Japan’s best professional teams Hiroshima Dragonflies and Ryukyu Golden Kings have qualified and will represent the country in the upcoming East Asia Super League 2024-2025 season, announced the league in a press release.

Champions Dragonflies and runners-up Golden Kings of Japan’s top-flight league “B.League” will compete with other champions and runners-up from different East Asian leagues to be called champions of East Asia.

Among the teams they will be facing are Taiwan’s P.League+, Korea’s Korean Basketball League (KBL), and the Philippines’ Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Already qualified are Korea’s champions and runners-up Busan KCC Egis and Suwon KT Sonicboom. Teams from the P.League and PBA are yet to be determined.

EASL CEO Henry Kerins said, “EASL is delighted to have the B.LEAGUE champions and runners-up competing once again to be the champions of East Asia. We’re looking forward to returning to Okinawa with the Ryukyu Golden Kings, after a tremendous series of games there last season. And we can’t wait to see what the Hiroshima Dragonflies will bring to the 2024-25 Season.”

B.LEAGUE Chairman Shinji Shimada said, “The 2023-24 season champions Hiroshima Dragonflies and runners-up Ryukyu Golden Kings will represent the B.LEAGUE in the EASL next season. 

“After a year of battling it out in the B.LEAGUE, which is improving year by year, and achieving impressive results as champions and runners-up, they have proved that they are Japan’s two best teams.

“Last season, the Chiba Jets were crowned EASL champions. We hope that one of these two teams will bring the EASL championship to Japan again.”

The draw for the EASL 2024-25 Season Group Stage was made earlier this year in agreement with the participating leagues. The eight participating teams will be divided into two groups, containing four teams each.

As B.LEAGUE champions, the Dragonflies have been placed into Group A. The Golden Kings have been placed into Group B. 

Hiroshima will match up in Group A against Korean Basketball League (KBL) runners-up Suwon KT Sonicboom, the P. LEAGUE+ runners-up, and one of the best-performing teams from the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) 2023-24 conferences.

In Group B, Ryukyu will face KBL champions the Busan KCC Egis, the P. LEAGUE+ champions, and a second top-performing PBA team.

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About East Asia Super League

East Asia Super League (EASL) is the Champions League of East Asian basketball. Combining the best clubs, from the best leagues, with best-in-class production values, EASL’s vision is to become one of the world’s top professional basketball leagues. At the same time, the league aims to elevate the sport of basketball across the East Asia region.

EASL operates with a 10-year agreement with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, granting FIBA Asia’s recognition. It also operates under agreements with the East Asia region’s leading basketball leagues, securing the participation of their teams. Those leagues are the Japan B.LEAGUE, the Korean Basketball League (KBL), the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and Chinese Taipei’s P. LEAGUE+. 

For more information about the East Asia Super League, please visit www.EASL.basketball.