Dubai Basketball
Dubaï Basketball
| Foundation | 2023 | |
| Arena | Coca-Cola Arena | |
| Championships | Ligue adriatique / EuroLeague | |
| Coach | Xavi Pascual | |
| Famous players who have played for the club | Džanan Musa / Dwayne Bacon / Filip Petrušev |
Player to watch : Élie Okobo
The EuroLeague’s most devastating step-back shot is now part of Dubai Basketball’s five-star squad. Over the summer, the ‘City of Gold’ wasted no time in snapping up most of Monaco’s star players, with Élie Okobo as the highlight. Fresh from being named double MVP of the Betclic ÉLITE season, the guard is at the peak of his powers. The man with 108 NBA appearances under his belt arrives in the Middle East, boasting the status of a rising international star capable of leading his team to the French championship trophy.
From being a pure scorer – as demonstrated by his 44 points in Game 1 of the 2017 play-off quarter-finals – Élie Okobo now plays more of a playmaker’s role. He plays to win! If the game requires him to make 15 assists for ‘just’ 12 points in the final match of the French Championship Finals, he’ll do it. This new version of our Frenchie promises to cause major damage across the Old Continent.
Stepping out of Mike James’s shadow, the spotlight is now firmly on him !
Playing style
‘The Mastermind’ faces another high-profile challenge. Often cited in discussions of the greatest strategists of the modern EuroLeague era, Xavi Pascual is a major asset. With one of Europe’s deepest frontcourts at its disposal (Shengelia, Petrusev, Jaiteh…), Dubai deploys a very aggressive 2-3 zone defence off the ball. Thanks to the reach of their centre, the Emiratis are not afraid to step out very quickly onto opposing guards, even if it means being beaten by a feint.
And with the ball in hand, Dubai relies on the execution of precise half-court systems. Combining central pick-and-rolls with a strong inside game, McKinley Wright IV’s teammates rely on fluid ball movement to create good open shots. The Horns Set also plays a key role in stretching the opposition’s defence as much as possible and thus creating pockets of space.
Club history
Founded by Abdulla Saeed Juma Al Naboodah and Dejan Kamenjašević, Dubai Basketball made it clear from the outset that it intended to challenge the continent’s elite in the EuroLeague (C1). However, the Emirati club did not immediately secure that coveted spot on Europe’s biggest stage. In fact, its application was rejected! To strengthen its case for a potential entry in 2025–2026, Dubai turned to a regional competition: the ABA League. This league, which typically features teams from the former Yugoslavia, allowed the new franchise to compete for at least three years.
In the summer of 2024, Dubai Basketball signed the first head coach in its history – Jurica Golemac – along with a roster of players. With point guard Nate Mason leading the charge, the club also announced its move to the Coca-Cola Arena. Then, as if in a waking dream, the Emiratis defeated Red Star Belgrade in their first Adriatic League game. A promising victory! This rookie season indeed showed that the club had what it took. Big names like Partizan, Zadar, and Cedevita Zagreb fell to the future semifinalist of the competition.
As Dubai Basketball continues to perform well in the Adriatic League, rumours about the EuroLeague (C1) are growing by the day. It wasn’t long before the news broke: the Emirati club has been granted a five-year licence, set to begin in September 2025! Less than two years after its creation, the club is competing in Europe’s most prestigious club competition. It has been a successful debut season because, despite a difficult start, the club finished the regular season in spectacular fashion to secure a place on the verge of the play-ins.
This campaign marks an even greater turning point as Dubai lifted the first trophy in its history following its victory over Partizan Belgrade in the 2026 Adriatic League final (3–1). And given the investments made over the summer, the City of Gold intends to continue shaking up the established order !
palmarès
| Adriatic League | 2026 |
Zoom : Travel
As explained earlier, from its inception, Dubai Basketball aimed to join not only the EuroLeague but also the Adriatic League. However, in the latter case, some clubs were reluctant to admit this team from the Middle East.
Ultimately, the new route from the Persian Gulf to the Adriatic Sea was made possible by Dubai Basketball’s financial resources. In addition to the 8 million euros spent to secure this three-year contract, the club guaranteed to cover all travel expenses from the Balkans to the United Arab Emirates. In other words, travel for each team visiting the Coca-Cola Arena is completely free. A small gesture that certainly played a significant role in the final decision.
the number : 2023
This is the year Dubai Basketball was founded – making it the youngest club in this edition, just ahead of Paris Basketball.
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