The assembly session for the AdmiralBet ABA League took place, shedding light on the structure of the competition for the upcoming season.

Two key decisions emerged for Montenegrin basketball: SC Derbi has joined the ownership structure as one of the 12 members, while Mornar is likely to retain its elite status if the league expands from 16 to a maximum of 20 clubs.

Alongside “Students,” the ownership group now includes Budućnost Voli, Crvena zvezda, Partizan, Cedevita Olimpija, Cibona, FMP, Igokea, Krka, Mega, Mornar, and Zadar.

The Barani currently sit at the bottom of the table with minimal chances of avoiding relegation, but their situation is evolving, and under the right circumstances, Mihailo Pavićević’s team could find itself in the elite league by the 2025/26 season.

“The ABA League Assembly has decided that beginning in the 2025/26 season, the league may consist of a maximum of 20 clubs. Additionally, the Assembly established that next season, the number of clubs from any one country will be capped at 50 percent of the total participating teams,” according to the ABA League’s website.

This season, Serbian basketball features six representatives: Crvena zvezda, Partizan, Spartak, Mega, FMP, and Borac. Meanwhile, Montenegro has three teams — Budućnost Voli, SC Derbi, and Mornar — while Croatia is represented by Zadar, Split, and Cibona.

Joining them are Cedevita Olimpija, Krka (Slovenia), Igokea (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Dubai, which became part of the ABA League this summer.

“The ABA League Assembly has resolved to establish a working group that will promptly outline the criteria for awarding wild cards and explore potential competition models,” the ABA League has announced.

Recently, there have been rumors regarding potential teams such as Abu Dhabi, Cluj, MZT from Skopje, and Vienna entering the ABA League next season.

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