A press conference was held ahead of its first-ever game in the competition
Dubai ready for its EuroLeague debut: ‘Only impossible and unimaginable things are possible here’
Article
6 Mins read
On the eve of its EuroLeague debut, Dubai Basketball is ready for its grand arrival on the biggest stage. As general manager Dejan Kamenjasevic put it: “Only impossible and unimaginable things are possible here.”
Kamenjasevic was speaking at a press conference in Dubai ahead of the team’s season opener against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. Joining him were Euroleague Basketball CEO Paulius Motiejunas and Eisa Sharif Al Marzooqi, Director of Events at Dubai Sports Council.
“We are really happy to welcome Dubai into the EuroLeague, to bring this passion to Dubai,” Motiejunas said during his opening remarks. “I know that the club is growing exponentially. This is the first step out of many that we will do.”
A great deal of work has gone into turning Dubai into a EuroLeague club. Founded in 2023, the team only made its professional debut last season in the ABA League. But for Kamenjasevic, the key to Dubai’s rise has been its commitment to building from the ground up.
“We started from zero,” he said. “We started from the academy, from the kids. We built the foundation a long time ago in order to get to this point.”
As the project gained momentum, so did its ability to attract elite talent. Davis Bertans and Klemen Prepelic were among the first to join last summer, and this offseason saw Dzanan Musa, Aleksa Avramovic and Filip Petrusev, among others, sign on.
The fanbase has grown, too – just look at its EuroLeague opener at Coca-Cola Arena. Already sold out.
“I think Dubai is an attractive city to live in and by adding a team, the fans will come to Dubai for a reason,” said Al Marzooqi. “You can watch basketball and have a nice holiday, with the hotels, the activities and the attractions that we have. Dubai is ready, always. We will offer more to all the fans who visit the city.”
Motiejunas echoed that sentiment, recalling his own trip to Dubai for an ABA League game last season.
“You come outside, it’s dark, you turn right and there’s the Burj Khalifa,” he said. “I felt like I was in a EuroLeague game… I’ve never been in a city like this. I was blown away.
“There are so many international people here who don’t get the chance to watch the EuroLeague when they come to live here, so now we’re bringing this passion to Dubai.”
Kamenjasevic, who has been part of the project from the very beginning, knows exactly how far the club has come – and what lies ahead.
“Our dream becomes reality tomorrow,” he said.
With tipoff just 24 hours away, a new era for Dubai Basketball is about to begin.