THE National Basketball League (NBL) kicks off its inaugural season on August 25 with the promise of exposing local talents and further developing grassroots players.
NBL Chairman Celso “Soy” Mercado welcomed the 12 teams that will participate in the competition billed as a sanctuary for homegrown players during the league’s official launch on Thursday in a restaurant in Mandaluyong City.
“We are focusing on the grassroots development of our teams from the provinces and municipalities. It is our dream that NBL players will be noticed by professional and semiprofessional leagues,” Mercado said.
The NBL will cater to teams from Metro Manila and Luzon on its first season.
Teams from Bataan, Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Dasmariñas, Laguna, Marikina City, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Parañaque City, Quezon City, Rizal Province and Taguig City have committed to join the tournament.
The NBL has set the players’ age at 18 to 29, and all of them must be residents of the their respective teams. Each team is allowed to field 18 players with a maximum of seven reserves.
The league will carry a home-and-away format. Games will be televised on Basketball TV and Solar Sports.