Pioneers of a Demanding Schedule
Dubai Basketball head coach Jurica Golemac has acknowledged the daunting travel schedule awaiting his side in their debut EuroLeague season but insists the team is ready to embrace the challenge.
“This is something we knew would happen,” Golemac said on Monday. “The trips will be long, but we’re not dwelling on it. Instead, we’ll do everything possible to minimize the impact.”
The Croatian coach revealed that Dubai will act as pioneers in handling the unprecedented logistics. “We did our own studies—nobody has done this before. It’s 34 trips in one season, often twice a week. We couldn’t ask anyone how to manage it, so we’re building the plan ourselves.”
Big Roster, Bigger Responsibility
To cope with fatigue, Dubai have built a deep squad and developed a meticulous system around recovery, supplements, and travel arrangements. “That’s why we expanded the roster,” Golemac explained. “Preparation and recovery are everything. If we get this right, we could set an example for others.”
Club executives estimate the team will spend 22 full days in the air over the course of the EuroLeague campaign—an unavoidable hurdle for the league’s first Middle Eastern representative.
A New Force in European Basketball
Formed only in 2023, Dubai Basketball wasted little time making noise. They won 25 of 30 games in the ABA League during their inaugural season, finishing third before bowing out in the semi-finals to Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade. That performance earned them a five-year EuroLeague license as part of the competition’s expansion to 20 teams.
Now, Dubai are stepping onto Europe’s biggest basketball stage, where heavyweights like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and defending champions Fenerbahce await.
NBA Talent Meets European Tradition
The roster features a mix of seasoned EuroLeague veterans and familiar NBA names. Former NBA guard McKinley Wright IV joins fellow American Nate Mason in the backcourt, with ex-NBA wings Dwayne Bacon and Justin Anderson adding firepower. Latvian sharpshooter Davis Bertans, who logged eight NBA seasons, also returns.
For Wright, Dubai offers both opportunity and exposure. “Playing here brings a lot of attention. People want to be in our shoes, so we have to be ready every night,” he said. While he hasn’t ruled out a future NBA return, Wright made it clear he would only consider a guaranteed deal: “At this point, I’m just excited to play at a high level in the EuroLeague.”
Reinforcements and Rising Ambitions
Serbian internationals Aleksa Avramovic and Nemanja Dangubic strengthen Dubai’s frontcourt, while Bosnian center Kenan Kamenjas, who starred at EuroBasket, brings size and grit.
Dangubic, a EuroLeague veteran, knows the scale of the task. “The ABA League is strong, but the EuroLeague is another level—more physical, more skilled, more intense. But this club has built a team to compete with anyone.”
Kamenjas, meanwhile, views the move as a career milestone: “This is the biggest step of my career. Every EuroLeague game is like a final. My hope is that we can reach the top 10 playoffs in our first season.”
A Historic Opener
Dubai’s EuroLeague journey begins with a symbolic matchup—Partizan Belgrade, the team that ended their ABA League dream last season, will be their first opponent on Tuesday.
With home games set at the 15,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena, the city is preparing for an electric atmosphere. Last season, nearly 80,000 fans attended Dubai’s ABA League fixtures, a sign of the growing basketball culture in the UAE.
As Golemac and his squad prepare for the grueling months ahead, one thing is certain: Dubai Basketball are not just here to participate—they’re here to prove they belong among Europe’s elite.