JL Bourg Basket
French basketball club with a 2026 EuroCup title.
JL Bourg, officially Jeunesse Laïque de Bourg-en-Bresse, is a French basketball club based in Bourg-en-Bresse. The team competes in the LNB Élite, France’s top division, and plays its home games at the Ekinox arena, which seats 3,548 spectators. The club has also taken part in European competitions, most notably the second-tier EuroCup.
Founded in 1910 by Henri Mamet, who served as its first president, JL Bourg claimed its first title in 1956 by winning the Ain regional championship. The team turned professional in 1996 when it joined the LNB Pro B, the country’s second division. In 2014, the club moved into the new Ekinox arena (capacity 3,500), replacing the smaller Salle des Sports (2,300 seats). That same year, Bourg won the Pro B playoffs to earn promotion to the top-flight Pro A, but was relegated after the 2014–15 season.
The 2019–20 season saw Bourg sitting in fifth place when play was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following season, the club made its European debut in the EuroCup. During the 2023–24 campaign, Bourg featured Zaccharie Risacher—the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft—on loan from LDLC ASVEL. That season also marked the club’s most successful European run: after a 2–1 semifinal victory over Beşiktaş, Bourg reached the EuroCup Finals but lost to Paris Basketball. The team returned to the EuroCup Finals the following season and won its first European title by sweeping Beşiktaş 2–0. However, the club declined promotion to the EuroLeague due to financial constraints.
**Honours** - LNB Pro A Leaders Cup: Runners-up (2006, 2019, 2023) - Pro B: Winners (2016–17) - Pro B Leaders Cup: Winners (2016) - EuroCup: Winners (2026), Runners-up (2024)
**Individual awards** - Pro A Most Valuable Player: Zachery Peacock (2018)
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- La Jeu / La JL
- Leagues
- LNB Élite / EuroCup
- Dissolved
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- Arena
- Ekinox
- Capacity
- 3,548
- Location
- Bourg-en-Bresse, France
- President
- Julien Desbottes
- Coach
- Frederic Fauthoux
- Championships
- 1 EuroCup
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Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The club was officially founded in 1910 by Henri Mamet, who also became the first president of JL Bourg. In 1956, the team won its first title when it won the Ain regional championship. The team joined professional competition in 1996 when it entered the LNB Pro B, the national second division. In 2014, JL Bourg adopted its new home arena, Ekinox, with a capacity of 3,500 spectators. This replaced the Salle des Sports which had a capacity of 2,300. In the same year, the team also promoted to the Pro A after it won the Pro B Playoffs. They relegated back after the 2014–15 season. In the 2019–20 season, Bourg was in the 5th place until the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020–21 season, Bourg will make its European debut when it will play in the EuroCup.
Reader's Guide
JL Bourg Basket represents a significant presence in French professional basketball, having risen from regional amateur competition to the top national division and European play. The club's history includes a foundational moment in 1910 under founder Henri Mamet, a regional title in 1956, and a move to professional ranks in 1996. Their 2014 promotion to Pro A and subsequent relegation illustrate the volatility of early top-division competition. Bourg's European debut in the 2020–21 EuroCup marked a new chapter, culminating in a runner-up finish in the 2024 EuroCup Finals and a championship in the 2026 EuroCup, though they declined promotion to the EuroLeague due to financial problems. The club also notably hosted the first pick of the 2024 NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher, on loan from LDLC ASVEL during the 2023–24 season. Their domestic honors include a Pro B title in 2016–17 and multiple Leaders Cup runner-up finishes.
Did You Know?
- The club was founded in 1910 by Henri Mamet, who also became its first president.
- Bourg won its first EuroCup title in 2026, defeating Beşiktaş 2–0 in the finals.
- Bourg refused promotion to the EuroLeague after winning the 2026 EuroCup due to financial problems.
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