The 2024–25 B1 League season was the ninth season of the B1 League, the top Japanese professional basketball league, since its establishment in 2015. The regular season began on 5 October 2024.
The Hiroshima Dragonflies were the defending champions, having won their first B1 League title after defeating the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the 2024 finals. Utsunomiya Brex won the title, after defeating the Ryukyu Golden Kings in three games in the finals. As champions, they qualified for the 2025 Basketball Champions League Asia and the 2025–26 East Asia Super League. D. J. Newbill stood out individually this season, winning both the season MVP and finals MVP awards.
Teams
Team changes Promoted from2023–24 B2 League Relegated from2023–24 B1 League Shiga LakesKoshigaya Alphas Shinshu Brave WarriorsToyama Grouses
Coaching changes Team Outgoing IncomingOff-season Utsunomiya Brex Norio Sassa Kevin Braswell Hiroshima Dragonflies Kyle Milling Shogo Asayama Gunma Crane Thunders Kota Mizuno Kyle Milling Yokohama B-Corsairs Taketo Aoki Lassi Tuovi Nagasaki Velca Kenjiro Maeda Mody Maor Shiga Lakes David Gómez Kenjiro Maeda Kawasaki Brave Thunders Kenji Sato Ronen Ginzburg Ibaraki Robots Richard Glesnann Chris Holm Sendai 89ers Hiroki Fujita Yoshiro Ochiai Chiba Jets John Patrick Trevor GleesonIn-season Utsunomiya Brex Kevin Braswell (†) Zico Coronel (interim) Sun Rockers Shibuya Luka Pavićević Kyle Bailey (interim)
In-season On 24 January 2025, Utsunomiya Brex named Zico Coronel the interim head coach after Kevin Braswell was hospitalized. The team announced the death of Braswell on 24 February 2025.
On 15 April 2025, Sun Rockers Shibuya terminated the contract of head coach Luka Pavićević. Kyle Bailey was announced as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Foreign players This is the full list of international players competing in the 2024–25 season.
Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Replaced Akita Northern Happinets Mohammad Gadiaga Tanner Leissner Christian Mekowulu Yannis Morin – Alvark Tokyo Artūras Gudaitis Léonardo Meindl Sebastián Saiz – – Chiba Jets D. J. Hogg John Mooney Michael Ou Chris Smith – Fighting Eagles Nagoya Isaac Butts Justin Harper Sean O'Mara Tseng Hsiang-chun – Gunma Crane Thunders Trey McKinney-Jones Kaleb Tarczewski Johannes Thiemann – – Hiroshima Dragonflies Kerry Blackshear Dwayne Evans Nick Mayo Worth Smith – Ibaraki Robots Robert Franks Eric Jacobsen Sun Siyao Chehales Tapscott – Kawasaki Brave Thunders Rosco Allen Alize Johnson Sacha Killeya-Jones Matthew Wright – Koshigaya Alphas Jeff Gibbs L. J. Peak Tim Soares Kai Sotto – Kyoto Hannaryz Angelo Caloiaro Jordan Heath Charles Jackson – – Levanga Hokkaido Terry Allen Ryan Kriener Dwight Ramos Thomas Welsh – Nagasaki Velca Jarrell Brantley A. J. Edu Mark Smith Stephen Zack – Nagoya Diamond Dolphins Zylan Cheatham Scott Eatherton Luke Maye – – Osaka Evessa Matt Bonds Volodymyr Gerun Ryan Luther Ray Parks – Ryukyu Golden Kings Keve Aluma Jack Cooley Vic Law – – Saga Ballooners Yoeli Childs Chase Fieler Reynaldo Garcia – – San-en NeoPhoenix David Dudzinski Yante Maten David Nwaba – – SeaHorses Mikawa Zach Auguste Davante Gardner Jake Layman – – Sendai 89ers Nathan Boothe Cristiano Felício Stanton Kidd Yang Jae-min – Shiga Lakes Javier Carter Markeith Cummings Brock Motum Yu Ai-che – Shimane Susanoo Magic Coty Clarke Nick Kay J. M. McAdoo – – Sun Rockers Shibuya Anthony Clemmons Kevin Jones Reid Travis – – Utsunomiya Brex Isaac Fotu Grant Jerrett D. J. Newbill – – Yokohama B-Corsairs Gary Clark Damien Inglis Maik Kotsar Kiefer Ravena –
Regular season Standings Central Division </onlyinclude>
East Division </onlyinclude>
West Division </onlyinclude>
Canceled games 5 January: Shiga Lakes vs. San-en NeoPhoenix was abandoned after Javier Carter suffered a medical emergency on the court.
Statistics Individual statistic leaders Category Player Team Statistic Points per game Brock Motum Shiga Lakes 21.4 Rebounds per game Thomas Welsh Levanga Hokkaido 13.6 Assists per game Ryusei Sasaki San-en NeoPhoenix 6.5 Steals per game Aaron Henry Fighting Eagles Nagoya 2.4 Blocks per game Sacha Killeya-Jones Kawasaki Brave Thunders 2.0 FG% Scott Eatherton Nagoya Diamond Dolphins 60.5% 3FG% Makoto Hiejima Utsunomiya Brex 44.3% FT% Ryusei Shinoyama Kawasaki Brave Thunders 91.7%
Team statistic leaders Category Team Statistic Points per game San-en NeoPhoenix 90.8 Rebounds per game Ryukyu Golden Kings 34.5 Assists per game San-en NeoPhoenix 22.6 Steals per game Akita Northern Happinets 8.2 Blocks per game San-en NeoPhoenix 3.9 FG% Kyoto Hannaryz 47.3% 3FG% San-en NeoPhoenix 35.7% FT% Ryukyu Golden Kings 77.9%
Playoffs Bracket All matches in the playoffs are in a best-of-three series. Teams in bold advanced to the next round.
Quarter-finals (1) Utsunomiya Brex vs. (8) SeaHorses Mikawa
(2) San-en NeoPhoenix vs. (7) Gunma Crane Thunders
(3) Ryukyu Golden Kings vs. (6) Shimane Susanoo Magic
(4) Alvark Tokyo vs. (5) Chiba Jets
Semi-finals (1) Utsunomiya Brex vs. (5) Chiba Jets
(2) San-en NeoPhoenix vs. (3) Ryukyu Golden Kings
Finals (1) Utsunomiya Brex vs. (3) Ryukyu Golden Kings
B1 League clubs in Asian competitions Team Competition ProgressHiroshima Dragonflies Basketball Champions League Asia Semifinals, 3rd placeEast Asia Super League Finals, Champions Ryukyu Golden Kings Semifinals, 4th place
B1 League clubs in World competitions
References