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Dubai Basketball

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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]

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] Jurica Golemac was signed as the team's first head coach,[10] while Nate Mason was the first officially signed player for the team.[11] Dāvis Bertāns also became the first former NBA player to defect from that league to play for Dubai instead.[12] Later in the summer, Dubai BC announced that the 17,000 seater Coca-Cola Arena would serve as the team's home arena.[13]

In their first ABA game, on September 22, 2024, Dubai defeated Red Star Belgrade at home.[14] and Partizan, Zadar and Cedevita Olimpija amongst others in the 24/25 season, securing a place in the play offs scheduled for May 2025[15]

The club’s entry into the ABA League was part of an initiative to develop basketball in the region.[16][17]

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

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
SG 0 Philippines Ravena, Thirdy 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 97 kg (214 lb) 28 – (1996-12-17)17 December 1996
G 1 United States Mason, Nate 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 29 – (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
SF 4 United States Anderson, Justin 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 105 kg (231 lb) 31 – (1993-11-19)19 November 1993
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
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, Mouhammadou 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 112 kg (247 lb) 30 – (1994-11-27)27 November 1994
C 19 Turkey Yasar, Bora 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 21 – (2003-11-20)20 November 2003
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
G 30 Serbia Avramović, Aleksa 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 30 – (1994-10-25)25 October 1994
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 Mam Jaiteh Mfiondu Kabengele Kenan Kamenjaš Bora Yasar
PF Dāvis Bertāns Nemanja Dangubić
SF Justin Anderson Awudu Abass Dwayne Bacon
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
13 G/F Bosnia and Herzegovina Džanan Musa Real Madrid Spain
14 C France The Gambia Mam Jaiteh AS Monaco France
25 PG United States McKinley Wright IV Budućnost Montenegro
29 G Serbia Aleksa Avramović CSKA Moscow Russia
34 C Bosnia and Herzegovina Kenan Kamenjaš Budućnost Montenegro

Out

[edit]
No. Pos. Nat. Name Moving to
4 PG Serbia Aleksa Uskoković Free agent
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

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  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. ^ "Jurica Golemac becomes the head coach of the newly-formed Dubai". eurohoops.net. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Dubai make their first summer signing as they ink a 2-year contract with Nate Mason : ABA League". ABA Liga. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  12. ^ Adams, Luke (10 September 2024). "Davis Bertans Signs With Dubai BC". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  13. ^ "BC Dubai announce Coca-Cola Arena as official home venue". basketnews.com. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Dubai bring Zvezda down, record first win in club's history". basketnews.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Dubai Basketball ABA league Playoffs". msn.com. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Dubai Basketball end historic first season with knockout in Belgrade". Arab News. 3 June 2025.
  17. ^ Passela, Amith. "Dubai Basketball mean business in ABA play-offs: 'We are full of confidence, full of ambition'". The National.