thumb|Arena Riga during the 2006 IIHF World Championship Ice hockey is usually considered the most popular sport in Latvia. Latvia has had many famous hockey stars like Helmuts Balderis, Artūrs Irbe, Kārlis Skrastiņš and Sandis Ozoliņš and more recently Zemgus Girgensons, whom the Latvian people have strongly supported in international and NHL play, expressed through the dedication of using the NHL's All Star Voting to bring Zemgus to number one in voting. Dinamo Riga is the country's strongest hockey club, playing in the Latvian Hockey Higher League. The national tournament is the Latvian Hockey Higher League, held since 1931. The 2006 IIHF World Championship was held in Riga. thumb|left|150px|Kristaps Porziņģis The second most popular sport is basketball. Latvia has a long basketball tradition, as the Latvian national basketball team won the first ever EuroBasket in 1935 and silver medals in 1939, after losing the final to Lithuania by one point. Latvia has had many European basketball stars like Jānis Krūmiņš, Maigonis Valdmanis, Valdis Muižnieks, Valdis Valters, Igors Miglinieks, as well as the first Latvian NBA player Gundars Vētra. Andris Biedriņš is one of the most well-known Latvian basketball players, who played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. Current NBA players include Kristaps Porziņģis, who plays for the Boston Celtics, Dāvis Bertāns, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Rodions Kurucs, who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Former Latvian basketball club Rīgas ASK won the Euroleague tournament three times in a row before becoming defunct. Currently, VEF Rīga, which competes in EuroCup, is the strongest professional basketball club in Latvia. BK Ventspils, which participates in EuroChallenge, is the second strongest basketball club in Latvia, previously winning LBL eight times and BBL in 2013. Latvia was one of the EuroBasket 2015 hosts and will be one of the hosts once again in 2025.
thumb|Arena Riga during the 2006 IIHF World Championship Ice hockey is usually considered the most popular sport in Latvia Latvia has had many famous hockey stars like Helmuts Balderis Artūrs Irbe Kārlis Skrastiņš and Sandis Ozoliņš and more recently Zemgus Girgensons whom the Latvian people have strongly supported in international and NHL play expressed through the dedication of using the NHL's All Star Voting to bring Zemgus to number one in voting Dinamo Riga is the country's strongest hockey club playing in the Latvian Hockey Higher League The national tournament is the Latvian Hockey Higher League held since 1931 The 2006 IIHF World Championship was held in Riga thumb|left|150px|Kristaps Porziņģis The second most popular sport is basketball Latvia has a long basketball tradition as the Latvian national basketball team won the first ever EuroBasket in 1935 and silver medals in 1939 after losing the final to Lithuania by one point Latvia has had many European basketball stars like Jānis Krūmiņš Maigonis Valdmanis Valdis Muižnieks Valdis Valters Igors Miglinieks as well as the first Latvian NBA player Gundars Vētra Andris Biedriņš is one of the most well-known Latvian basketball players who played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz Current NBA players include Kristaps Porziņģis who plays for the Boston Celtics Dāvis Bertāns who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Rodions Kurucs who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks Former Latvian basketball club Rīgas ASK won the Euroleague tournament three times in a row before becoming defunct Currently VEF Rīga which competes in EuroCup is the strongest professional basketball club in Latvia BK Ventspils which participates in EuroChallenge is the second strongest basketball club in Latvia previously winning LBL eight times and BBL in 2013 Latvia was one of the EuroBasket 2015 hosts and will be one of the hosts once again in 2025