DONGGUAN (China) - Mongolian basketball is set to author another chapter to its growing lore.
Excitement could be felt all over the rising hoop nation, as the Ulaanbaatar Amazons are gearing up to wave the flag in the highly awaited FIBA Women's Basketball League Asia (WBL Asia) 2025 that rolls next week.
Qualifying path
This marks the very first time that Mongolia will take part in FIBA's flagship competition for women's ball clubs in Asia as the field was expanded to six teams - that, after four made up the 2024 inaugurals in Chengdu.
And the task of representing the country landed on the hands of Ulaanbaatar after winning the 2024-25 Women's The League championship by taking down the Broncos, 4-2, in the best-of-7 Final.
That capped off a dominant campaign which saw the Amazons finish no. 1 during the regular season after winning 14 of their 15 games before beating M Winx in five games in the Semi-Finals, eventually taking the gold.
Team history
The 2025 title was their second in the last three seasons. They won their first during the 2022-23 festivities, thus earning the distinction as the first-ever champions of Mongolia's top-flight women's basketball league.
Ulaanbaatar were among the league's pioneers, but they've been around the game for quite some time.
The club was established in 2019 as a 3x3 entity, and then ventured out into 5-on-5 when the Women's The League was born in 2022 in an aim to put up a stable league after the previous ones didn't pan out.
Since then, the Amazons have been active in both disciplines, with their 3x3 squad regularly competing in the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series. And it's worth noting that they're utilizing the same players, too.
Players to watch
Khulan Onolbaatar is back after joining Wuhan Shengfan of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) during last season, which made her the first female player from Mongolia to play in an overseas league.
The 2023 Final MVP is without a doubt one of biggest attractions of the September 23-28 competitions as she's become the face of Mongolian women's basketball due to her numerous stints in the FIBA arena.
One of FIBA 3x3's more recognizable figures will once again join forces with Ariuntsetseg Bat-Erdene in leading the charge. "Ariuka" herself is a two-time MVP, and earned Final MVP honors in their recent golden run.
To be leaned on by Coach Fran Garcia as well would be Clemson alum Amari Robinson, whom the team signed last August and came in armed with experiences garnered from pro stints in Italy and in Australia.
The Ulaanbaatar Amazons are in Group A with reigning WCBA champions Dongguan New Century and WSBL queens Cathay Life of Chinese Taipei. To know more about their WBL Asia 2025 campaign, click here.
FIBA