. There is also a
The CBA should also not be confused with the National Basketball League (NBL), which is a semi-professional "Division 2"
. Conversely, a limited number of foreign players are allowed for each CBA team. Notable players include NBA All-Star
The league began play in 1995. However, the CBA as the name of a league should not be confused with the "Chinese Basketball Association" organisation, which was founded in June 1956
. 1996 James Hodges was one of the first Americans to play in this League. Today, the regulating body for basketball in
Other Chinese basketball leagues include the National Basketball League (NBL), the
. At one time there was a league called the Chinese New Basketball Alliance (CNBA)
, one of whose teams was the Beijing Sea Lions, but it lasted only one season (1996-97)
The full name of each team usually consists of three parts, in the following order:
This can sometimes lead to confusion about what name to use in English because many variants may be seen. Team names are usually abbreviated (in Chinese or English), so that either the corporate sponsor name or the nickname is used interchangeably (rarely both). Also, the nickname can sometimes be translated into English in more than one way; also the corporate sponsor name can change frequently over time.
In previous years, the title of the league itself was available for corporate naming sponsorship. In 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 it was known as the "
. However, this corporate league title was not always used in the news media, and this sponsorship practice was discontinued at the start of the 2004–2005 season.
| Team |
City, Region |
Arena |
Head coach |
| Northern Divison |
| Beijing Shougang Ducks Beijing Jinyu Ducks or Beijing Ducks or Beijing Jinyu is a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Beijing. They were formerly known as the Beijing Shougang Ducks or Beijing Shougang; the name change was likely due to a change of corporate sponsorship...
|
BeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
|
Shougang Gymnasium Shougang Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Beijing, China. The capacity of the arena is 6,000 spectators and opened in 2002. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Min Lulei |
| Guangdong Foshan Dralions |
FoshanFoshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper .... , GuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
|
Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium Foshan Lingnan Mingzhu Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Dongguan, China. The capacity of the arena is 8,324 spectators and opened in 2006. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Foshan Dralions of the Chinese Basketball Association. It...
|
United States Jay Humphries |
| Jilin GBT Northeast Tigers Jilin Tonggang Northeast Tigers or Jilin Northeast Tigers or Jilin Tonggang are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Changchun, Jilin....
|
ChangchunChangchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and... , JilinJilin , is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west...
|
Changchun Gymnasium Changchun Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Changchun, China. The capacity of the arena is 4,299 spectators and opened in 1957. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Jilin Northeast Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Wang HanWang Han was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, with one of his poems being included in the famous anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.-Poetry:...
|
| Liaoning Dinosaurs |
Yingkou Yingkou is located in the northwestern portion of the Liaodong Peninsula, and on the left bank of the Daliao River, which enters the sea in the city. To the west is the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Gulf, and the city thus looks across to Jinzhou and Huludao... , Liaoning' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
|
Tiexi Gymnasium Tiexi Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Yingkou, China. The capacity of the arena is 4,500 spectators and opened in 2008. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Liaoning Dinosaurs of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Guo ShiqiangGuo Shiqiang is a former Chinese professional basketball player and current coach of the Liaoning Hunters of the Chinese Basketball Association and the assistant coach of the China men's national basketball team....
|
| Qingdao Double Star Eagles The Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Qingdao, Shandong.-Former notable players: Dee Brown Torraye Braggs Amal McCaskill...
|
Qingdao' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the... , Shandong' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
|
Qingdao University Gymnasium Qingdao University Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Qingdao, China. The capacity of the arena is 6,000 spectators and opened in 2005. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Qingdao DoubleStar of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Wang Weili |
| Shandong Kingston Lions The Shandong Kingston Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Jinan, Shandong with some home games played in Linyi...
|
JinanJinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub... , Shandong' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
|
Shandong Arena Shandong Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Jinan, China. The capacity of the arena is 8,800 spectators and opened in 1979. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Shandong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Gong Xiaobin |
| Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons |
TaiyuanTaiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River... , Shanxi' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
|
Riverside Sports Arena Riverside Sports Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Taiyuan, China. The capacity of the arena is 5,331 spectators and opened in 1998. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
United States Bob WeissRobert William "Bob" Weiss is a retired American professional basketball player and head coach in the NBA. He is currently coaching Shanxi Zhongyu in the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
| Tianjin Ronggang Gold Lions The Tianjin Ronggang Golden Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Tianjin....
|
Tianjin ' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
|
Tianjin Arena Tianjin Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Tianjin, China. The capacity of the arena is 10,000 spectators. The arena is used to host indoor sporting events, such as basketball and volleyball....
|
Mainland China Zhang JianZhang Jian may refer to:* Zhang Jian , Chinese middle distance runner* Zhang Jian , Chinese fencer* Zhang Jian , Chinese politician* Zhang Jian , Chinese royal figure...
