Current season, competition or edition: 2016–17 WABA League |
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Official logo of the WABA League
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Sport | Basketball |
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Founded | 2001 |
Inaugural season | 2001–02 |
No. of teams | 10 |
Country |
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Macedonia Montenegro Serbia Slovenia |
Continent | FIBA Europe |
Most recent champion(s) |
Athlete Celje (2nd title) |
Most titles |
Šibenik (5 titles) |
Official website | waba-league.com |
WABA League, commonly known as the Adriatic League, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring female teams from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Macedonia. Clubs from Austria, Hungary, Italy and Croatia had their representatives in WABA League in past seasons. Since 2012 a Cadet WABA League and since 2014 Pionir WABA League is also played.
WABA League was established in 2001 as EWWL League. In its first season it included six teams from four countries (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). After the regular season, it held a tournament in which the three best teams played, which was won by Athlete Celje. Next season the league expanded from six to eight teams, and the final tournament was altered so that the placement included the four top teams. At the final tournament the winner was Željezničar Sarajevo.
In 2003 the league changed its name to EWWL Trocal League, which lasted until 2006, and during these seasons the number of teams who played in the league varied from nine to twelve. In the period from 2004 to 2006 it had a representative from Macedonia and then one from Bulgaria in the 2006–07 season. Austrian clubs left the competition in 2004. Since 2003, the competing teams have been from Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006 the league changed its name to WABA NBL which it used till 2008. In 2006 the WABA Cup launched, which existed until 2010, which was attended by participants in the league. The WABA Cup in the year 2007 bore the name Vojko Herskel. In the 2008–09 season the league was named after WABA Multipover; in 2009–10 season, IWBL.
In 2010 the league changed to the present name, MŽRKL. The Vojko Herksel Cup was last played. In the 2012–13 season the league included the Hungarian PEAC-Pécs; and the Belgrade Partizan achieved a record in its history, playing 32 matches in the national competitions (regional league, championship and cup) all season without suffering a defeat. In the season of 2013–14 the format of the competition changed. Twelve teams which participated in the league were divided into two groups of six teams. Four first placed teams were placed in the quarterfinals, with the winners to the Final Four.