New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): The India Basketball League (IBL) on Saturday revealed the eight foundation cities for India's first professional basketball league, with six cities to compete in the inaugural season tipping off in early 2027.

The announcement was made at the BUDx NBA House in New Delhi, where IBL players took to the stage to reveal the foundation cities alongside NBA legends DeMarcus Cousins, Isiah Thomas, and Vlade Divac, according to a press release.

The eight cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, and Pune, were selected for their strong ties to basketball culture through participation, fandom and well-established basketball communities. Six will compete in the inaugural season; two will join in subsequent seasons as the league expands.

Fans will have the opportunity to play an active role in shaping the league from the outset, initially by influencing the decision as to which six of the eight foundation cities will compete in the IBL's inaugural season in 2027.

'The India Basketball League will be the next step of what has already been a decade-long commitment by ACG to the sport of basketball in India. Within five months of the announcement of the IBL, we opened our High-Performance Centre in Bengaluru, which is now home to the best basketball coaching framework and the best talent pipeline anywhere in the country. And the players who are training there are going to form the foundation of the talent that you are all going to see on court when we tip off in 2027. The announcement of our foundation cities represents the next step towards bringing to life the stage on which they are going to entertain Indian basketball fans for many years to come,' said Karan Singh, Managing Director of ACG.

Basketball is one of the most-watched sports at the Olympic Games, and India's dream of being part of the global spectacle starts with the IBL.

With a clear talent pathway from state-level scouting through the High-Performance Centre to professional competition, the IBL is designed to be India's route to the FIBA Asia Cup, the Asian Games, and ultimately the Olympics.

'The success of any professional sporting league is dependent on its fans, which is why we want the voices of India's basketball fans to be heard right from the outset. They will be our barometer for all decision-making, and so we intend to engage with them every step of the way,' said Jeremy Loeliger, Commissioner, IBL. (ANI)