NBXL in the MAKING

 

NBXL, the first ever single entity USA-Middle East based independent professional basketball league playing a domestic and international league schedule in a single season, featuring elite players from around the world. The NBXL is the future of basketball, independent, and most importantly a purpose driven league.

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The NBXL will operate a single business model in which the NBXL owns and operates all 8 league teams. It is the goal of the NBXL to offer franchising opportunities in the near future. For our inaugural season we will start with 4 teams. The NBXL will have 5 major league/game rule changes that will separate the NBXL from other current existing professional basketball leagues without affecting the essence of the game of professional basketball. What will aslo separate the NBXL from other leagues is its ability to have its season during a time it will not compete with other league schedules  and also having elite players from around the world thanks to its no import rule.

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The NBXL concept has been a developing league since 2009. Instead of launching the NBXL at that point, we decided to concentrate and research into why so many sports league ventures have failed. One of the common problems that occurred with start up leagues was the lack of prior experience in operating a sports team let alone a league by its founders.

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It became clear that in order to build and establish the NBXL it was vital to first understand how individual teams operated and the requirements that the NBXL would need to provide for its players, owners, and community in which they played as a league. At that time there was a feeling that people were attempting to start professional basketball leagues to meet the demand for basketball becoming a worldwide sport. More and more players were turning pro but the NBA only has limited job openings per year. As a result the NBA launched its own developmental league called the NBA D-League. As of today, the NBA G-league has the same number of teams as NBA league. The NBA G-league serves as a development platform for the NBA teams. It’s a place where players can be called up to the main NBA team when required. At that time, many countries started their own National professional basketball leagues composed of national players. The exception being that it allowed 1 or 2 non national players per team to play as imports.

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At the time Christian Villar (the founder of the NBXL), had just returned from playing professional basketball internationally. Instead of trying to start the NBXL as a league like so many others, he took a different approach. Having played professional basketball he already understood the needs and demands of players. .Jumping straight into launching a league he knew he would be missing the opportunity to learn and understand how to operate a professional basketball team first. This is the key that others were lacking. The opportunity to provide a platform for other players to continue playing professional basketball alongside him while learning this fundamental step prior to launching the NBXL gave him another reason to create a pro team first.  As a result the NJ-Pros which is today the founding team of the NBXL was formed.    

 

NBXL As NJ-Pros Team Concept

 

MEMBER OF PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUES

2009 - 2011 Member of the Eastern Basketball Alliance (EBA)

2011 - 2012 Member of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL)

2012 - 2014 Member of the American Professional Basketball League (APBL)

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INDEPENDENT - NO LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP 2014 -2016

The NJ-Pros stopped playing in a league and became independent, scheduling games against other top professional basketball teams from other professional basketball leagues across the globe. That included teams from top international leagues, such as the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) of Puerto Rico, the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto (LNB) of the Dominican Republic, along with two games against the Dominican Republic Men’s National Basketball Team.

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On the National level, the NJ-Pros hosted showcase games prior and after the NBA Developmental League games of the Westchester Knicks and Delaware 87ers. The games were branded as professional basketball double headers and all children were able to attend both the NJ-Pros game and the respective G-League team’s game at no additional cost. This was a fantastic way to help many children who simply could not afford to purchase a ticket. It was a way to meet their local stars, watch a night of fun-filled basketball, while expanding, the fan-base outside of New Jersey into surrounding areas.

 

2017 - 2020

NJ-Pros play exhibition games against numerous top international professional basketball teams and Men’s National Basketball Teams from around the globe such as the Dominican Republic and USA Men’s National Basketball Teams.

 

2020-PRESENT

The NJ-Pros become the founding member of the NBXL professional basketball league. The NJ-Pros also served as the model to replicate 3 other basketball team franchises taking part in season 1 of the NBXL.

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NBXL in the Middle East

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Since 2020, the NBXL has been active in the Middle East establishing relationships with key individuals, institutions, government entities, studying the market and understanding the culture. It has hosted events with youth groups and schools.

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NBXL  x  EXPO2020 DUBAI

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On March 10 and 11, 2022 the NBXL participated in EXPO2020 Dubai by providing two days of basketball activities. This was a historic event that had over 24 million visitors from all over the world. On day one we held basketball clinics for Dubai schools visiting the Expo. On day 2 we hosted a 4 team basketball cup featuring 2 schools and 2 basketball academies from Dubai. We also handed out bags with notebooks for each participating player which is something we have done since 2009 in every city and country we have visited. The champions and runner up team received sneaker sponsorship, form The Pros Brand, for each of its players and coaches.

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NBXL x DUBAI SCHOOL GAMES BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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On May 2022 and June 2023 the NBXL sponsored and assisted with the hosting of the Dubai Schools Games basketball championships which featured participating students from over 200 private schools with approximately 300,000 students. The NBXL provided backpacks filled with school supplies, team trophies for the winning teams as well as MVP trophies for the winning team most valuable player. In conjunction with The Pros Brand, we also provided free sneakers for students and athletes that demonstrated sportsmanship during the 4 day event at the World Trade Centre.

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