Polish Basketball League
Professional men's club basketball league in Poland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK) (English: Polish Basketball League), officially known as the Orlen Basket Liga due to its sponsorship by Orlen, is a professional men's club basketball league in Poland. It constitutes the first and highest-tier level of the Polish league pyramid. The winning team of the final round are crowned the Polish Champions of that season. It began in 1947–48, with the name of I Liga, and was originally organized by the Polish Basketball Federation. The league changed to its current form, beginning with the 1997–98 season, after the Polska Liga Koszykówki SA, PLK SA (the Polish Basketball League Joint-stock company) took control over the league (the PLK SA was created in 1995).[1] In the 2000–01 season, the league turned professional.
 | |
| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1995–96 |
| Country | Poland |
| Federation | PZKosz |
| Confederation | FIBA Europe |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | I Liga |
| Domestic cup | Polish Cup |
| Supercup | Polish Supercup |
| International cup(s) | Eurocup Basketball Champions League FIBA Europe Cup |
| Current champions | Legia Warsaw (8th title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Śląsk Wrocław (18 titles) |
| All-time top scorer | Eugeniusz Kijewski (10,185) |
| TV partners | Polsat Sport |
| Website | plk |
 2025–26 PLK season | |
The PLK, which is played under FIBA rules, currently consists of 16 teams. A PLK season is split into a league stage and a playoffs stage (since 1984–85 season). At the end of the league stage, the top eight teams qualify for the playoff stage.
The competition Polish basketball men's championships has existed since the year 1928. Śląsk Wrocław is the record holder for most titles, with 18.
Legia Warsaw are the defending champions.
Naming and logos
Due to sponsorship reasons, the league has been known under several names:
- 1997–1999: Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK)
- 1999–2001: Lech Basket Liga (LBL)
- 2001–2003: Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK)
- 2003–2005: Era Basket Liga (EBL)
- 2005–2006: Dominet Basket Liga (DBL)
- 2006–2008: Dominet Bank Ekstraliga (DBE)
- 2008–2010: Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK)
- 2010–2016: Tauron Basket Liga (TBL)
- 2016–2018: Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK)
- 2018–2023: Energa Basket Liga[2]
- 2023–present: Orlen Basket Liga (OBL)[3]
PLK original logo (2008–2010, 2016–2018)
Logo used from 2018 to 2023
Teams
| Team | Location | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anwil Włocławek | Włocławek | Hala Mistrzów | 4,200 |
| Arka Gdynia | Gdynia | Gdynia Sports Arena | 5,500 |
| Śląsk Wrocław | Wrocław | Hala Orbita | 3,000 |
| Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski | Ostrów Wielkopolski | Arena Ostrów | 5,000 |
| GTK Gliwice | Gliwice | Centrum Sportowo-Kulturalne Łabędź / Gliwice Arena | 400 / 15,000 |
| Górnik Wałbrzych | Wałbrzych | Aqua Zdrój | 1,200 |
| Legia Warsaw | Warsaw | OSiR Bemowo | 1,000 |
| Astoria Bydgoszcz | Bydgoszcz | Sisu Arena | 1,470 |
| MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza | Dąbrowa Górnicza | Centrum Hall | 2,944 |
| Czarni Słupsk | Słupsk | Hala Gryfia | 2,500 |
| Twarde Pierniki Toruń | Toruń | Arena Toruń | 6,248 |
| Zastal Zielona Góra | Zielona Góra | CRS Hall Zielona Góra | 6,080 |
| Start Lublin | Lublin | Globus Hall | 5,000 |
| Miasto Szkła Krosno | Krosno | Hala MOSiR | 1,380 |
| Trefl Sopot | Sopot | Ergo Arena / Hala Stulecia Sopot | 15,000 / 1,000 |
| Wilki Morskie Szczecin | Szczecin | Netto Arena | 7,403 |
Medalists
Records and statistics
Individual records
The all-time scoring leaders of Poland's top-tier level men's pro club basketball competition, since the year 1947, when the competition began. From 1947 to 1975, official records of individual player statistics were not kept. The Polish Basketball Association officially began to keep the records of individual player statistics in 1976.
