Originating during the
Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)'s liberation struggle during the
Rwandan Civil War in 1993, the club was established to serve as a means to engage and occupy soldiers during a ceasefire amid the peace talks that eventually led to the signing of the
Arusha Accords. Alongside the basketball team, the RPF introduced teams in volleyball and football, which continue to operate successfully. From 1995 to 2003, APR won nine consecutive national championships. In 2008, APR became the first team in league history to finish the regular season unbeaten. Its succeses were partly due to APR's high-quality foreign players, mainly from the DR Congo. After its thirteenth championship in 2009, the team went a decade without notable performances. The club opted to play with homegrown players in these years, a decision that coach Uwuor named as a reason for less titles in these years. In the 2023 offseason, the Lions acquired national team player Axel Mpoyo,
Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza and
Ntore Habimana, among others. APR eventually ended its 13-year long title drought before by winning another title in the
2023 RBL season, under head coach
Maz Trakh. APR made its BAL debut in the
2024 season, receiving direct qualification to the main tournament as Rwandan champion. The Lions were allocated in the
Sahara Conference, but disappointingly finished in the fourth place in the group, becoming the first Rwandan team in league history to miss out on the playoffs. In August, they won the inaugural Rwanda Cup title. APR also won the 2024 league title, qualifying them for a second BAL season. In the
2025 BAL season, APR finished in the third place of the league, the best result by a Rwandan team in league history, surpassing
Patriots' fourth place in 2021. The Lions also set a league record for most points scored in a game in the third place game, after beating
Al Ittihad 123–90. Center
Aliou Diarra was named the
BAL Defensive Player of the Year. On July 12, 2025, they won their 16th national championship. ==Honours==