Slovenian Basketball League

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

Founded	1991; 33 years ago (1991)
First season	1991–92
Country	Slovenia
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	11
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	2. SKL
Domestic cup(s)	Slovenian Cup
Supercup	Slovenian Supercup
International cup(s)	Basketball Champions League FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions	Cedevita Olimpija (21st title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Cedevita Olimpija (21 titles)
TV partners	RTV Slovenija Šport TV
Website	Official website

History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Including inherited titles of KK Olimpija.

Statistical leaders

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

• Slovenian Basketball Cup
• Slovenian Basketball Supercup

References

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.

External links

• Official website (in Slovene)
• Slovenian League on Eurobasket.com