundo MüllerPanteras de Aguascalientes Aguascalientes City, AguascalientesAuditorio Hermanos Carreón3,000 2003 2023 José Antonio SantaellaSantos del Potosí San Luis Potosí City, San Luis PotosíAuditorio Miguel Barragán3,400 2003 2023 Doug PlumbSoles de MexicaliMexicali, Baja CaliforniaAuditorio PSF4,779 2005 Pablo García
List of champions
SeasonChampionResultRunner-up2000 Correcaminos UAT Tampico 4–2 Correcaminos UAT Victoria2001 Gallos de Pelea de Ciudad Juárez 4–1 Lobos UAdeC2002 Correcaminos UAT Victoria 4–3 Correcaminos UAT Matamoros2003 Panteras de Aguascalientes 4–2 La Ola Roja del Distrito Federal2004 Santos de San Luis 4–2 Halcones de Xalapa2005 Halcones de Xalapa 4–1 Lobos UAdeC2006 Soles de Mexicali 4–3 Halcones de Xalapa2007–08 Halcones de Xalapa 4–3 Soles de Mexicali2008–09 Halcones de Xalapa 4–2 Soles de Mexicali2009–10 Halcones de Xalapa 4–1 Halcones Rojos Veracruz2010–11 Toros de Nuevo Laredo 4–2 Pioneros de Quintana Roo2011–12 Halcones Rojos Veracruz 4–1 Toros de Nuevo Laredo2012–13 Toros de Nuevo Laredo 4–2 Halcones de Xalapa2013–14 Halcones Rojos Veracruz 4–3 Pioneros de Quintana Roo2014–15 Soles de Mexicali 4–1 Pioneros de Quintana Roo2015–16 Pioneros de Quintana Roo 4–3 Soles de Mexicali2016–17 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4–2 Soles de Mexicali2017–18 Soles de Mexicali 4–1 Capitanes de la Ciudad de México2018–19 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4–2 Capitanes de la Ciudad de México2019–20 Soles de Mexicali 4–3 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2020 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 3–1 Aguacateros de Michoacán2021 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4–0 Astros de Jalisco2022 Abejas de León 4–0 Astros de Jalisco2023 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4–1 Astros de Jalisco2024 Diablos Rojos del México 4–1 Halcones de Xalapa2025 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4–1 Diablos Rojos del México
Championships
TeamChampionshipRunner-upYear(s) wonFuerza Regia de Monterrey612016–17, 2018–19, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025Soles de Mexicali442006, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2019–20Halcones de Xalapa442005, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10Halcones Rojos Veracruz212011–12, 2013–14Toros de Nuevo Laredo212010–11, 2012–13Pioneros de Quintana Roo132015–16Diablos Rojos del México112024Correcaminos UAT Victoria112002Correcaminos UAT Tampico102000Gallos de Pelea de Ciudad Juárez102001Panteras de Aguascalientes102003Santos de San Luis102004Abejas de León102022Astros de Jalisco03Capitanes de la Ciudad de México02Lobos UAdeC02Aguacateros de Michoacán01Correcaminos UAT Matamoros01Ola Roja del Distrito Federal01
Copa Independencia winners The Copa Independencia (Independence Cup) was a tournament created by the LNBP.
SeasonChampionRunner-up2004 Lobos UAdeC Lechugueros de León2005 Lobos UAdeC Correcaminos UAT Victoria2006 Lobos Grises UAD Halcones de Xalapa2007–08 Lobos Grises UAD Halcones Rojos Veracruz
Copa Value winners The Copa Value is the new Cup tournament established by the LNBP. Replacing the annual All-Star Game.
SeasonChampionRunner-up2023 Fuerza Regia de Monterrey Libertadores de Querétaro 2024 Halcones de Xalapa Diablos Rojos del México 2025 Soles de Mexicali Diablos Rojos del México 2026 Mineros de Zacatecas Astros de Jalisco Top-scorers
Per game
SeasonPlayerPPGTeam 2000 2001 M.Johnson 26.8 Matamoros Piratas Bagdad2002 2003 Devon Ford 36.5 Panteras de Aguascalientes2004 Devon Ford 36.5 Panteras de Aguascalientes2005 Ryan Moore 24.8 2006 2007–08 Devon Ford 27.9 Panteras de Aguascalientes2008–09 Devon Ford (4) 26.0 Panteras de Aguascalientes2009–10 John Millsap 25.4 Bucaneros de Campeche 2010–11 Ricardo Melendez 24.9 Panteras de Aguascalientes2011–12 Majic Dorsey 30.5 Águilas Rojas de San Juan del Río2012–13 Shannon Shorter 27.7 Gansos Salvajes2013–14 Alejandro Carmona 25.3 2014–15 Ollie Bailey 25.4 2015–16 Brandon Davis 25.7 Bucaneros de Campeche 2016–17 Justin Keenan 24.1 Soles de Mexicali2017–18 Jonathan Rodríguez 27.0 Libertadores de Querétaro 2018–19 Stedmon Lemon 23.85 Panteras de Aguascalientes2019–20 John Taylor 23.9 Laguneros de La Comarca2020 Stedmon Lemon (2) 26.7 Libertadores de Querétaro 2021 Vander Blue 22.2 Libertadores de Querétaro2022 Donald Sims 24.3 Dorados de Chihuahua2023 Myke Henry 21.0 Libertadores de Querétaro2024 Deshawndre Washington 23.7 Halcones Rojos Veracruz2025 Michael Bryson 17.5 Gambusinos de Fresnillo