|
| Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers or Xinjiang Flying Tigers or Xinjiang Guanghui are a basketball team in the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Ürümqi, Xinjiang. Its corporate sponsor is Xinjiang Guanghui Group, Ltd...
|
Ürümqi Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country.... , XinjiangXinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
|
Hongshan Arena Hongshan Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Ürümqi, China. The capacity of the arena is 3,800 spectators and opened in 2002. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Jiang Xingquan |
| Southern Divison |
| Bayi Fubang Rockets Bayi Shuanglu Rockets or Bayi Rockets or Bayi Army Rockets or Bayi Shuanglu are a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Ningbo, Zhejiang...
|
NingboNingbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,... , ZhejiangZhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
|
Youngor Arena Youngor Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Ningbo, China. The capacity of the arena is 5,000 spectators and opened in 1994. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Bayi Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Chang Bin Adijan |
| DongGuan New Century Leopards |
DongguanDongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to... , GuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
|
Dalang Arena Dalang Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Dongguan, China. The capacity of the arena is 4,000 spectators and opened in 1994. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Dongguan Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Australia Brian GoorjianBrian Goorjian is an American-Australian basketball coach. He is the most successful coach in Australian basketball history...
|
| Fujian SBS Sturgeons Fujian SBS Xunxing or Fujian Xunxing or Fujian SBS are a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Jinjiang, Fujian. The "SBS" presumably reflects corporate sponsorship. Unlike all the other teams in the CBA, the team originally had no English-friendly...
|
Jinjiang Jinjiang City is a county-level city of Quanzhou Municipality in Fujian. It is located in the southeastern part of the province, on the right or south bank of the Jin River, across from Quanzhou's urban district of Fengze... , Fujian' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
|
Zuchang Gymnasium Zuchang Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Jinjiang, China. The capacity of the arena is 6,000 spectators and opened in 2002. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Fujian Xunxing of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
United States Casey OwensCorporal Casey Owens is a United States Marine, Iraq War veteran, and athlete from Houston, Texas, United States, who has come to fame from his feats of completing marathons in a wheelchair...
|
| Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers Guangdong Winnerway Southern Tigers or Guangdong Southern Tigers or Guangdong Winnerway is a basketball team owned by the Guangdong Winnerway Group. The team is one of the best-performing teams in the Chinese Basketball Association, or CBA...
|
DongguanDongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to... , GuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
|
Dongguan Arena Dongguan Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Dongguan, China. The capacity of the arena is 4,000 spectators and opened in 1994. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. It also...
|
Mainland China Li Chunjiang |
| Zhejiang Guangsha Lions |
HangzhouHangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people... , ZhejiangZhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
|
Hangzhou Gymnasium Hangzhou Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Hangzhou, China. The capacity of the arena is 5,136 spectators and opened in 1966. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Zhejiang Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
United States Jim CleamonsJames Mitchell "Jim" Cleamons is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. He played collegiately at The Ohio State University, and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 13th pick of the 1971 NBA Draft...
|
| Jiangsu Nangang Dragons Jiangsu Nangang Dragons or Jiangsu Dragons or Jiangsu Nangang or formerly known as Jiangsu Dahua are a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Nanjing, Jiangsu....
|
Nanjing ' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions... , Jiangsu' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
|
Nangang Gymnasium Nangang Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Nanjing, China. The capacity of the arena is 6,000 spectators and opened in 1995. It hosts indoor sporting events such as basketball and volleyball. It hosts the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association....
|
Mainland China Xu Qiang |
| Shanghai Dongfang Sharks The Shanghai Sharks , is a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. Steven Kevelam is the first to corporate a good sponsorship, there is often an additional name used: for many years they were also known as the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks , but now are known as Shanghai Xiyang...
|
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
|
Luwan Gymnasium The Luwan Gymnasium is a basketball arena, in Luwan District, Shanghai, China. The arena is home to the Shanghai Sharks, a member of the Chinese Basketball Association. The facility seats 3,000 people.- References :*...
|
United States Bob DonewaldBob Donewald Jr. is an American basketball coach and current head coach of the China men's national basketball team, Shanghai Sharks. He was an NBA assistant with the New Orleans Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers from 2001 to 2004, and an ABA head coach from 2004-2005...
|
| Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls |
Yiwu Yiwu is a city of about 1.2 million people in central Zhejiang Province near the central eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. The city is famous for its small commodity trade and vibrant free markets and is a regional tourist destination... , ZhejiangZhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
|
Yiwu Maeho Sports Center |
Mainland China Pan JianPing |
In 2005, the league unveiled the "Mou Zuoyun Cup" (牟作云杯 Móu Zuòyún bēi), which was awarded for the first time to the winning team in the finals. Mou Zuoyun (born 1913) was a member of the Chinese basketball team at the
, and later served as a coach and a pioneer in building Chinese basketball.