The National Professional Basketball League (Spanish: Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional or LNBP), officially known as the Liga Caliente LNBP for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball league in Mexico. The league was founded in 2000 with 10 teams.

Notable basketball players who have played in the league include Jamario Moon, Dennis Rodman and Sun Mingming, among many others.

History

Foundation

In January 2000, some teams of CIMEBA (Circuito Mexicano de Básquetbol), the national basketball league in Mexico at the time, exited the league, citing CIMEBA's financial difficulties, and decided to form a new league. On March 11, 2000 the league was founded in the city of Durango with 11 teams participating. These were the founding teams, with the respective city and state:

  • Algodoneros de la Comarca (Torreon, Coahuila)
  • Correcaminos Matamoros de la UAT (Matamoros, Tamaulipas)
  • Correcaminos Reynosa de la UAT (Reynosa, Tamaulipas)
  • Correcaminos Tampico de la UAT (Tampico, Tamaulipas)
  • Correcaminos Victoria de la UAT (Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas)
  • Dorados de Chiuhuahua (Chihuahua, Chihuahua)
  • Garzas de Plata de la UAEH (Pachuca, Hidalgo)
  • Indios de la UACJ (Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua)
  • La Ola Roja del Distrito Federal (Mexico City, Distrito Federal)
  • Osos de Saltillo (Saltillo, Coahuila)
  • Vaqueros de Agua Prieta (Agua Prieta, Sonora)

The first president was Modesto Robledo. The LNBP set out to support and develop professional basketball in Mexico. The first edition of the league started on August 7, 2000 and finished in December, with the regular season finishing on November 11 and the playoffs starting on November 14. The first game was played in Torreón between Algodoneros de Torreón and Dorados de Chihuahua at the Auditorio Municipal: Dorados won, 80–78. The league coexisted in its first seasons with CIMEBA.

The Mexico LNBP (Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional) is the premier professional basketball league in Mexico, showcasing the country's top basketball talent. Established in 2000, the LNBP features a highly competitive tournament where teams from various regions compete for national supremacy. The league emphasizes high-paced, exciting basketball, attracting passionate fans and fostering local talent development. Throughout the season, teams battle through regular-season games, culminating in playoffs and a championship series to crown the national champion. The Mexico LNBP plays a vital role in promoting basketball across Mexico, contributing to the growth of the sport and providing entertainment for basketball enthusiasts nationwide.