FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 16, 2025

Vientiane, Laos — The National Basketball League (NBL) today announced the launch of NBL-Laos, the country’s first professional development basketball league, tipping off February 7, 2026 and concluding March 29, 2026. Import players will arrive January 29, 2026 for onboarding, medicals, and training camp. The inaugural season will feature six (6) teams, all competing in Laos’ capital city, Vientiane, under a centralized, festival-style game format designed for affordability, atmosphere, and live broadcast quality.

NBL-Laos rosters will be capped at 8 players per team and built to prioritize Laotian player development:

2 U.S. imports (from NBL-United States/NCAA/pro-development pipelines)
1 naturalized player (FIBA-aligned eligibility)
5 local Laotian players

This structure guarantees that 62.5% of every roster is local, while the presence of imports raises the competitive standard and accelerates learning for Laotian athletes.

League Overview (2026 Inaugural Season)

Season Length: 8 weeks (Feb 7 – Mar 29, 2026)
Teams: 6 professional clubs
Venue Model: All games hosted in one primary arena in Vientiane
Weekly Rhythm: Two games per week per team (Fri–Sat or Sat–Sun)
Regular Season: 10 games per team
Playoffs: Top four advance; semifinals and finals (best-of-three series)
Player Arrival: January 29, 2026 (orientation, medicals, media day, and training)
Broadcast: Live streaming and highlights via New Era Sports TV with local media partners; social coverage on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube

Why Laos — and Why Now

NBL-Laos is purpose-built to give Laotian athletes a direct pathway to global opportunities through established NBL pipelines in the United States (NBL-US), Africa (NBL-Africa), the Caribbean (NBL-Caribbean), and the Solomon Islands. Centralizing the season in Vientiane minimizes costs, ensures consistent game presentation, and creates a reliable weekend destination for families, students, and sponsors.

Statement from Kevin Williams Sr.

Founder, New Era Sports Management & President, NBL-United States

“Launching NBL-Laos is a milestone for the NBL family and for Southeast Asian basketball. Laos has a young, passionate population, a proud cultural identity, and a growing appetite for world-class sport. Our model brings imports to elevate the game while protecting roster spots for Laotian players—that balance is the heartbeat of our development mission.

We chose Laos because the capital-city, single-venue approach lets us deliver professional standards from day one: consistent officiating, TV-ready production, and a festival atmosphere every weekend. Most importantly, NBL-Laos plugs directly into our global talent bridge—with opportunities to move into NBL-US and to compete in NBL-Africa, NBL-Caribbean, and our Solomon Islands programs. These leagues will share scouting, coaching education, officiating standards, and showcases, so players from Laos aren’t just seen locally—they’re seen globally.

Our expectation is clear: discover Laotian stars, develop them the right way, and help them climb. We’re honored to work alongside the Laos Basketball Federation, local partners, and our sponsors to make Vientiane a new home for professional basketball.”

Benefits to Laos

Player Development & Exposure: Laotian athletes compete with international talent, gaining film, analytics, and scouting access across NBL’s global network.
Coach & Referee Upskilling: Joint clinics with NBL-US coaches; standardized officiating and evaluation pathways with the Federation.
Economic Activity: Game-day staffing, media crews, vendors, and small-business activations at the arena.
Tourism & City Branding: Vientiane positioned as the home of professional basketball in Laos.
Youth Engagement: Pre-game clinics, school partnerships, and community events each weekend.

Key Dates

January 29, 2026: Imports arrive; orientation, medicals, training camp, and media day
February 7, 2026: Opening Night (Week 1) – Vientiane
March 15–29, 2026: Playoffs window & Championship Final
April 2026: Player evaluations, NBL-US combine invitations, and offseason clinics

Pathways & Collaboration Across the NBL Umbrella

Unified Scouting: Shared databases, film exchange, and cross-league scouting between NBL-US, NBL-Africa, NBL-Caribbean, NBL-Solomon Islands, and NBL-Laos.
Showcases & Exchanges: Laotian standouts considered for NBL-US combines, summer tours, and international tournaments.
Standards & Safety: Common competition rulesets, medical protocols, and integrity policies across all leagues.

Media & Partnerships

Sponsorship packages include presenting rights, jersey patches, broadcast inventory, arena signage, digital content series, community clinic naming, and youth ticket programs. Media credentialing and partnership inquiries are now open.

About New Era Sports Management

New Era Sports Management is the multi-platform organization behind the NBL global ecosystem, including NBL-United States, NBL-Africa, NBL-Caribbean, and NBL-Solomon Islands initiatives. New Era builds professional development pathways that prioritize player growth, coach and referee education, and community impact.

About NBL-United States

NBL-US (founded 2020) is the flagship professional development league in the NBL network, operating men’s and women’s programs, combines, and showcases that connect emerging talent to opportunities worldwide.

About NBL-Laos

NBL-Laos is Laos’ first professional development basketball league, headquartered in Vientiane. The league’s mission is to elevate Laotian basketball through world-class competition, coaching, officiating, and media exposure—while creating a direct pathway to NBL leagues around the world.

Media Contact & More Information

Website: www.laosnbl.com
Instagram: @laosnbl
Facebook: National Basketball League-Laos
Twitter/X: @laosnbl

NBL-Laos

National Basketball League Launches NBL-Laos