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 22 titles.

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.

Sponsored names

Since 1991, the league has been named after sponsors on several occasions:

  • Liga Kolinska (1998–2001)
  • HYPO Liga (2001–2002)
  • Liga UPC Telemach (2006–2009)
  • Liga Telemach (2009–2016)
  • Liga Nova KBM (2016–2019, 2020, 2021–2024)
  • Liga OTP banka (2024–present)

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.

Current teams

As of the 2025–26 season

TeamLocationArenaEstablishedHead coach
Cedevita OlimpijaLjubljanaArena Stožice2019Montenegro Zvezdan Mitrović
ECE Triglav KranjKranjPlanina Sports Hall1950Slovenia Danijel Radosavljević
GGD ŠenčurŠenčurŠenčur Sports Hall1973Serbia Miljan Pavković
Hopsi PolzelaPolzelaPolzela Sports Hall1972Serbia Saša Mateničarski
IlirijaLjubljanaTivoli Hall1957Slovenia Stipe Modrić
Kansai Helios DomžaleDomžaleDomžale Sports Hall1949Slovenia Jure Močnik
KrkaNovo MestoLeon Štukelj Hall1948Slovenia Dejan Jakara
RogaškaRogaška SlatinaRogaška Slatina Sports Hall1998Slovenia Damjan Novaković
ŠentjurŠentjurOŠ Hruševec Hall1969Slovenia Jan Šentjurc
Terme Olimia PodčetrtekPodčetrtekPodčetrtek Sports Hall1999Slovenia Davor Brečko
Thermana LaškoLaškoTri Lilije Hall1969Slovenia Nejc Kobal

Finals

SeasonChampionsRunners-upResultFinals MVPChampion's coach
1991–92Smelt OlimpijaOptimizem Postojna3–0—N/aSlovenia Zmago Sagadin
1992–93Smelt OlimpijaSlovenica Koper3–1Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
1993–94Smelt OlimpijaTAM Bus Maribor3–0Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
1994–95Smelt OlimpijaKovinotehna Savinjska Polzela3–0Slovenia Sergej Ravnikar
1995–96Smelt OlimpijaInterier Krško3–1Slovenia Žarko Đurišić
1996–97Smelt OlimpijaKovinotehna Savinjska Polzela3–1Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
1997–98Union OlimpijaKovinotehna Savinjska Polzela3–0Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
1998–99Union OlimpijaPivovarna Laško3–0Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
1999–00Krka TelekomPivovarna Laško3–1Croatia Ivan Sunara
2000–01Union OlimpijaKrka Telekom3–0Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
2001–02Union OlimpijaKrka3–0Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
2002–03KrkaUnion Olimpija3–2Croatia Neven Spahija
2003–04Union OlimpijaPivovarna Laško3–0Slovenia Sašo Filipovski
2004–05Union OlimpijaGeoplin Slovan3–2Slovenia Sašo Filipovski
2005–06Union OlimpijaGeoplin Slovan3–2Slovenia Zmago Sagadin
2006–07Helios DomžaleUnion Olimpija3–2Slovenia Memi Bečirovič
2007–08Union OlimpijaHelios Domžale3–1Serbia Aleksandar Džikić
2008–09Union OlimpijaHelios Domžale3–0Slovenia Jure Zdovc
2009–10KrkaUnion Olimpija3–2Slovenia Smiljan PavičSerbia Aleksandar Džikić
2010–11KrkaUnion Olimpija3–2Slovenia Zoran DragićSerbia Aleksandar Džikić
2011–12KrkaUnion Olimpija3–1Israel Afik NissimSlovenia Aleksander Sekulić
2012–13KrkaUnion Olimpija3–1Slovenia Matjaž SmodišSlovenia Gašper Potočnik
2013–14KrkaUnion Olimpija3–2Slovenia Jaka KlobučarSerbia Aleksandar Džikić
2014–15TajfunRogaška3–1Slovenia Dragiša DrobnjakSlovenia Dejan Mihevc
2015–16Helios SunsZlatorog Laško3–1Croatia Marjan ČakarunCroatia Jakša Vulić
2016–17Union OlimpijaRogaška3–1United States Devin OliverSlovenia Gašper Okorn
2017–18Petrol OlimpijaKrka3–2United States Devin OliverSlovenia Zoran Martič
2018–19Sixt PrimorskaPetrol Olimpija3–0Croatia Marjan ČakarunSlovenia Jurica Golemac
2019–20The season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21Cedevita OlimpijaKrka3–0United States Kendrick PerrySlovenia Jurica Golemac
2021–22Cedevita OlimpijaHelios Suns3–0Slovenia Alen OmićSlovenia Jurica Golemac
2022–23Cedevita OlimpijaHelios Suns3–1United States Yogi FerrellSlovenia Miro Alilović
2023–24Cedevita OlimpijaKansai Helios Domžale3–0Slovenia Alen OmićSlovenia Zoran Martić
2024–25Cedevita OlimpijaKrka3–1Slovenia Aleksej NikolićMontenegro Zvezdan Mitrović

