Korvpalli Meistriliiga
The Korvpalli Meistriliiga (English: Basketball Premier League) known as the Alexela Korvpalli Meistriliiga (English: Alexela Basketball Premier League) for sponsorship reasons is the first tier level men's professional basketball league in Estonia.
The first Estonian Basketball Championship tournament was held in 1925. During the Soviet occupation (1941–1991) the league was called Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Championship. The league was named Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) in 1992 after Estonia regained its independence. The current KML champions are BC Kalev/Cramo who won their seventh title.
The KML league, which is played under FIBA rules, currently consists of 9 teams. Since 2013, Alexela, an Estonian energy company, has been the main sponsor of the KML league.
Current teams
Historical performance of the current KML teams
Location of the 2014–15 Korvpalli Meistriliiga teams
| |
Team |
Location |
Debut in KML |
| Pos. |
Kalev/Cramo |
Tallinn |
1998-99 |
| Pos. |
Tartu Ülikool/Rock |
Tartu |
1991-92 |
| Pos. |
Rakvere Tarvas |
Rakvere |
2006-07 |
| Pos. |
Tallinna Kalev |
Tallinn |
2002-03 |
| Pos. |
TTÜ KK |
Tallinn |
2006-07 |
| Pos. |
KK Pärnu |
Pärnu |
2006-07 |
| Pos. |
TYCO Rapla |
Rapla |
2010-11 |
| Pos. |
Valga/Maks&Moorits |
Valga |
2006-07 |
| Pos. |
KK HITO |
Jõhvi |
2012-13 |
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Champions
- 1925 to 1940: Estonian Basketball Championship
- 1941 to 1990–91: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Championship
- 1991–92 to present: Korvpalli Meistriliiga
| Season |
Team |
|---|
| 1925 | Tallinna Sport |
| 1926 | No championship |
| 1927 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1928 | Tallinna Vitjaz |
| 1929 | Tallinna Russ |
| 1930 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1931 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1932 | Tallinna Russ |
| 1933 | Tallinna Russ |
| 1934 | Tartu NMKÜ |
| 1935 | Tallinna NMKÜ |
| 1936 | Tartu NMKÜ |
| 1937 | Tartu NMKÜ |
| 1938 | Tartu EASK |
| 1939 | Tartu EASK |
| 1940 | Tartu EASK |
| 1941 | Tallinna Dünamo |
| 1942 | No championship |
| 1943 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1944 | summer: Tartu Kalev |
| winter: Tallinna Kalev |
| 1945 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1946 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1947 | Tallinna Kalev |
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| Season |
Team |
|---|
| 1948 | Tartu ÜSK |
| 1949 | Tartu ÜSK |
| 1950 | Tartu ÜSK |
| 1951 | Tartu ÜSK |
| 1952 | Tartu ÜSK |
| 1953 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1954 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1955 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1956 | TRÜ |
| 1957 | EPA |
| 1958 | TRÜ |
| 1959 | TRÜ |
| 1960 | EPA |
| 1961 | TPI |
| 1962 | TPI |
| 1963 | TPI |
| 1964 | TPI |
| 1965 | TPI |
| 1966 | TPI |
| 1967 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1968 | Tallinna Kalev |
| 1969 | TRÜ |
| 1970 | TRÜ |
| 1971 | Tallinna Kalev |
|
|
| Season |
Team |
|---|
| 1972 | TRÜ |
| 1973 | TRÜ |
| 1974 | Harju KEK |
| 1975 | TRÜ |
| 1976 | TRÜ |
| 1977 | TRÜ |
| 1977–78 | TRÜ |
| 1978–79 | Harju KEK |
| 1980 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1981 | Tallinna Metallist |
| 1981–82 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1982–83 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1983–84 | TPI |
| 1984–85 | TPI |
| 1985–86 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1986–87 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1987–88 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1988–89 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1989–90 | Tallinna Standard |
| 1990–91 | Tallinna Asto |
| 1991–92 | BC Kalev |
| 1992–93 | Rafter-Kalev |
| 1993–94 | Tallinna Asto-Basket |
| 1994–95 | BC Kalev/AUMa |
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Performance by club
| Club |
Champions |
Winning years |
| Tartu Ülikool/Rock |
22 |
1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010 |
| Tallinna Kalev |
14 |
1927, 1930, 1931, 1942, 1944 (w)‡, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1971 |
| TPI |
8 |
1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1984, 1985 |
| Tallinna Standard |
8 |
1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 |
| Tallinna BC Kalev |
7 |
1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003 |
| BC Kalev/Cramo |
7 |
2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Tallinna Vitjaz/Tallinna Russ |
4 |
1928, 1929, 1932, 1933 |
| Tartu NMKÜ |
3 |
1934, 1936, 1937 |
| Tartu EASK |
3 |
1938, 1939, 1940 |
| EPA |
2 |
1957, 1960 |
| Harju KEK |
2 |
1974, 1979 |
| Tallinna Asto |
2 |
1991, 1994 |
| BC Tallinn |
2 |
1997, 1999 |
| Tallinna Sport |
1 |
1925 |
| Tallinna NMKÜ |
1 |
1935 |
| Tallinna Dünamo |
1 |
1941 |
| Tartu Kalev |
1 |
1944 (s)‡ |
| Tallinna Metallist |
1 |
1981 |
‡ Note: In the 1944 season two championship tournaments were held (s – summer tournament; w – winter tournament).
Korvpalli Meistriliiga Finals
‡ Note: Play-offs MVP.
Korvpalli Meistriliiga awards
KML Most Valuable Player
|
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KML Finals Most Valuable Player
|
‡ Note: Play-offs MVP.
Best Young Player
|
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Coach of the Year
|
Defensive Player of the Year
Notable players
|
Estonia:
|
Canada:
Georgia:
Latvia:
Lithuania:
|
Romania:
Senegal:
USA:
|
External links
2014–15 KML season
Estonia
FIBA Europe (Europe)
Varis Krūmiņš
Maarten Van Gent
Howard Frier
Algirdas Brazys
Nenad Vučinić
Vlad Moldoveanu 
Bamba Fall 
