LNB Élite

The LNB Élite, currently known for sponsorship reasons as Betclic Élite,^[3] is the top-tier men's professional basketball league in France. The competition has existed since 1921. Since 1987, the Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNB) has governed the league.

LNB Élite

Organising body	LNB
Founded	1921; 103 years ago (1921)
Countries	France (17 teams) Monaco (1 team)
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	18
Relegation to	Pro B
Domestic cup(s)	French Cup Leaders Cup
International cup(s)	EuroLeague EuroCup Champions League FIBA Europe Cup
Current champions	AS Monaco (2nd title) (2023–24)
Most championships	ASVEL (21 titles)
All-time top scorer	Hervé Dubuisson (19,013)
TV partners	DAZN La Chaîne L'Equipe Sport en France Fanseat (select foreign markets)[1] NBA App[2]
Website	LNB Pro A
2024–25 LNB Élite season

Formerly known as the LNB Pro A, each season consists of 18 teams. The bottom two placed teams from each season are relegated to the second tier level Pro B. The winner of the play-offs of the league are crowned the French national champions.

Competition format

All 18 Pro A League teams play each other twice during the regular season. At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams qualify for the playoffs. The two teams with the worst regular season records are relegated to the 2nd-tier Pro B.

Through the 1985–86 season, the league championship was determined by a one-off final, or solely by league play. Since then, the format for the league finals has changed many times:^[4]

• 1987–1992: Best-of-3 series
• 1993: Best-of-5
• 1994: Best-of-3
• 1995–1996: Best-of-5
• 1997–2004: Best-of-3
• 2005–2012: Single match (at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris)
• 2013–present: Best-of-5
• 2021 only: Single match due to COVID-19 issues^[5]

From the 2003–04 season, through the 2006–07 season, the Pro A League had 18 teams. Through the wild-card system, it will have 18 teams again from the 2014–15 season.

Current teams

Team	City	Arena	Capacity
ADA Blois Basket 41	Blois	Jeu de Paume	2,525
AS Monaco Basket	Fontvieille, Monaco	Salle Gaston Médecin	4,560
ASVEL Basket	Lyon - Villeurbanne	Astroballe	5,556
BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque	Gravelines	Sportica	3,043
Cholet Basket	Cholet	La Meilleraie	5,191
Élan Chalon	Chalon-sur-Saône	Le Colisée	4,540
ESSM Le Portel	Le Portel	Le Chaudron	3,500
JDA Dijon Basket	Dijon	Palais des Sports Jean-Michel Geoffroy	4,628
JL Bourg Basket	Bourg-en-Bresse	Ekinox	3,548
Le Mans Sarthe Basket	Le Mans	Antarès	6,023
Limoges CSP	Limoges	Beaublanc	5,516
Metropolitans 92	Levallois-Perret	Palais des Sports Marcel Cerdan	3,051
Nanterre 92	Nanterre	Palais des Sports	3,000
Paris Basketball	Paris	Adidas Arena	8,000
Roanne Basket	Roanne	Halle André Vacheresse	5,020
Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball	Saint-Quentin	Palais des Sports Pierre Ratte	3,800
SIG Strasbourg	Strasbourg	Rhénus Sport	6,200
SLUC Nancy Basket	Nancy	Jean Weille	6,027

Arena rules

Currently, LNB Pro A clubs must play in arenas that seat at least 3,000 people.

French League history

• 1920–21 to 1948–49  Excellence
• 1949–50 to 1962–63  Nationale
• 1963–64 to 1964–65  Première Division
• 1965–66 to 1986–87  Nationale 1
• 1987–88 to 1991–92  Nationale 1A
• 1992–93 Nationale A1
• 1993–94 to 2017–18 Pro A
• 2017–18 to 2020–21 Jeep Élite (title sponsorship took effect in the later stages of the 2017–18 season)^[6]
• 2021–22 to present: Betclic Elite^[3]

