The continental championship for men's basketball teams based in the Americas, a landmass that includes North America and South America, has been played since 1993. From 1946 to 1992, a competition for South American teams was run by FIBA. Historically, different leagues have been organised to determine the continental champions of the American continents. Currently, the Basketball Champions League Americas is the official first-level league.
Teams from the highest level of basketball in the United States, the National Basketball Association (NBA), do not participate in FIBA competitions. Although this league is widely accepted to be of a higher level, FIBA still awards the continental championship title to the BCLA winners.