Throughout the past few years the sport of basketball has increased in popularity in Spain. Since 1957 the Liga ACB (previously Liga Nacional) has been provided professional basketball contests for people in Spain. Liga ACB is the most popular basketball league in Spain with 18 total teams. Some of teams in Liga ACB include FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia. Liga ACB has hosted an annual playoffs and league championships since the 1983-84 season. In that first season Real Madrid defeated FC Barcelona 2 games to 1 to take the first title.
Liga Femenina (Spain women's basketball league) has 14 teams as opposed to the 18 of Liga ACB. Liga Femenina originated in 1964. Through the 1995-96 season a playoff system was not used and an outright winner with the best record was considered the champion. The playoff era for Liga Femenina started in the season of 1996-97. In that season, Pool Getafe defeated Real Canoe for the title starting a two year winning streak for Pool Getafe. Unlike the men's league, all teams in Liga Femenina have won at least one title. This is very unique compared to any league in any sport because this is not the case for most.
Of course for the FIBA World Championship and the Olympics, Spain sends a men's and a women's national team who usually compete for the championship. In the past few years and olympics', the Spain men's team has fallen just short of winning, each time being defeated by the United States.
Below are some pictures of the Spain National Team and and players from various basketball clubs.
Cal Filson
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