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Dubai Basketball

Dubai Basketball
Dubai Basketball logo
LeagueABA League
EuroLeague
Founded2023
HistoryDubai Basketball
2023–present
ArenaCoca-Cola Arena[1]
Capacity17,000
LocationDubai, United Arab Emirates
General managerDejan Kamenjašević
Team managerNenad Banjanin
Head coachJurica Golemac
Team captainKlemen Prepelič
Affiliation(s)Falcons Academy
Websitedubaibasketball.com

Dubai Basketball is a professional basketball club based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The team competes in the ABA League and the EuroLeague. The club plays its home games at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.[2][3]

Founded in 2023, the team entered the EuroLeague after just two years of existence and is the first non-European team to play in the competition, when not accounting for Israeli teams. The team's colours are brown, black and white.

History

[edit]

Dubai Basketball was founded by Abdulla Saeed Juma Al Naboodah and Dejan Kamenjašević in 2023 as the first home franchise team based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[4][5]

In January 2024, the ABA League confirmed Dubai Basketball's inclusion for a three-season term starting in the 2024–25 season.[6][7]

On 19 March 2024, the ABA League officially announced BC Dubai would join the league for the next three seasons, starting from 2024.[8][9] The club’s entry into the ABA League was part of an initiative to develop basketball in the region.[10][11] Jurica Golemac was signed as the team's first head coach,[12] while Nate Mason was the first officially signed player for the team.[13] Dāvis Bertāns also became the first former NBA player to defect from that league to play for Dubai instead.[14] Later in the summer, Dubai BC announced that the 17,000 seater Coca-Cola Arena would serve as the team's home arena.[15]

In their first ABA game, on September 22, 2024, Dubai defeated Red Star Belgrade at home.[16] They also defeated Partizan, Zadar and Cedevita Olimpija, amongst others, in the 2024–25 season, securing a place in the playoffs.[17] They were eliminated by Partizan Belgrade in the semifinals.[18]

The team will complete in the European top-tier basketball league, EuroLeague for the following 2025–26 season when the team got a five–year license to participate until 2029–30 season.[19] They became the first non-Israeli team that was not based in Europe to play in the league. For its debut season, Dubai worked with a player budget of €16 million.[20]

Timeline

[edit]
  • 2022: Initial discussions begin about forming a professional basketball team in Dubai.
  • 2023: Dubai Basketball is officially founded by Abdulla Saeed Al Naboodah.[21]
  • May 2024: ABA League confirms Dubai Basketball's participation.[22]
  • July 2024: Partnership established with Shabab Al Ahli Club.[23]
  • July 2024: First player (Nate Mason) was signed; Davis Bertans joined soon after.
  • August 2024: Coca-Cola Arena confirmed as home venue.[24]

Home venue

[edit]

In July 2024, Dubai Basketball announced the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai as its official home venue. The arena, with a seating capacity of 15,000, hosts all home games during the EuroLeague and ABA League seasons.[25][26]

Coaching staff

[edit]

Jurica Golemac (born May 29, 1977) is a Slovenian professional basketball coach and former player. Standing at 2.09 meters (6 ft 10 in), he played as a power forward and center. Golemac began his professional playing career in 1995 and retired in 2013, having competed for clubs across Europe including Cibona, Union Olimpija, Panathinaikos, and Galatasaray. He also represented the Slovenian national team in multiple EuroBasket tournaments.[27][28]

After retiring, Golemac transitioned into coaching, achieving notable success with Slovenian and regional teams. He led Koper Primorska to multiple domestic trophies and later served as head coach of Cedevita Olimpija from 2020 to 2023, winning national league and cup titles.[29][30]

In 2024, Golemac became the first head coach of Dubai Basketball. In the club’s debut ABA League season, he guided the team to an impressive regular-season record and a playoff semifinal appearance.[31]

Current roster

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Dubai Basketball roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
G 1 United States Mason, Nate 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 30 – (1995-07-25)25 July 1995
SF 2 Serbia Dangubić, Nemanja 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 32 – (1993-04-13)13 April 1993
SF 3 United States Bacon, Dwayne 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 29 – (1995-08-30)30 August 1995
G 4 Serbia Avramović, Aleksa 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 30 – (1994-10-25)25 October 1994
SF 5 Italy Ghana Abass, Awudu 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 32 – (1993-01-27)27 January 1993
SG 7 Slovenia Prepelič, Klemen (C) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 32 – (1992-10-20)20 October 1992
PF 8 Latvia Bertāns, Dāvis 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 32 – (1992-11-12)12 November 1992
SF 10 United States Anderson, Justin 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 105 kg (231 lb) 31 – (1993-11-19)19 November 1993
G 11 Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia Kondić, Kosta 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 24 – (2001-05-08)8 May 2001
G/F 13 Bosnia and Herzegovina Musa, Džanan 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 26 – (1999-05-08)8 May 1999
C 14 France The Gambia Jaiteh, Mam 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 112 kg (247 lb) 30 – (1994-11-27)27 November 1994
C 17 Canada Kabengele, Mfiondu 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 113 kg (249 lb) 28 – (1997-08-14)14 August 1997
PG 25 United States Wright IV, McKinley 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 26 – (1998-10-25)25 October 1998
F/C 30 Serbia Petrušev, Filip 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 106 kg (234 lb) 25 – (2000-04-15)15 April 2000
SG 33 Serbia Anđušić, Danilo 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 34 – (1991-04-22)22 April 1991
C 34 Bosnia and Herzegovina Kamenjaš, Kenan 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 105 kg (231 lb) 25 – (2000-01-17)17 January 2000
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Strength & conditioning coach(es)
  • Italy Roberto Iezzi
Team manager
  • Serbia Nenad Banjanin
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: September 2, 2024

