The stage has grown to the NBA. Korean college basketball is receiving global attention.
The Asian university basketball league AUBL (Asian University Basketball League) said on the 10th that it has completed a Series A fundraising round involving global investors. AUBL sees Korea as one of its key strategic markets and plans to actively pursue league operations and community expansion.
AUBL is an Asia-wide university sports league launched with the goal of strengthening the competitiveness and globalization of Asian college basketball. The 2026 season is a crucial turning point for league expansion, and the season opener and the first home-and-away games will be held in Korea.
This funding round was led by Blue Pool Capital, the family office of Joe Tsai, co-founder of Alibaba and owner of the NBA Brooklyn Nets.
Also participating as investors were Avenue Capital Group, led by former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry; Bolt Ventures, led by Philadelphia 76ers co-owner David Blitzer; Hong Kong conglomerate Nan Fung Group; venture investor HSG (formerly Sequoia China); and Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming.
AUBL successfully launched last year by holding its first tournament in Hangzhou, China. The tournament, which featured 12 university teams from across Asia, drew more than 65 million online views and over 29,000 in-person spectators, attracting the attention of global basketball fans.
Along with this fundraising, AUBL also unveiled its operating plans for the 2026–2027 season.
First, in August 2026 a tournament featuring 12 university teams will be held in Hangzhou, China. Universities from Korea, China, Japan and Mongolia will participate, and teams from the Philippines and Australia will join for the first time.
Then, from November 2026 AUBL's first home-and-away regular season will begin. Games will be held in major Asian cities, including Korea, and the season will conclude in spring 2027 with a tournament crowning the Asian college basketball champion.
AUBL co-founder and CEO Jay Li said, "Through last year's first season we confirmed the great potential for college basketball across Asia," and added, "With this fundraising we will further strengthen the league's growth foundations, including operating a home-and-away season, expanding university community engagement and youth basketball programs."
This investment included current and former NBA owners such as Joe Tsai, David Blitzer and Marc Lasry, who expressed high expectations for AUBL's potential to grow into an important platform within the global basketball ecosystem.
Joe Tsai said, "Watching last year's AUBL final in person, I could see the fans' passion and the high level of play," and added, "I expect AUBL to grow into Asia's premier college basketball platform together with this group of investors."
Through this AUBL investment, Yao Ming, who is investing in a nascent sports league for the first time, said, "Not being able to enter the NCAA was one of the regrets from my playing career," and added, "I am pleased to support a platform for Asian student-athletes through AUBL. I sincerely cheer for the growth and development of Asian college basketball."
AUBL has partnerships with sports brand Under Armour and JPMorgan Private Bank, and last year it also launched a youth basketball development program, Hoop Scholars.
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