The London Lightning is an inactive Canadian professional basketball team based in London, Ontario, which played its home games at Canada Life Place. The team formerly competed in the National Basketball League of Canada and the Basketball Super League.

History

The Lightning name was announced on August 12, 2011. The team was a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL) that began play for the 2011–12 season and won the league's first championship. The Lightning have won the most NBL championships with six. On August 17, former Albany Patroons and Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry head coach Micheal Ray Richardson was announced as the Lightning's first head coach. The Lightning would go on to win the 2012 NBL championship, defeating the Halifax Rainmen 116-92 on March 25, 2012 at the John Labatt Centre to take the best-of-five championship series three games to two.

Carlos Knox was unveiled as the new Lightning head coach on July 17, 2014. He led the team to an 18–14 record. Knox was dismissed in August 2015 after hiding player Jonathan Mills' positive drug test results from Vito Frijia and the league. He was replaced by former Mississauga Power head coach Kyle Julius later in the month.

Julius would lead the Lightning to back-to-back championship appearances in 2016 and 2017, winning the championship in the latter. He would be replaced by former Niagara College and interim Niagara River Lions head coach, Keith Vassell. Vassell led the Lightning to another championship in 2017–18, but was fired after a 4–4 record in the 2018–19 season.

After the NBL folded in 2023, the Lightning joined the new Basketball Super League (BSL) alongside some other former NBL franchises.

After struggling to draw crowds at Canada Life Place during their last several seasons and amid the team's concerns over changes to governance of the BSL, the team announced on October 3, 2025, that it would not play in the upcoming 2025-26 BSL season. Lightning general manager Mark Frijia emphasized that the decision was not necessarily permanent and that the team would "keep [its] options open for the future."

Home arenas

Originally opened in 2002 as the John Labatt Centre and later Budweiser Gardens, Canada Life Place is a sports-entertainment centre in downtown London, Ontario, Canada. The arena has a capacity of 9,000. The Lightning shared the arena with London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League; their lease expired in 2025 and was not renewed due to the Lightning's absence from basketball in 2025-26.

Personnel

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

London Lightning roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age G 6 Canada men's national basketball team Binney, Marvin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 35 – (1990-12-15)15 December 1990 SF 0 United States men's national basketball team Bolden, Mo 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 36 – (1989-08-18)18 August 1989 SF 60 United States men's national basketball team Capers, Marcus 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 36 – (1989-12-21)21 December 1989 G/F 35 United States men's national basketball team Gaines, A. J. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 32 – (1993-12-05)5 December 1993 SF 14 United States men's national basketball team Isom, Mareik 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 31 – (1994-07-25)25 July 1994 F 13 Canada men's national basketball team Iyekekpolor, Otas 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 29 – (1996-06-20)20 June 1996 F 21 Canada men's national basketball team Lufile, Abednego 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 240 lb (110 kg) 31 – (1994-06-08)8 June 1994 C 32 United States men's national basketball team Phillips, Randy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (110 kg) 30 – (1995-07-17)17 July 1995 G 5 United States men's national basketball team Strong, Omar 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 35 – (1990-05-16)16 May 1990 G 10 United States men's national basketball team Tate, Jaylon 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 31 – (1995-01-16)16 January 1995 SF 15 Canada men's national basketball team Williamson, Garrett 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 37 – (1988-06-15)15 June 1988Head coach Doug Plumb Assistant coach(es) Canada Nate Benjamin Legend (C) Team captainInjured
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G6Canada men's national basketball teamBinney, Marvin6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg)35 – (1990-12-15)15 December 1990
SF0United States men's national basketball teamBolden, Mo6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)205 lb (93 kg)36 – (1989-08-18)18 August 1989
SF60United States men's national basketball teamCapers, Marcus6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg)36 – (1989-12-21)21 December 1989
G/F35United States men's national basketball teamGaines, A. J.6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)32 – (1993-12-05)5 December 1993
SF14United States men's national basketball teamIsom, Mareik6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)217 lb (98 kg)31 – (1994-07-25)25 July 1994
F13Canada men's national basketball teamIyekekpolor, Otas6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg)29 – (1996-06-20)20 June 1996
F21Canada men's national basketball teamLufile, Abednego6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)240 lb (110 kg)31 – (1994-06-08)8 June 1994
C32United States men's national basketball teamPhillips, Randy6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)240 lb (110 kg)30 – (1995-07-17)17 July 1995
G5United States men's national basketball teamStrong, Omar5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)175 lb (79 kg)35 – (1990-05-16)16 May 1990
G10United States men's national basketball teamTate, Jaylon6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)170 lb (77 kg)31 – (1995-01-16)16 January 1995
SF15Canada men's national basketball teamWilliamson, Garrett6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)200 lb (91 kg)37 – (1988-06-15)15 June 1988

Season-by-season record

SeasonCoachRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
2011–12Micheal Ray Richardson288.7781st52.714Champions
2012–13337.8251st62.750Champions
2013–142317.5754th66.500Conference semi-finals
2014–15Carlos Knox1814.5633rd23.400Conference quarter-finals
2015–16Kyle Julius2614.6501st106.500League runners-up
2016–17Kyle Julius355.8751st112.846Champions
2017–18Keith Vassell2713.6751st116.647Champions
2018–19Keith Vassell Elliott Etherington2218.5501st23.400Division Semifinals
2019–20Doug Plumb159.625Season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic
2023–24Doug Plumb2012.6252nd21.667-
Totals227105.6845330.6394 championships

External links