The NBA pays the best salaries in the world, compared to any other league. However, the owners of NBA teams do not have as much money as the owners of soccer teams in Saudi Arabia, where there is also a low-profile pro basketball league.
Saudi Arabia has a soccer league known as the Saudi Professional League, where Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and other well-known players are playing what would be the last years of their careers, but earning big salaries.
Money is what is attracting NBA players to the Saudi Arabian basketball league. While some players have jokingly expressed interest in playing in the league, many are actually serious about the opportunity. This is especially true after learning how much money Saudi Arabian soccer teams could offer Kylian Mbappe to play in the country.
Is professional basketball played in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, professional basketball is played in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Premier League was founded in 1976 and in 2023, there are 12 teams in the league. The league is governed according to FIBA rules. The team with the most titles is Al Ittihad with 16 championships.
The league not only plays the classic 5 vs 5 basketball, but it also has 3X3 teams. However, most of the players are from Saudi Arabia or from countries in the region. So far, no top NBA player has retired playing in the Saudi Premier League.
The league has an official website in Arabic, www.sbl.sa, where they publish content about the teams, players. They also have social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter (@sbl_ksa) and a Facebook page called SBL.KSA.