All-time scoring leaders (1947–present)
| Pos | Player | Total Points Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Edward Jurkiewicz | 23,126 |
All-time scoring leaders (1976–present)
The all-time scoring leaders of Poland's top-tier level men's pro club basketball competition, since the year 1976, when the Polish Basketball Association officially began to keep the records of individual player statistics.
| Pos | Player | Total Points Scored | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Eugeniusz Kijewski | 10,185 | 395 |
| 2. | Adam Wójcik | 10,097 | 651 |
| 3. | Edward Jurkiewicz | 9,832 | 306 |
| 4. | Jerzy Bińkowski | 9,204 | 586 |
| 5. | Mieczysław Młynarski | 9,026 | 357 |
| 6. | Mariusz Bacik | 8,706 | 627 |
| 7. | Maciej Zieliński | 8,650 | 579 |
| 8. | Andrzej Pluta | 8,512 | 591 |
| 9. | Henryk Wardach | 8,163 | 557 |
| 10. | Dominik Tomczyk | 8,008 | 556 |
| 11. | Jarosław Jechorek | 7,681 | 489 |
| 12. | Dariusz Zelig | 7,481 | 420 |
| 13. | Eugeniusz Durejko | 7,048 | 365 |
| 14. | Jarosław Marcinkowski | 6,979 | 499 |
| 15. | Jarosław Zyskowski | 6,774 | 484 |
Single game scoring highs
Mieczysław Młynarski: 90 points (1982–83 season: Górnik Wałbrzych versus Pogoń Szczecin: 10 December 1982)- Edward Jurkiewicz: 84 points (1969–70 season: Wybrzeże Gdańsk versus Baildon Katowice: March 15 March 1970)
- Mieczysław Łopatka: 77 points (1962–63 season: Śląsk Wrocław versus AZS Gdańsk)
- Leszek Doliński: 74 points (1988–89 season: Gwardia Wrocław versus AZS Koszalin)
- Edward Jurkiewicz: 67 points (1974–75 season: Górnik Wałbrzych versus Wybrzeże Gdańsk: 9 October 1974)
- Mieczysław Młynarski: 63 points (1982–83 season: Górnik Wałbrzych versus Pogoń Szczecin)
Team records
- Highest attendance in a single game:
- 10,152 – Trefl Sopot vs Asseco Prokom Gdynia, at Ergo Arena on 14 April 2012
Individual awards
After the end of each season, individual honors are given to the best performing players of a season. A select group of press members vote for the winners of individual awards.
List of Polish basketball champions
- 1928: Czarna Trzynastka Poznań
- 1929: Cracovia
- 1930: AZS Poznań
- 1931: AZS Poznań
- 1932: AZS Poznań
- 1933: YMCA Kraków
- 1934: YMCA Kraków
- 1935: KPW Poznań
- 1936: Not played due to the 1936 Summer Olympics.
- 1937: AZS Poznań
- 1938: Cracovia
- 1939: KPW Poznań
- 1940: Not played due to World War II.
- 1941: Not played due to World War II.
- 1942: Not played due to World War II.
- 1943: Not played due to World War II.
- 1944: Not played due to World War II.
- 1945: Not played due to World War II.
