The National Basketball League was a professional basketball league based in Canada that lasted only one and a half seasons in 1993 and 1994. It rose from the ashes of the World Basketball League which folded after the 1992 season, which had teams in various Canadian and American cities; the new league combined several former WBL teams based in Canada and new franchises. The NBL's first game was played on May 1, 1993 when the Cape Breton Breakers visited the Halifax Windjammers. The Breakers won the regular season championship with a 30-16 record, but they lost the championship finals to Saskatoon three games to one.
During the 1994 season there were rumours that the Cape Breton team was going to move to Saint John in mid-season, which never happened before the league folded on July 9, 1994. Halifax, which finished last in 1993, was in first place at the time the league had folded.
The league's president was Sam Katz and the commissioner was Tom Nissalke.
NBL teams
1993
- Montréal Dragons folded in mid-season on June 10, 1993
- Hamilton Skyhawks transferred to Edmonton prior to the start of the playoffs
PLAYOFFS - SEMI-FINALS
- Cape Breton defeated Edmonton 2 games to 1; Saskatoon defeated Winnipeg 2 games to 1
FINALS
- Saskatoon defeated Cape Breton 3 games to 1
Touring teams
In 1993, league teams also played games against some touring teams which counted in the league standings. These teams were:
- Atlantic Coast Conference All-Stars (replaced Atlantic 10 All-Stars)
- Athletes in Action
- Big East All-Stars
- Canadian National Team
1994
- National Basketball League disbanded on July 9, 1994
League champions
References
