2018–19 Dutch Basketball League


The 2018–19 Dutch Basketball League was the 59th season of the Dutch Basketball League, the highest professional basketball league in the Netherlands. The regular season started on 6 October 2018 and ended 30 April 2019. The best eight teams qualify for the [|playoffs] which start on 2 May 2019. Donar was the defending champion.
The season saw Landstede Zwolle win its first domestic championship, after defeating defending champions Donar in the finals.

Format

Due to the increase of teams from nine to ten, the format for the DBL season was changed. The eight highest-placed teams during the regular season qualify for the play-offs, while the two last-placed teams are eliminated. In the quarter-finals, a best-of-three series is played. In the semi-finals, a best-of-five series is played. The finals are decided through a best-of-seven series.

Teams

On 3 May 2018, the DBL officially announced the Dutch Windmills would made its debut in the upcoming season. Forward Lease Rotterdam changed its name to Feyenoord Basketball, as the team became a part of the multi-sports club of association football club Feyenoord.
Despite reaching the semi-finals of the NBB Cup and being in the fifth place in the DBL, Windmills struggled with financial problems throughout the season. In December 2018, Windmills was refused entrance to its home arena due to its payment arrears. On 10 April 2019, it was announced that Windmills would withdraw from the DBL. Its results in the second half of the competition were scrapped by the DBL.

Arenas and locations

ClubLocationVenueCapacity
Apollo AmsterdamAmsterdamApollohal1,500
Aris LeeuwardenLeeuwardenKalverdijkje1,700
BALWeertSporthal Boshoven1,000
Den Helder SunsDen HelderSporthal Sportlaan1,000
DonarGroningenMartiniPlaza4,350
Dutch WindmillsDordrechtSporthal de Boulevard1,100
FeyenoordRotterdamTopsportcentrum1,000
LandstedeZwolleLandstede Sportcentrum1,200
New Heroes's-HertogenboschMaaspoort2,800
ZZ LeidenLeidenVijf Meihal2,000

Personnel and sponsorship

Coaching changes

Players

Foreign players

In 2017, league policy was changed and the number of allowed foreign players per team was increased from 4 to 5. Additional was the restriction that a team is not allowed to have five foreign players on the court at the same time.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Player 5Left during season
Apollo Amsterdam
Aris Leeuwarden Nick Masterson David Michaels Griffin Kinney Deividas Kumelis Darian Anderson Jonathan Williams
BAL Tony Washington
Den Helder Suns Alex Laurent Steve Harris Thibault Vanderhaegen Lavone Holland
Donar Drago Pašalić Lance Jeter Teddy Gipson Grant Sitton LaRon Dendy Jordan Callahan
Jobi Wall
Dutch Windmills Shavon Coleman Bennett Koch Ryan Richardson LaVonte Dority Alec Wintering
Feyenoord Justin Gordon Emanuele Montaguti Trevor Setty La'Shard Anderson
Marius Mwendanga
Landstede Noah Dahlman Sherron Dorsey-Walker Kaza Kajami-Keane Kayel Locke Franko House
New Heroes Jonathon Williams Keshun Sherrill Payton Henson Vernon Taylor Steven Cook
Darrell Davis
Torian Graham
ZZ Leiden Kenneth Simms Clayton Vette Maurice Watson Jr. Darius Thompson Sergio De Randamie

Notable transactions

Transactions including players who have won a DBL award, were named to an All-DBL Team or were DBL All-Stars.
DatePlayerFromTo
14 June 2018 Jessey Voorn ZZ Leiden New Heroes
25 November 2018 Lance Jeter Pieno žvaigždės Donar

Notable retirements

Regular season

League table

Results

Bracket


Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Finals

Final standings

The final standings are based upon performance in the playoffs.

Awards

Dutch clubs in European competitions