From 4 October 2024 to June 2025, NBL has challenged Bulgarian teams to compete against one another. Throughout the event, competitors have presented themselves fiercely, satisfying viewers with breathtaking highlights and unexpected match turn-overs. Read on to explore the best NBL competitors with their histories and results highlighted. Follow the final events of the league with the bookie GGBet PL and benefit from diverse markets and increased odds.
NBL Origins and Rules
The National Basketball League is the biggest annual Bulgarian basketball competition. It dates back to 1942, when the event was called the Bulgarian A Division. In 2008, the country renamed the competition to NBL (National Basketball League), and it has since adhered to FIBA rules.
As of today, the event is conducted by the FIBA Europe Confederation, inviting 12 teams each year. PBC Academic emerges as the toughest team in the NBL, holding 26 national titles.
NBL 2024–2025 Participants
Unfortunately, the current NBL features fewer teams. CSKA Sofia and Yambol withdrew from the event due to financial problems, while Chernomorets withdrew due to failure to register for the season. As a result, here’s the final list of NBL 2024–2025 competitors:
- Academic Plovdiv
- Balkan Botevgrad
- Beroe
- Cherno More Ticha
- Minyor 2025
- Levski
- Rilski Sportist
- Shumen
- Spartak Pleven
All of them have already faced each other in BO3 and BO5 formats within quarterfinals, semifinals, battle for a third place, and finals. The following paragraphs present the result of some of these matches, revealing the best NBL teams of this year.
Rilski Sportist
Coming from Samokov, BC Rilski Sportist is a long-standing Bulgarian team that began in 1927. Over its rich playing history, the organization won 4 Bulgarian Cups, 1 Balkan League, 3 Bulgarian Basketball Super Cups, and 1 NBL.
This year, Rilski Sportist has climbed to the NBL finals with its cohesive and rapid team play. The team avoids selfish basketball, promoting the assist-oriented style. Thus, Rilski executed 21 assists during their encounter against Cherno More in the finals.
Jure Planinic is among the prominent Rilski players. He has excellent court awareness, recording consistent points and getting rebounds. Chavdar Kostov is also among the team stars, scoring approximately 20 points per game.
Cherno More
Cherno More is another team that has made it to the finals, thus earning a place on this list. The organization comes from Varna, a city on the east coast of Bulgaria. Throughout its performances since 1923, Cherno More has won 5 Bulgarian Cups and 3 Bulgarian Championships.
Cherno More put heavy effort into the NBL of 2024 – 2025. striving to win the championship. The team strives to achieve this by combining both team-oriented and high-scoring players.
Rodney Purvis, an American import, falls into the first category, consistently scoring 10 – 20 points every game. On the other hand, there’s a long-armed Michaelyn Scott, another player from the American school of basketball, who is a point guard known for his versatile playing style. In the semifinal game against Balkan, he contributed to his team’s win with an impressive 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Spartak
Emerging in third place in the NBL, Spartak from Pleven deserves separate recognition. The team has been performing since 1947, winning 1 Bulgarian Cup and 2 Bulgarian Championships.
One of Spartak’s key players is Milen Zahariev. He plays in the shooting guard position, being talented in both scoring and receiving rebounds. For example, he scored 16 points and got 8 rebounds in the 92 – 54 match against Akademik. P, where Spartak won.
Another Spartak player who shines on the court is Christian Keeling. This American player holds the Guard position, being capable of scoring around 20 points per game. However, he underperforms in terms of rebounds, executing 1 – 4 during the match.