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East Asia Super League
SportBasketball

East Asia Super League forms Hong Kong-based Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes franchise ahead of ‘champions of Asia’ competition in 2023

  • EASL CEO Matt Beyer hopes Phoenixes become ‘new face’ of Chinese basketball as top teams from East Asia confirm inclusion
  • ‘The environment is ripe for our success,’ says new GM Liu Quansheng, citing Hong Kong government’s emphasis on sports ahead of 2025 National Games

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The Liaoning Flying Leopards of China in a game against the Philippines’ San Miguel Beermen in the East Asia Super League’s The Terrific 12 in 2019. Photo: East Asia Super League
Andrew McNicol

A new Asia-wide professional basketball league backed by several ex-NBA stars has plans to base a franchise in Hong Kong ahead of its first season, which is expected to begin in October next year.

The East Asia Super League (EASL) said on Wednesday that plans for the Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes were in full swing, after it struck a long-term deal with the Hong Kong Basketball Association (HKBA) and existing second-tier team Chun Yu Basketball Club.

Former Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) general manager, head coach and player Liu Quansheng, will head the franchise, which is expected to recruit players and free agents from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as well as other Asian and overseas imports.

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The first season of the home-and-away “champions league of Asia” format will pit eight champions or runners-up from Japan’s B.League, South Korea’s KBL, the Philippines’ PBA, and Taiwan’s P. League+ for the US$1 million (HK$7.79 million) crown of regional champion in March 2023. EASL intends to double the number of teams and expand into new territories by its third season.
The partnership between Fiba and East Asia Super League in 2020 introduces a champions league-style competition between some of the top Asian teams in 2023. Photo: Handout
The partnership between Fiba and East Asia Super League in 2020 introduces a champions league-style competition between some of the top Asian teams in 2023. Photo: Handout

With discussions between EASL and the CBA still “ongoing”, the Hong Kong team will broadly represent “the Greater China region” in the tournament, according to EASL chief and co-founder Matt Beyer.

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