The Japan Professional Basketball League announced which divisions 20 of the teams that will make up the new men's top circuit will play in on Thursday, following a meeting of the FIBA-led Japan 2024 Task Force.
A total of 12 clubs have been allocated to the first division, six each from the NBL and bj-league. The six NBL teams are: Aisin SeaHorses, Chiba Jets, Link Tochigi Brex, Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins, Toshiba Brave Thunders and Toyota Alvark. The six bj-league teams are: Akita Northern Happinets, Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix, Kyoto Hannaryz, Osaka Evessa, Ryukyu Golden Kings and Sendai 89ers.
According to Saburo Kawabuchi, the Japan Basketball Association president and task force co-chair, the division could have as many as 18 teams. The league, which will tip off for the 2016-17 season, will consists of three divisions.