- 1946: KKS Poznań
- 1947: AZS Warszawa
- 1948: YMCA Łódź
- 1949: ZZK Poznań
- 1950: Spójnia Łódź
- 1951: Kolejarz Poznań
- 1952: Spójnia Łódź
- 1953: Włókniarz Łódź
- 1954: Gwardia Kraków
- 1955: Kolejarz Poznań
- 1956: CWKS Warszawa
- 1957: Legia Warszawa
- 1958: Lech Poznań
- 1959: Polonia Warszawa
- 1960: Legia Warszawa
- 1961: Legia Warszawa
- 1962: Wisła Kraków
- 1963: Legia Warszawa
- 1964: Wisła Kraków
- 1965: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1966: Legia Warszawa
- 1967: AZS Warszawa
- 1968: Wisła Kraków
- 1969: Legia Warszawa
- 1970: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1971: Wybrzeże Gdańsk
- 1972: Wybrzeże Gdańsk
- 1973: Wybrzeże Gdańsk
- 1974: Wisła Kraków
- 1975: Resovia Rzeszów
- 1976: Wisła Kraków
- 1977: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1978: Wybrzeże Gdańsk
- 1979: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1980: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1981: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1982: Górnik Wałbrzych
- 1983: Lech Poznań
- 1984: Lech Poznań
- 1985: Zagłębie Sosnowiec
- 1986: Zagłębie Sosnowiec
- 1987: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1988: Górnik Wałbrzych
- 1989: Lech Poznań
- 1990: Lech Poznań
- 1991: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1992: PCS Śląsk Wrocław
- 1993: PCS Śląsk Wrocław
- 1994: Śląsk Wrocław
- 1995: Mazowszanka Pruszków
- 1996: Śląsk Eska Wrocław
- 1997: Mazowszanka PEKAES Pruszków
- 1998: Zepter Śląsk Wrocław
- 1999: Zepter Śląsk Wrocław
- 2000: Zepter Śląsk Wrocław
- 2001: Zepter Śląsk Wrocław
- 2002: Idea Śląsk Wrocław
- 2003: Anwil Włocławek
- 2004: Prokom Trefl Sopot
- 2005: Prokom Trefl Sopot
- 2006: Prokom Trefl Sopot
- 2007: Prokom Trefl Sopot
- 2008: Prokom Trefl Sopot
- 2009: Asseco Prokom Sopot
- 2010: Asseco Prokom Gdynia
- 2011: Asseco Prokom Gdynia
- 2012: Asseco Prokom Gdynia
- 2013: Stelmet Zielona Góra
- 2014: PGE Turów Zgorzelec
- 2015: Stelmet Zielona Góra
- 2016: Stelmet Zielona Góra
- 2017: Stelmet Zielona Góra
- 2018: Anwil Włocławek
- 2019: Anwil Włocławek
- 2020: Stelmet Enea BC Zielona Góra
- 2021: Arged BM Slam Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski
- 2022: Śląsk Wrocław
- 2023: King Szczecin
- 2024: Trefl Sopot
- 2025: Legia Warsaw
Titles by club
| Club | Champions | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
| Śląsk Wrocław | 18 |
1965, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2022 |
| Lech Poznań | 11 |
1935, 1939, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1958, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990 |
| Arka Gdynia | 9 |
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Legia Warsaw | 8 |
1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1969, 2025 |
| Wisła Kraków | 6 |
1954, 1962, 1964, 1968, 1974, 1976 |
| Zastal Zielona Góra | 5 |
2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 |
| AZS Poznań | 4 |
1930, 1931, 1932, 1937 |
| Wybrzeże Gdańsk | 4 |
1971, 1972, 1973, 1978 |
| KK Włocławek | 3 |
2003, 2018, 2019 |
| YMCA Kraków | 2 |
1933, 1934 |
| Cracovia | 2 |
1929, 1938 |
| Społem Łódź | 2 |
1950, 1952 |
| AZS Warsaw | 2 |
1947, 1967 |
| Zagłębie Sosnowiec | 2 |
1985, 1986 |
| Górnik Wałbrzych | 2 |
1982, 1988 |
| MKS Znicz Basket Pruszków | 2 |
1995, 1997 |
| Czarna Trzynastka Poznań | 1 |
1928 |
| YMCA Łódź | 1 |
1948 |
| ŁKS Łódź | 1 |
1953 |
| Polonia Warsaw | 1 |
1959 |
| Resovia | 1 |
1975 |
| Turów Zgorzelec | 1 |
2014 |
| Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski | 1 |
2021 |
| Wilki Morskie Szczecin | 1 |
2023 |
| Trefl Sopot | 1 |
2024 |
See also
Notes
- The 2019–20 PLK season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Standings at the time were declared final results.
