Spanish ACB most-represented league in 2025 Qualifiers, followed by Spanish 2nd division
The Spanish ACB was the most-represented league among all NT players at the FIBA 2025 Qualifiers. Second place went to Spain's second division Primera FEB. That's how attractive Spain is.
The Qualifiers for the four 2025 continental championships - FIBA AfroBasket 2025, FIBA AmeriCup 2025, FIBA Asia Cup 2025 and FIBA EuroBasket 2025 - are done and dusted. We know which teams are in the field for the regional tournaments. But which domestic league was the most represented among all the games in the final window of the Qualifiers in February 2025?
The answer is no surprise at all: Spain’s ACB teams sent 68 players to national team games across the globe over the past week. Second place might surprise you though.
TTC scoured through all the rosters from all the teams during the February 2025 window across the globe and found a total of 68 players who earn their money in the Spanish Liga Endesa.
As high as that number sounds, it is actually a bit lower than the 75 players the ACB sent throughout the world for the February 2024 FIBA window. For the games this month, Spain’s three EuroLeague clubs - Barcelona (3 players), Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (5) and Real Madrid (5) - contributed 13 players to national teams while Unicaja Malaga - the reigning Basketball Champions League champions who are undefeated in the competition this season and are ranked second in the ACB - did not send a single player to a national team for the window.
The league with the second most national team players in the world with 35 was actually the Primera FEB - Spain’s second division formerly known as LEB Gold. The league still has strong clubs such as Estudiantes Madrid, San Pablos Burgos, Fuenlabrada Madrid, Real Betis Sevilla and Obradoiro. And they attract players from across the globe looking to make the jump into the ACB - the strongest domestic league in the world outside the NBA.
On top of those two leagues, the Spanish Segunda FEB - the third division formerly known as LEB Silver - had 7 players competing in the window; and the fourth division Tercera FEB - formerly the EBA - contributed 6 national team players across the world.
The next league in terms of players for national team players was the Italian Serie A, who had 32 - six of them coming from Virtus Segafredo Bologna and fellow EuroLeague side EA7 Armani Emporio Milan released four players. The league had 29 players for the February 2024 window.
Türkiye’s Basketbol Süper Lig was fourth with 29 players (same number as February 2024 window) with Japan’s B-League sending out 28 players to national teams. That is a clear confirmation that more high level talent are flocking to the Asian nation because of the stronger salaries they are receiving. The Australian NBL contributed 27 players and Poland had 26 players.
France’s ProA ranked seventh with 25 players for national teams - five coming from EuroLeague powers AS Monaco. But France is a case similar to Spain where many players from smaller countries - also from Africa and Asia and elsewhere - go to the lower leagues for a chance to move up.
French ProB clubs had 19 players competing for national teams across the world while the third division NM1 had 14 players on national team duty in the February 2025 window.
Rounding out the top 10 were Germany with 24 (down from 33 in February 2024 window) and Greece with 23 players.
Top 10 leagues in terms of players playing for national teams during the 2025 Continental Qualifiers.
1. Spain ACB - 68 players
2. Spain Primera FEB - 35
3. Italy Serie A - 32
4. Türkiye Basketbol Süper Lig - 29
5. Japan B-League - 28
6. Australia NBL - 27
7. Poland Polska Liga Koszykówki - 26
8. France ProA - 25
9. Germany BBL - 24
10. Greece GBL - 23
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