Titles by club

ClubTitle(s)Seasons won
Cedevita Olimpija221992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Krka72000, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Kansai Helios Domžale22007, 2016
Šentjur12015
Primorska12019

Finals appearances

NumTeamWL
30Cedevita Olimpija228
12Krka75
7Kansai Helios Domžale25
1Šentjur10
1Primorska10
4Zlatorog Laško04
3Hopsi Polzela03
2Slovan02
2Rogaška02
1Postojna01
1Koper01
1TAM Bus01
1Krško01

Statistical leaders

SeasonTop ratingPIRTop scorerPPGTop rebounderRPGTop assistant makerAPG
2001–02Slovenia Matjaž Tovornik22.1Belarus Aliaksei Lashkevich8.7Slovenia Jaka Lakovič4.2
2002–03Slovenia Slavko Duščak18.21Croatia Mario Dundović7.3Slovenia Marko Antonijevič5.0
2003–04Belarus Aliaksei Lashkevich19.7Bosnia and Herzegovina Seid Hajrić9.1Slovenia Miha Čmer4.7
2004–05Croatia Robert Troha18.3Bosnia and Herzegovina Slovenia Hasan Rizvić7.1Puerto Rico Andrés Rodríguez5.7
2005–06Slovenia Sandi Čebular20.3United States Jeff McMillan8.4Slovenia Matic Maček5.0
2006–07United States Jimmie Lee Hunt18.4Switzerland Croatia Sissoko Kabine8.3United States Jimmie Lee Hunt4.6
2007–08Canada Dejan Grković19.19Croatia Miroslav Jurić19.58Canada Dejan Grković8.81Slovenia Jure Močnik4.85
2008–09Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Shawn King31.26United States Gilbert Goodrich22.15Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Shawn King14.79Slovenia Jure Močnik4.59
2009–10Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Shawn King27.61Slovenia Sandi Čebular20.69Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Shawn King11.30Slovenia Tadej Koštomaj5.44
2010–11United States Gregg Thondique22.84United States Benjamin Raymond17.68United States Gregg Thondique10.53Serbia Igor Mijajlović4.68
2011–12United States Travis Nelson20.88United States Travis Nelson17.46Serbia Miloš Miljković8.57Slovenia Luka Rupnik5.33
2012–13United States Kervin Bristol20.07Slovenia Sašo Zagorac17.50United States Kervin Bristol10.86Slovenia Daniel Vujasinović5.81
2013–14United States Ousman Krubally20.03United States Ousman Krubally17.17United States Ousman Krubally9.07Slovenia Daniel Vujasinović7.63
2014–15Slovenia Sašo Zagorac20.41Slovenia Sašo Zagorac18.86Slovenia Smiljan Pavič8.86Slovenia Jan Močnik6.96
2015–16Slovenia Jan Barbarič23.20Slovenia Jan Barbarič18.60Slovenia Smiljan Pavič8.39Slovenia Matic Rebec5.59
2016–17Slovenia Igor Tratnik19.45Georgia (country) Duda Sanadze17.32Slovenia Jakob Čebašek8.63Slovenia Daniel Vujasinović8.29
2017–18Slovenia Smiljan Pavič19.63Slovenia Blaž Mahkovic18.97Slovenia Dino Murić8.27Slovenia Žan Mark Šiško7.03
2018–19Croatia Davor Konjević22.37Croatia Davor Konjević19.96South Sudan Matur Maker9.59Slovenia Žan Mark Šiško6.83
2020–21Slovenia Dino Murić24.00Slovenia Dino Murić19.21United States Aaron Carver12.41Slovenia Daniel Vujasinović8.20
2021–22Slovenia Miha Vašl21.3United States Dennis Tunstall10.2Slovenia Miha Vašl6.4
2022–23United States Tavian Dunn-Martin20.1Slovenia Dino Murić8.2Slovenia Daniel Vujasinović9.4
2023–24Bosnia and Herzegovina Njegoš Sikiraš17.5United States Jordan Skipper-Brown9.7United States Anthony Collins7.3
2024–25United States Josh Thompson17.6Canada South Sudan Kur Jongkuch8.0United States Tayler Persons6.4

See also

External links

  • (in Slovene)