Source: latinbasket.com
By total points SeasonPlayerPointsTeam 2000 2001 Samuel Bowie 927 2002 2003 Devon Ford 1502 Panteras de Aguascalientes2004 Devon Ford Panteras de Aguascalientes2005 Ryan Moore 993 Galgos de Tijuana2006 Devon Ford 961 Panteras de Aguascalientes2007–08 Kenya Capers 1034 2008–09 Devon Ford (4) 1196 Panteras de Aguascalientes2009–10 John Millsap 1000 Bucaneros de Campeche 2010–11 Ricardo Melendez 696 Panteras de Aguascalientes2011–12 Daryl Dorsey 762 Águilas Rojas de San Juan del Río2012–13 Ricardo Melendez (2) 1023 Panteras de Aguascalientes2013–14 Alejandro Carmona 976 Panteras de Aguascalientes2014–15 Steffphon Pettigrew832 Abejas de León
Source: latinbasket.com
Players with most awards
Player Awards Years Devon Ford {https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/187876/ford-devon Devon Ford - proballers.com] 4 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 Ricardo Melendez 2 2011, 2013 Stedmon Lemon 2 2019, 2020
Awards MVP SeasonPlayerTeam 2005 Justin Aronel Howard Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 2006 Gregory Devon Lewis Soles de Mexicali2007–08 Ramel Kinte Allen Santos del Potosí2008–09 Devon Ford Panteras de Aguascalientes2009–10 Leandro García Morales Halcones Xalapa2010–11 Mike Smith Lechugueros de León2011–12 Daryl Dorsey Águilas Rojas de San Juan del Río2012–13 Leroy Edjuan Hickerson Halcones Xalapa2013–14 Renaldo Balkman Halcones Xalapa2014–15 Matthew Bryan-Amaning Soles de Mexicali2015–16 Matthew Bryan-Amaning (2) Soles de Mexicali2016–17 Justin Keenan Soles de Mexicali2017–18 Eugene Phelps Soles de Mexicali
2018–19 Rigoberto Mendoza Capitanes de Ciudad de México2019–20 Luke Martínez Soles de Mexicali2020 Eric Dawson Jerome Meyinsse Mineros de Zacatecas Aguacateros de Michoacán2021 Durrell Summers Vander Blue Dorados de Chihuahua Libertadores de Querétaro2022 Donald Sims Jorge Gutiérrez Dorados de Chihuahua Astros de Jalisco2023 Joshua Ibarra Shaquille Johnson Plateros de Fresnillo Halcones de Xalapa2024 Rigoberto Mendoza (2) Fabián Jaimes Capitanes de Ciudad de México Panteras de Aguascalientes2025 Donald Sims (2) Gabriel Girón Soles de Mexicali Halcones Xalapa
Source: latinbasket.com
Finals MVP SeasonPlayerTeam 2014–15 Román Martínez Soles de Mexicali2015–16 Héctor Hernández Pioneros de Quintana Roo2016–17 Juan Toscano-Anderson Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2017–18 Orlando Méndez-Valdez Soles de Mexicali2018–19 David Huertas Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2019–20 Luke Martínez Soles de Mexicali2020 J. J. Avila Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2021 Cristian Cortés Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2022 Michael Smith Abejas de León2023 Daniel Bejarano Fuerza Regia de Monterrey2024 Avry Holmes Diablos Rojos del México 2025 Scott Bamforth Fuerza Regia de Monterrey
Former teams
Aguacateros de Michoacán Águilas Rojas de San Juan del Río Ángeles de Puebla Algodoneros de la Comarca Ángeles Guerreros de Acapulco Astros de Tecate Barreteros de Zacatecas Bravos de Piedras Negras Bucaneros de Campeche Caballeros de Culiacán Capitanes de la Ciudad de México Cimarrones de Ensenada Cometas de Querétaro Coras de Nayarit Correcaminos UAT Matamoros Correcaminos UAT Reynosa Correcaminos UAT Tampico Cosmos de Tijuana Estrellas Indebasquet del Distrito Federal Gallos de Pelea de Ciudad Juárez Gansos Salvajes UIC Garzas de Plata UAEH Garzas Guerreras UATX Gigantes del Estado de México Guerreros de Guerrero Cumple Guerreros de Morelia Guerreros del Norte Halcones de Xalapa Halcones Rojos Veracruz Halcones UV Córdoba Huracanes de Tampico Indios de Ciudad Juárez Indios UACJ Jaguares de la Bahía Jefes de Fuerza Lagunera Laguneros de La Comarca Lechugueros de León Leñadores de Durango Libertadores de Querétaro Lobos UAdeC Lobos Grises UAD Loros UdeC Mayas de Yucatán Navegantes de Ensenada Ola Roja del Distrito Federal Ola Verde de Poza Rica Osos de Guadalajara Petroleros de Ciudad del Carmen Pilares del Distrito Federal Pioneros de Quintana Roo Plateros de Fresnillo