Title holders

1920–21: Stade Français 1921–22: Lille 1922–23: École Normale Arras 1923–24: FAM 1924–25: FAM 1925–26: FAM 1926–27: Stade Français 1927–28: FAM 1928–29: FAM 1929–30: FAM 1930–31: FAM 1931–32: CAUFA Reims 1932–33: CAUFA Reims 1933–34: Olympique Lillois 1934–35: CAM 1935–36: SCPO 1936–37: CAM 1937–38: SCPO 1938–39: Métro 1939–41: Not held due to WWII 1941–42: Métro 1942–43: Grenoble 1943–44: Grenoble 1944–45: Championnet Sports 1945–46: ESSMG Lyon 1946–47: PUC 1947–48: Union athlétique de Marseille 1948–49: ASVEL 1949–50: ASVEL 1950–51: Racing Club de France 1951–52: ASVEL 1952–53: Racing Club de France 1953–54: Racing Club de France 1954–55: ASVEL 1955–56: ASVEL

1956–57: ASVEL 1957–58: Étoile Charleville-Mézières 1958–59: Chorale Mulsant 1959–60: Étoile Charleville-Mézières 1960–61: Alsace de Bagnolet 1961–62: Alsace de Bagnolet 1962–63: PUC 1963–64: ASVEL 1964–65: Denain Voltaire 1965–66: ASVEL 1966–67: Alsace de Bagnolet 1967–68: ASVEL 1968–69: ASVEL 1969–70: Olympique Antibes 1970–71: ASVEL 1971–72: ASVEL 1972–73: Berck 1973–74: Berck 1974–75: ASVEL 1975–76: ASPO Tours 1976–77: ASVEL 1977–78: Moderne 1978–79: Moderne 1979–80: ASPO Tours 1980–81: ASVEL 1981–82: Moderne 1982–83: Limoges CSP 1983–84: Limoges CSP 1984–85: Limoges CSP 1985–86: Orthez 1986–87: Orthez 1987–88: Limoges CSP 1988–89: Limoges CSP 1989–90: Limoges CSP 1990–91: Olympique Antibes

1991–92: Pau-Orthez 1992–93: Limoges CSP 1993–94: Limoges CSP 1994–95: Olympique Antibes 1995–96: Pau-Orthez 1996–97: PSG Racing 1997–98: Pau-Orthez 1998–99: Pau-Orthez 1999–00: Limoges CSP 2000–01: Pau-Orthez 2001–02: ASVEL 2002–03: Pau-Orthez 2003–04: Pau-Orthez 2004–05: SIG Strasbourg 2005–06: Le Mans Sarthe 2006–07: Chorale Roanne 2007–08: SLUC Nancy 2008–09: ASVEL 2009–10: Cholet 2010–11: SLUC Nancy 2011–12: Élan Chalon 2012–13: JSF Nanterre 2013–14: Limoges CSP 2014–15: Limoges CSP 2015–16: ASVEL 2016–17: Élan Chalon 2017–18: Le Mans Sarthe 2018–19: LDLC ASVEL 2019–20: Cancelled due to COVID-19 2020–21: LDLC ASVEL 2021–22: LDLC ASVEL 2022–23: AS Monaco 2023–24: AS Monaco

Performance by club

Club	Champions	Winning years
ASVEL	21	1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1980–81, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22
Limoges CSP	11	1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2013–14, 2014–15
Pau-Lacq-Orthez	9	1985–86, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04
FAM	7	1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31
Le Mans Sarthe	5	1977–78, 1978–79, 1981–82, 2005–06, 2017–18
Racing Paris	4	1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1996–97
Alsace de Bagnolet	3	1960–61, 1961–62, 1966–67
Olympique Antibes	3	1969–70, 1990–91, 1994–95
Stade Français	2	1920–21, 1926–27
CAUFA Reims	2	1931–32, 1932–33
CAM	2	1934–35, 1936–37
SCPO	2	1935–36, 1937–38
Métro	2	1938–39, 1941–42
Grenoble	2	1942–43, 1943–44
Étoile Charleville-Mézières	2	1957–58, 1959–60
PUC	2	1946–47, 1962–63
Berck	2	1972–73, 1973–74
ASPO Tours	2	1975–76, 1979–80
Chorale Roanne	2	1958–59, 2006–07
SLUC Nancy	2	2007–08, 2010–11
Élan Chalon	2	2011–12, 2016–17
AS Monaco	2	2022–23, 2023-24
ICAM Lille	1	1921–22
École Normale Arras	1	1922–23
Olympique Lillois	1	1933–34
Championnet Sports	1	1944–45
ESSMG Lyon	1	1945–46
Marseille	1	1947–48
Denain Voltaire	1	1964–65
SIG	1	2004–05
Cholet	1	2009–10
Nanterre 92	1	2012–13

