Mexico City Capitanes

Lore & Background

The Capitanes were established before the 2017–18 season. A group of investors led by Moisés Cosío founded the franchise, with Jordi Funtanet as director of marketing and communications. It was the first LNBP team not economically linked to the Mexican government, relying entirely on private investment. The team drew players from the national team and experienced foreign players.

In their first LNBP season, the Capitanes reached the championship round but lost to Soles de Mexicali 4–1. Their second season saw a better record (27–13) and another finals appearance, where they lost to Soles de Mexicali 4–1. In their third and final LNBP season, they finished 25–11 but the season was canceled due to COVID-19 before the playoffs.

Reader's Guide

The Mexico City Capitanes represent a significant expansion of the NBA G League into Latin America, serving as a test market for a potential future NBA team in Mexico. Their move from the LNBP to the G League marked the first time a team based outside the United States and Canada competed in the league. Despite early success in the LNBP—reaching the championship round in their first two seasons—the team struggled in the G League, failing to qualify for the playoffs in their first several seasons. The Capitanes' presence highlights the NBA's efforts to grow basketball internationally, though their on-court results in the G League have been mixed. Their temporary relocation to the United States during the pandemic underscored the logistical challenges of cross-border competition. The team's logo, featuring the Monumento a la Revolución, ties them to Mexico City's identity.

Did You Know?

• The Capitanes were the first LNBP team not economically linked to the Mexican government.
• Their first official game was a 90–87 win against Aguacateros de Michoacán on October 13.
• In their first G League season, three players were called up to NBA teams: Gary Clark, Alfonzo McKinnie, and Matt Mooney.
• The team's logo features a yellow and blue rendering of the Monumento a la Revolución.

A Private Venture to Revive a City's Basketball Passion

The Mexican capital had gone a full decade without a competitive basketball team, leaving a noticeable void in the local sports landscape. In an effort to reignite enthusiasm for the game, a group of investors under the leadership of Moisés Cosío stepped forward to create a new franchise ahead of the 2017–18 season. What made this venture particularly notable was its financial structure: the Capitanes became the first LNBP club funded entirely through private investment, with no economic ties to the Mexican government. Marketing and communications director Jordi Funtanet acknowledged the challenges of the situation while framing it as a significant opportunity. The roster strategy blended players who could serve as a foundation for the national team with more seasoned international talent. The team called Mexico City Arena its home, and management also invested in upgrading the venue's facilities, including the dressing rooms and the playing surface itself.

Three Seasons of Near-Misses in the LNBP

The Capitanes' tenure in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional was defined by consistent competitiveness and heartbreaking championship defeats. In their debut season under Spanish head coach Ramón Díaz, the team posted a 21-5 record in their first 30 games, with Pedro Meza, Fernando Bénitez, and Emmanuel Ándujar all earning All-Star nods in early December. They advanced past Correbasket UAT 3-2 and then defeated Fuerza Regia de Monterrey 4-1 to reach the finals, only to fall to the Soles de Mexicali 4-1. The following year, the Capitanes posted the league's best record at 27-13, swept Abejas de León in the first round, and avenged their semifinal loss by beating the Soles 4-2. Yet Monterrey returned the favor, winning the title 4-2. In their final LNBP campaign, a 25-11 record earned a second-place finish, but the run ended in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 loss to the Aguacateros de Michoacán.

A Historic Leap into the NBA G League

In December 2019, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the Capitanes would join the NBA G League for a minimum of five seasons beginning in 2020–21, making them the first franchise outside the United States and Canada to compete in the league's developmental circuit. The five-season commitment was designed to gauge the viability of a future Mexico-based NBA team. However, the COVID-19 pandemic upended those plans. The 2021 season was condensed into a single-site bubble in Orlando, Florida, and the Capitanes were not included. The team instead entered the G League in 2021–22, with Nick Lagios named general manager on May 7, 2021. Because of ongoing travel restrictions, the Capitanes were limited to 12 games in the G League Showcase Cup, all played within the United States. They were temporarily based in Fort Worth, Texas, with temporary home venues scattered across Southaven, Mississippi; Edinburg, Texas; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Inaugural G League Season and the Road Back to Mexico

The Capitanes' first official G League game came on November 5, 2021, when they defeated the Memphis Hustle 95-90. During that shortened inaugural campaign, three roster players received NBA call-ups: Gary Clark to the New Orleans Pelicans, Alfonzo McKinnie to the Chicago Bulls, and Matt Mooney to the New York Knicks. The team finished with a 4-8 record and did not qualify for the Showcase Cup tournament. They also played exhibition matches against the G League Ignite, a developmental team focused on preparing younger prospects for NBA-level competition. When the 2022–23 season arrived, the Capitanes finally returned to Mexican soil, opening their schedule with a 120-84 blowout of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at Arena Ciudad de México — a stark contrast to the previous year's entirely U.S.-based schedule and a symbolic homecoming for a franchise that had been building toward this moment since its founding.

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