Korvpalli Meistriliiga
Founded1925; 97 years ago (1925)
First season1925
CountryEstonia
ConfederationFIBA Europe
Number of teams6
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toI Liiga
Domestic cup(s)Estonian Cup
Current championsKalev/Cramo (12th title)
Most championshipsTartu Ülikool (26 titles)
CEOJaak Salumets
Websitebasket.ee
2021 KML Play-offs

The Korvpalli Meistriliiga (English: Basketball Champions League), known as the OlyBet Korvpalli Meistriliiga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier level and most important professional basketball league in Estonia. It is controlled by the Estonian Basketball Association.

The first Estonian Basketball Championship tournament was held in 1925. During Soviet era (1941–1991) the league was called the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Championship. After Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the league was reformed as the Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML). The KML, which is played under FIBA rules, currently consists of six teams. The current KML champions are Kalev/Cramo who won their 11th Estonian Championship in the 2019 KML Play-offs.

Current clubs

Kalev/Cramo Kalev/TLÜ TalTech
Pärnu
Rapla
Tartu Ülikool
Locations of the 2019 KML Play-offs teams
Team Home city Arena Capacity
Avis Utilitas Rapla Rapla Sadolin Sports Hall 818[1]
Kalev/Cramo Tallinn Kalev Sports Hall 1,700[2]
Pärnu Sadam Pärnu Pärnu Sports Hall 1,820[3]
Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ Tallinn Sõle Sports Centre 153[4]
TalTech Tallinn TalTech Sports Hall 1,000[5]
Tartu Ülikool Tartu University of Tartu Sports Hall 2,600[6]

Title holders

Titles by club

Team Winners Winning years
Tartu Ülikool 26 1938, 1939, 1940, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015
Kalev 18 1927, 1930, 1931, 1943, 1944 (w)‡, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003
BC Kalev/Cramo 12 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
TalTech Basketball 8 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1984, 1985
Standard 8 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
Tallinna Russ 4 1928, 1929, 1932, 1933
TTÜ-A. Le Coq 4 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999
Tartu NMKÜ 3 1934, 1936, 1937
EMÜ 2 1957, 1960
Harju KEK 2 1974, 1979
Tallinna Sport 1 1925
Tallinna NMKÜ 1 1935
Tallinna Dünamo 1 1941
Tartu Kalev 1 1944 (s)‡
Metallist 1 1981

‡ Note: In the 1944 season two championship tournaments were held (s – summer tournament; w – winter tournament).

KML Finals

Season Home court advantage Result Home court disadvantage Top seed Record Champion's coach Finals MVP
1991–92 Asto 0–2 Kalev Asto 28–1 Estonia Jaanus Levkoi
1992–93 Kalev/Rafter 2–0 Asto Kalev/Rafter 36–0 Estonia Riho Soonik
1993–94 Asto 2–1 Baltika Asto 25–3 Estonia Jaanus Levkoi
1994–95 Kalev/Auma 3–1 Tallinn Kalev/Auma 28–0 Estonia Jaak Salumets
1995–96 Kalev 3–0 Tartu Kalev 36–0 Estonia Jaak Salumets
1996–97 Tallinn 3–1 Baltika Tallinn 20–5 Estonia Üllar Kerde
1997–98 Kalev 3–1 Tallinn Kalev 22–3 Netherlands Maarten van Gent
1998–99 Tallinn 3–0 Nybit Tallinn 21–4 Estonia Üllar Kerde
1999–00 Kalev 0–3 Tartu Ülikool-Delta Kalev 27–3 Estonia Teet Laur
2000–01 Tartu Ülikool-Delta 3–0 Tallinna Ülikoolid-A. Le Coq Tartu Ülikool-Delta 28–7 Estonia Jüri Neissaar
2001–02 Tartu Rock 2–3 Kalev Tartu Rock 23–7 Estonia Üllar Kerde
2002–03 TTÜ/A. Le Coq 2–4 Kalev TTÜ/A. Le Coq 25–7 Estonia Andres Sõber
2003–04 TÜ/Rock 4–2 EBS/Nybit TÜ/Rock 18–6 Estonia Tõnu Lust
2004–05 TÜ/Rock 3–4 Ehitustööriist TÜ/Rock 12–4 Estonia Allan Dorbek
2005–06 Kalev/Cramo 4–3 TÜ/Rock Kalev/Cramo 21–3 Estonia Aivar Kuusmaa United States James Williams
2006–07 TÜ/Rock 4–2 Kalev/Cramo TÜ/Rock 33–3 Lithuania Algirdas Brazys Estonia Tanel Tein
2007–08 TÜ/Rock 4–0 Kalev/Cramo TÜ/Rock 33–3 Estonia Üllar Kerde United States Brian Cusworth
2008–09 TÜ/Rock 2–4 Kalev/Cramo TÜ/Rock 26–2 New Zealand Nenad Vučinić Estonia Kristjan Kangur
2009–10 TÜ/Rock 4–2 Rakvere Tarvas TÜ/Rock 23–5 Estonia Indrek Visnapuu Estonia Janar Talts
2010–11 Kalev/Cramo 4–0 TÜ/Rock Kalev/Cramo 29–3 Estonia Aivar Kuusmaa Latvia Armands Šķēle
2011–12 Tartu Ülikool 0–4 Kalev/Cramo Tartu Ülikool 25–3 Estonia Aivar Kuusmaa Estonia Tanel Sokk
2012–13 Kalev/Cramo 4–0 TÜ/Rock Kalev/Cramo 28–4 Estonia Alar Varrak Estonia Tanel Sokk
2013–14 TÜ/Rock 0–4 Kalev/Cramo TÜ/Rock 30–2 Estonia Alar Varrak Romania Vlad Moldoveanu
2014–15 TÜ/Rock 4–1 Kalev/Cramo TÜ/Rock 26–6 Estonia Gert Kullamäe Estonia Tanel Kurbas
2015–16 Kalev/Cramo 4–1 TÜ/Rock Kalev/Cramo 32–0 Estonia Alar Varrak Latvia Rolands Freimanis
2016–17 Kalev/Cramo 4–0 Avis Utilitas Rapla Kalev/Cramo 29–3 Estonia Alar Varrak Bulgaria Branko Mirković
2017–18 Kalev/Cramo 4–0 Tartu Ülikool Kalev/Cramo 25–1 Lithuania Donaldas Kairys Estonia Kristjan Kangur
2019 Kalev/Cramo 3–0 Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ Kalev/Cramo – Lithuania Donaldas Kairys Bulgaria Branko Mirković
2021 Kalev/Cramo 3–1 Pärnu Sadam Kalev/Cramo – Latvia Roberts Štelmahers United States Chavaughn Lewis

Awards

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sadolin Spordihoone". Spordiregister.ee.
  2. ^ "Kalevi Spordihall". Spordiregister.ee.
  3. ^ "Pärnu Spordihall". Spordiregister.ee.
  4. ^ "Sõle Spordikeskus". Spordiregister.ee.
  5. ^ "Tallinna Tehnikaülikooli spordihoone". Spordiregister.ee.
  6. ^ "Tartu Ülikooli Spordihoone". Spordiregister.ee.

External links

Korvpalli Meistriliiga
Men's professional basketball leagues
Categories