Wikipedia - FIBA Americas League

The FIBA Americas League (Portuguese: FIBA Liga das Américas, Spanish: FIBA Liga de las Américas), officially abbreviated as the LDA, was the premier intercontinental basketball club competition played annually by clubs of the entire Americas. Organized by FIBA Americas, the competition was replaced by the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA) in September 2019. The inaugural season started on 4 December 2007. The FIBA Americas League was a recreation of the now defunct Pan American Club Championship, that existed from 1993 to 2000.

The winner of the Final Four, the culminating tournament of each season's FIBA Americas League, is crowned as the champion of all of the FIBA Americas zone region. The tournament's final is called the Grand Final. It is the first-tier and most important professional international club basketball competition in the regions of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

From 2013 to 2015, the winner of each season's FIBA Americas tournament, played against the winner of each season's European top-tier level EuroLeague competition, at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, in order to determine an official club world cup champion. Since 2016, the champions of the FIBA Americas League contest the FIBA Intercontinental Cup against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the European Champions League.

History

In 1993, the Campeonato Panamericano de Clubes de Básquetbol (Pan American Basketball Club Championship) was created as a Pan American tournament, running from 1993 until 2000. In December 2007, the FIBA Americas League was introduced in the second attempt of a panamerican basketball club competition.

The FIBA Americas League was formed in 2007, as a professional intercontinental men's basketball club competition, under the organization of FIBA Americas, with the goal of creating a world-class top level multinational basketball league in the Americas Region including teams from North America this time (apart from the NBA). The league was modeled after the EuroLeague, Europe's top-tier level multinational club basketball league. The main reason for creating the league was the promotion and growth of the sport, and the increased level of competition that would come from the creation of a multinational super league in the FIBA Americas region. The only North American teams participating in the competition (2007-2019) were the former USBL champions Miami Tropics and an All-Star selection team from the Premier Basketball League.

Another one of the main goals in the creation of the league was to eventually revive the dormant FIBA Intercontinental Cup, so that clubs from the FIBA Americas region could once again directly compete against top EuroLeague teams in official games, and so that an official world cup championship could once again be contested. FIBA World decided to revive the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2013, deciding that the champions of the FIBA Americas League would play against the champions of the EuroLeague, to decide on the world club champion. It was then decided by FIBA World that the tournament would be played every year from then on for the foreseeable future. Pinheiros was the first team to represent Americas in the Intercontinental Cup. Since 2016, the FIBA Americas League champions play against the champions of one of the two European second-tier level competitions, the FIBA Champions League.

Another goal in creating the league was to form a league system of teams that could form a partnership with the EuroLeague and NBA on playing friendly games during the preseason, in the same way that the EuroLeague and NBA teams were already playing against each other during the preseason. This was finally realized in the 2014–15 preseason, when teams from the FIBA Americas League played against teams from both the EuroLeague and the NBA.

Names of the top-tier level Pan American competition

    • Campeonato Panamericano de Clubes de Básquetbol (English: Pan American Basketball Club Championship): (1993–2000)
  • FIBA Americas era: (2007–2019)
    • FIBA Americas League: (2007 – 2019)
    • FIBA Champions League Americas (2019 - present)
The FIBA Americas League is an exhilarating basketball tournament that showcases the immense talent and passion for the sport in the Americas region. Organized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), this prestigious competition brings together top professional basketball teams from North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.

The tournament features a thrilling format, with teams battling it out in intense matches to secure their place in the playoffs. The participating teams represent the best clubs from their respective domestic leagues, ensuring a high level of competition and skill on display.

The FIBA Americas League serves as a platform for teams to showcase their abilities and compete for the ultimate prize of being crowned the champions of the Americas. The tournament not only provides an opportunity for teams to prove their dominance on the court but also serves as a stepping stone for players to catch the attention of scouts and potentially secure contracts with professional teams around the world.

Fans eagerly anticipate the FIBA Americas League, as it brings together some of the most talented basketball players in the region. The tournament is known for its fast-paced and high-scoring games, with teams employing various strategies and tactics to outwit their opponents. The electrifying atmosphere in the arenas, filled with passionate supporters, adds to the excitement and intensity of the matches.

The FIBA Americas League not only promotes the sport of basketball but also fosters cultural exchange and unity among the participating nations. It serves as a platform for players and fans to celebrate the diversity and shared love for the game across the Americas.

With its rich history and tradition, the FIBA Americas League has become a highly anticipated event in the basketball calendar. It showcases the best of the Americas' basketball talent, providing thrilling moments, unforgettable performances, and a true celebration of the sport.