Finals

Season	Home court advantage	Result	Home court disadvantage	1st of Regular Season	Record
1987–88	Limoges CSP	2–0	Cholet	Limoges CSP	26–4
1988–89	Limoges CSP	2–0	Orthez	Limoges CSP	28–2
1989–90	Limoges CSP	2–1	Olympique Antibes	Limoges CSP	33–1
1990–91	Olympique Antibes	2–1	Limoges CSP	Olympique Antibes	22–8
1991–92	Limoges CSP	0–2	Pau-Orthez	Limoges CSP	27–3
1992–93	Limoges CSP	3–1	Pau-Orthez	Limoges CSP	25–1
1993–94	Limoges CSP	2–0	Olympique Antibes	Limoges CSP	23–3
1994–95	Olympique Antibes	3–1	Pau-Orthez	Olympique Antibes	21–5
1995–96	Pau-Orthez	3–2	ASVEL	Pau-Orthez	27–3
1996–97	ASVEL	0–2	PSG Racing	Pau-Orthez	24–6
1997–98	Pau-Orthez	2–0	Limoges CSP	ASVEL	24–6
1998–99	Pau-Orthez	2–0	ASVEL	Pau-Orthez	27–3
1999–00	ASVEL	1–2	Limoges CSP	ASVEL	24–6
2000–01	ASVEL	0–2	Pau-Orthez	ASVEL	24–6
2001–02	Pau-Orthez	0–2	ASVEL	Pau-Orthez	24–6
2002–03	Pau-Orthez	2–1	ASVEL	Pau-Orthez	27–3
2003–04	Pau-Orthez	2–0	BCM Gravelines	Le Mans Sarthe	27–7
2004–05	SIG	1–0 (72–68)	SLUC Nancy	Le Mans Sarthe	25–9
2005–06	SLUC Nancy	0–1 (88–93)	Le Mans Sarthe	Pau-Orthez	26–8
2006–07	SLUC Nancy	0–1 (74–81)	Chorale Roanne	SLUC Nancy	25–9
2007–08	SLUC Nancy	1–0 (84–53)	Chorale Roanne	Le Mans Sarthe	23–7
2008–09	ASVEL	1–0 (55–41)	Entente Orléanaise Loiret	ASVEL	22–8
2009–10	Cholet	1–0 (81–65)	Le Mans Sarthe	Cholet	23–7
2010–11	Cholet	0–1 (74–76)	SLUC Nancy	Cholet	22–8
2011–12	Élan Chalon	1–0 (95–76)	Le Mans Sarthe	BCM Gravelines	27–3
2012–13	SIG	1–3	JSF Nanterre	BCM Gravelines	21–9
2013–14	SIG	0–3	Limoges CSP	SIG	20–10
2014–15	SIG	1–3	Limoges CSP	SIG	30–4
2015–16	SIG	2–3	ASVEL	Monaco	27–7
2016–17	Élan Chalon	3–2	SIG	Monaco	30–4
2017–18	Monaco	2–3	Le Mans	Monaco	25–9
2018–19	LDLC ASVEL	3–2	Monaco	LDLC ASVEL	35–10
2019–20	Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic			Monaco	21–3
2020–21	LDLC ASVEL	87–74	JDA Dijon	JDA Dijon	30–7
2021–22	LDLC ASVEL	3–2	Monaco	LDLC ASVEL	34–11
2022–23	Monaco	3–0	Metropolitans 92	Monaco	26–8
2023–24	Monaco	3–1	Paris Basketball	Monaco	29–5

