Women's National Basketball League (Philippines)

Women's National Basketball League (WNBL)

Sport	Basketball
Founded	2019
First season	2019
President	Celso "Soy" Mercado
Commissioner	John Edward Aquino
Country	Philippines
Continent	FIBA Asia (Asia)
Most recent champion(s)	Philippine Army (1st title)
Most titles	Philippine Army PAF Lady Air Defenders Parañaque Lady Aces (1 title each)
TV partner(s)	ALIW 23

The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is a professional women's basketball league in the Philippines.

It is organized by the National Basketball League (NBL) which also maintains a men's league.

History

The National Basketball League (NBL) which maintains a men's league decided to organize a women's league as well to support the program of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the Philippines' national governing body for basketball.^[1][2]

The WNBL inaugural season began on April 7, 2019, and featured seven teams: Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, Taguig Lady Generals, Pampanga Delta Amazons, Cleon and Clyde Lady Snipers, Laguna Lady Pistons & Paranaque Lady Aces.^[3] Air Force won the inaugural title.^[4] The WNBL planned to hold its second season in 2020 but such move was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

On August 26, 2020, the Games and Amusements Board accepted the NBL and WNBL's application to become professional leagues.^[6][4] The first WNBL draft was held on February 13, 2021.

The first professional season of the WNBL began on July 18, 2021.

The WNBL would launch their own 3x3 tournament with the first season held in 2021–22.^[7][8]

The WNBL will also launched their first-ever Under-18 tournament for girls which will start in 2024.

Teams

Current teams

Team	Locality	Team governor	Head coach
Philippine Air Force - PSI Lady Air Defenders	n/a	MGen. Augustine Maliit	Alvin Zuniga
Philippine Army Lady Battalions	n/a	Col. John Oliver Gabun	SSgt. Gerry Gadong
Philippine Navy Lady Sailors – Go For Gold	n/a	Jeremy Go	Emelia Vega
Quezon Lady Spartan	Quezon	Angeline Helen Tan	Christine Isip
Taguig Lady Generals	Taguig, Metro Manila	Bing Victoria	Marc Robin Lucena

Former teams

• Cleon and Clyde Lady Snipers
• Glutagence Glow Boosters
• Laguna Lady Pistons
• Pacific Water Queens
• Pampanga Delta Amazons
• Parañaque Lady Aces

List of champions

Season	Champion	Series	Runner-Up	Season MVP	Team
2019	PAF Lady Air Defenders	2–0	Taguig Lady Generals	Janine Pontejos	Taguig Lady Generals
2021	Parañaque Lady Aces[9]	2–0	Taguig Lady Generals	Allana Lim	Parañaque Lady Aces
2022	Philippine Army Lady Battalions[10]	2–0	Philippine Air Force – PSI Lady Air Defenders	Cindy Resultay	Philippine Air Force - PSI Lady Air Defenders
2024 18U

References

1. Women's basketball breaks through glass ceiling through WNBL, ABS-CBN Sports, April 5, 2019
2. NBL women’s league fires off this weekend, Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Business World Online, April 5, 2019
3. "Parañaque ousts Laguna in inaugural WNBL opener". Rappler. April 7, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
4. Li, Matthew (July 27, 2020). "Sources: WNBL looks to go pro". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
5. Naredo, Camille (September 2, 2020). "WNBL: Turning pro is 'dream come true' for Filipina players". Retrieved September 2, 2020.
6. First women’s pro league in Philippines gets GAB nod, Joey Villar, The Philippine Star, August 26, 2020
7. "Uratex squads pace WNBL". The Philippine Star. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
8. "Uratex Dream eyes back-to-back WNBL 3x3 titles". 13 February 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
9. "Gloriani shines in the clutch as Parañaque fends off Taguig to claim WNBL crown". ABS-CBN News. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
10. "Pontejos scores 33 as Army downs PSI for WNBL title". The Philippine Star. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.