Depth chart

[edit]
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 Bench 3
C Mfiondu Kabengele Mam Jaiteh Kenan Kamenjaš
PF Filip Petrušev Dāvis Bertāns
SF Dwayne Bacon Justin Anderson Awudu Abass Nemanja Dangubić
SG Džanan Musa Klemen Prepelič Danilo Anđušić
PG Aleksa Avramović McKinley Wright IV Nate Mason Kosta Kondić

Squad changes for/during 2025–26 season

[edit]

In

[edit]
No. Pos. Nat. Name Moving from
3 SF United States Dwayne Bacon Zenit Saint Petersburg Russia
4 G Serbia Aleksa Avramović CSKA Moscow Russia
10 SF United States Justin Anderson FC Barcelona Spain
13 G/F Bosnia and Herzegovina Džanan Musa Real Madrid Spain
14 C France The Gambia Mam Jaiteh AS Monaco France
17 C Canada Mfiondu Kabengele Reyer Venezia Italy
25 PG United States McKinley Wright IV Budućnost Montenegro
30 F/C Serbia Filip Petrušev Olympiacos Greece
34 C Bosnia and Herzegovina Kenan Kamenjaš Budućnost Montenegro

Out

[edit]
No. Pos. Nat. Name Moving to
4 PG Serbia Aleksa Uskoković Borac Čačak Serbia
11 PG United States Isaiah Taylor Free agent
22 PF United States JaCorey Williams Maroussi Greece
29 C France Jerry Boutsiele Budućnost Montenegro
43 C Croatia Germany Leon Radošević Free agent
44 C Turkey Jordan Ahmet Düverioğlu Esenler Erokspor Turkey

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Dubai prvi put javno o ABA ligi" [Dubai for the first time publicly about the ABA League]. mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  2. ^ Report, Gulf News (29 April 2025). "Dubai Basketball crush Igokea to stay in title hunt". Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema.
  3. ^ Report, MSN (29 April 2024). "Dubai Basketball eye playoffs after win". MSN.
  4. ^ "Dubai lays up for making UAE basketball history". Aletihad Newspaper. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Dubai wants to form a team to win the Euroleague". KOS magazin. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Motiejunas evaluates Dubai's EuroLeague entry for next season, Serbian clubs future". basketnews.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  7. ^ Passela, Amith. "Dubai Basketball make perfect start with memorable win in ABA League". The National.
  8. ^ "Conclusions of the ABA League j.t.d. Assembly session in Zagreb : ABA League". ABA Liga. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Dubai and ABA League's financial details revealed". basketnews.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Dubai Basketball end historic first season with knockout in Belgrade". Arab News. 3 June 2025.
  11. ^ Passela, Amith. "Dubai Basketball mean business in ABA play-offs: 'We are full of confidence, full of ambition'". The National.
  12. ^ "Jurica Golemac becomes the head coach of the newly-formed Dubai". eurohoops.net. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Dubai make their first summer signing as they ink a 2-year contract with Nate Mason : ABA League". ABA Liga. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  14. ^ Adams, Luke (10 September 2024). "Davis Bertans Signs With Dubai BC". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  15. ^ "BC Dubai announce Coca-Cola Arena as official home venue". basketnews.com. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Dubai bring Zvezda down, record first win in club's history". basketnews.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Dubai Basketball ABA league Playoffs". msn.com. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Dubai Basketball end historic first season with knockout in Belgrade". Arab News. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  19. ^ "2025–26 EuroLeague and EuroCup season teams and calendar confirmed". Euroleague Basketball. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  20. ^ Gajic, Dejan (24 July 2025). "Dubai reveals €16M budget ahead of EuroLeague debut". Basketball Sphere. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  21. ^ https://dubaibasketball.com/basketball/dubai-basketball-wraps-up-historic-debut-season-following-knockout-in-belgrade/
  22. ^ https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/2025/06/22/dubai-basketball-to-join-euroleague-as-dream-becomes-a-reality/
  23. ^ https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/basketball-champions-league-asia-2025/news/shabab-al-ahli-set-to-compete-in-bcl-asia-2025
  24. ^ "2025–26 EuroLeague and EuroCup season teams and calendar confirmed". Euroleague Basketball. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Dubai Basketball lose to dominant Partizan in Belgrade". Arab News.
  26. ^ "EuroLeague: Dubai Basketball to face Real Madrid, Barcelona at Coca-Cola Arena". Khaleej Times.
  27. ^ Tansley, Eduardo (15 August 2025). "Dubai Basketball and its meteoric rise to EuroLeague: 'This is a story from a movie'" – via NYTimes.com.
  28. ^ "Dubai Basketball coach Jurica Golemac confident ahead of EuroLeague debut". Khaleej Times.
  29. ^ "Dwayne Bacon to join Dubai Basketball from Zenit Saint Petersburg". Arab News.
  30. ^ Passela, Amith. "Dubai Basketball's dream debut season continues after ABA play-off win over Cedevita Olimpija". The National.
  31. ^ Passela, Amith. "Dubai Basketball coach urges fans to show up in force for must-win Partizan match". The National.