Hyderabad Honey Badgers crowned inaugural Telangana Pro Basketball league champions
HYDERABAD: The first-ever Telangana Pro Basketball League (TPBL), hailed as the state’s own version of the IPL, wrapped up in thrilling fashion on Wednesday night. The Hyderabad Honey Badgers emerged victorious, edging out the Nizam Nawabs 70-63 in a nail-biting final at the Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium in Yousufguda.
The champions received Rs 20 lakh from Sabitha Indira Reddy at the closing ceremony. She presented the trophy and called the eight-day league a source of pride for Telangana and a benchmark for basketball promotion.
Known as the IPL of Telangana Basketball, TPBL featured six franchises competing in 21 matches from December 16. The league focused on local talent, with over 72 players from districts across the state, aged 15 to 36. Akash of the Hyderabad Hawks was the highest-valued player, securing Rs 2.5 lakh at the auction.
In his address, R. Sridhar Reddy, President of the Telangana Basketball Association, credited former national player Ambati Prudhvishwar Reddy as the driving force behind the league. “Our vision is to make Telangana a role model for basketball in India,” he said.
Further, Sridhar Reddy noted that while basketball is not as popular as cricket, it is among the fastest-growing organized sports in Telangana, supported by strong institutions and increasing youth participation.
Meanhwile, Ambati Prudhvishwar Reddy highlighted TPBL as the state’s leading platform for players and essential for developing talent early. “As Telangana rises, basketball in the state is rising alongside it,” he added.
Adding further, A. Prudhvishwar Reddy stated that Telangana has over 10,000 active basketball players across schools, colleges, academies, universities, and district associations. The sport is well established in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, and Nizamabad, with players regularly participating in the School Games Federation of India, Khelo India, inter-university tournaments, and district championships.
The league attracted significant commercial interest, with all six franchises sold for a total of Rs 1.27 crore at the November auction. The Hyderabad Hawks, owned by Deepti Akki of N Sports Pvt Ltd, were the highest valued at Rs 27.5 lakh. The event was expected to generate over Rs 100 crore in economic activity, with every match broadcast live and drawing over 20,000 spectators.
