The professional players of the Dubai Basketball Club team are participating in matches held in Europe this season, and they spoke about their happiness in participating in writing the history of the club, and they pledged to achieve achievements that Dubai and the UAE will be proud of in their first season.
Founded by Emirati Abdullah Al Naboodah, the club is set to compete in the 2024–25 Adriatic Basketball League, with the first match taking place against Serbia’s Red Star on September 22 at the 14,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena.
It is worth noting that the Adriatic Basketball League matches are considered a qualifying round for the European League, which is the second largest and most important professional basketball league after the National Basketball Association in North America, the NBA.
A distinguished team of 12 players from 8 countries, including the Philippines, Turkey, the United States, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Jordan, has been formed for this historic season, with many looking forward to playing in front of their fans at the Coca-Cola Arena.
“Playing for this club means a lot to me,” said Thirdy Ravena from the Philippines. “I love new challenges and it’s great to be part of a team with great players, some of whom I look up to. Representing Dubai and the Philippines in the Europa League also means a lot to me and I hope we can give our best to the city.”
Among his new teammates is Leon Radosevic, a former Bayern Munich player and U19 World Championship bronze medallist. The 34-year-old Croatian has promised to do his best for Dubai Basketball Club and said the decision to join was a no-brainer.
The squad also includes Klemen Prepelic, who won Euro 2017 with Slovenia. The 31-year-old former Real Madrid player said: “It is an honour to be part of this first team and we are all looking forward to achieving something special. I received a call from the head coach and after hearing the club’s ambitions, I agreed to the deal very quickly.”
Aleksa Oskkovic, the 25-year-old Serbian midfielder, said he was excited to be part of this new phase for Dubai Basketball Club.
The Dubai Basketball team travelled to Slovenia for a two-week training camp prior to the participation, as the club seeks to achieve leadership in this sport and to make a significant impact in society.
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