Historical players

• Alexis Ajinça
• David Andersen
• Ron Anderson
• Roger Antoine
• Eddie Basden
• Nicolas Batum
• Rodrigue Beaubois
• Louis Bertorelle
• Éric Beugnot
• Jean-Paul Beugnot
• Jim Bilba
• Yann Bonato
• Bruce Bowen
• Michael Brooks
• Marcus Brown
• André Buffière
• Robert Busnel
• Jacques Cachemire
• Fabien Causeur
• René Chocat
• Don Collins
• Richard Dacoury
• Nando de Colo
• Jean Degros
• Boris Diaw
• Yakhouba Diawara
• Alain Digbeu
• Bobby Dixon
• Maxime Dorigo
• Hervé Dubuisson
• Zaza Enden
• Morris Finley
• Laurent Foirest
• Evan Fournier
• Lawrence Funderburke
• Pierre Galle
• Ken Gardner
• Mickaël Gelabale
• Alain Gilles
• Rudy Gobert
• Henri Grange
• Ricardo Greer
• Udonis Haslem
• Thomas Heurtel
• Edwin Jackson
• Keith Jennings
• Cyril Julian
• İlkan Karaman
• Frank Kendrick
• Tarence Kinsey
• Joffrey Lauvergne
• John Linehan
• Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
• Ian Mahinmi
• Marko Milič
• Bo McCalebb
• Conrad McRae †
• Sammy Mejia
• Jérôme Moïso
• Robert Monclar
• Gheorghe Mureșan
• François Németh
• Carl Nicks
• Frank Ntilikina
• Hugues Occansey
• Stéphane Ostrowski
• Tony Parker
• Žarko Paspalj
• Johan Petro
• Jean Perniceni
• Jacques Perrier
• Mickaël Piétrus
• Florent Piétrus
• Micheal Ray Richardson
• J.R. Reid
• Antoine Rigaudeau
• Stéphane Risacher
• David Rivers
• Delaney Rudd
• Marc Salyers
• Thabo Sefolosha
• Will Solomon
• Blake Schilb
• Laurent Sciarra
• Kevin Séraphin
• Moustapha Sonko
• Philip Szanyiel
• Axel Toupane
• Ronny Turiaf
• Mirsad Türkcan
• Roko Ukić
• Frédéric Weis
• Victor Wembanyama
• Léo Westermann
• Rickie Winslow
• Michael Young

Players with the most French League championships won

Player	Club(s)	Number of Titles Won
Richard Dacoury	Limoges CSP (8), Racing Paris (1)	9
Alain Gilles	ASVEL	8
Frédéric Fauthoux	Pau-Lacq-Orthez	7
Didier Gadou	Pau-Lacq-Orthez	7
Henri Grange	ASVEL	7
Jean-Michel Sénégal	ASVEL (2), ASPO Tours (2), Limoges CSP (3)	7
André Buffière	Éveil Lyon (1), Marseille (1), ASVEL (4)	6
Laurent Foirest	Olympique Antibes (2), Pau-Lacq-Orthez (3), ASVEL (1)	6
Raymond Sahy	ASVEL	6

French basketball clubs in European and worldwide competitions

Main article: French basketball clubs in European and worldwide competitions

Individual awards

D. J. Cooper receiving the Most Valuable Player award in 2017

In each Pro A season, individual honors are given to players and head coaches in the Pro A Awards ceremony who performed well during a given season. The awards that are handed out include:

• Most Valuable Player
• Finals MVP
• Best Young Player
• Best Scorer
• Best Sixth Man
• Best Defender
• Most Improved Player
• Best Coach

LNB All-Star Game

Main article: LNB All-Star Game

Broadcasting

In July 2024, the LNB accounced it had signed an agreement until 2029 with DAZN which becomes the exclusive broadcaster for the Pro A.^[7] DAZN will broadcast all games, as well as the Leaders Cup and All-Star Game.^[7] The league's games are also accessible through the FIBA-operated Courtside 1891 platform.^[7]

See also

• Leaders Cup
• French Basketball Cup
• Match des Champions (basketball)
• LNB Pro B
• Ligue Féminine de Basketball

Notes and references

1. "French Basketball League". fanseat.com. Spring Media. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
2. "NBA APP TO STREAM ALL LNB GAMES WITH TOP DRAFT PROSPECT VICTOR WEMBANYAMA FOR FREE". National Basketball Association. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
3. "Betclic nouveau partenaire et namer du championnat de France Élite". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 24 June 2021.
4. "2006–07 French League". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
5. "La Phase Finale de la Saison de Jeep® ÉLITE 2020-21 Officialisée" (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Basket. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
6. "La PRO A devient la Jeep® ELITE" [The PRO A becomes the Jeep® ELITE]. Msb.fr. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
7. "DAZN, nouveau diffuseur officiel et exclusif du championnat Betclic ELITE jusqu'en 2029". Betclic ELITE (in French). 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03.

External links

• Official website
• Eurobasket.com League Page