Dubai wraps up historical Euroleague debut season in Bosnia

Dubai Basketball have wrapped up their first-ever EuroLeague season, following an 85:95 home defeat against Valencia Basket in Round 38 of the Regular Season in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzagovina.

In June 2025, Dubai was announced as one of the EuroLeague’s newest contenders.

Just one season after its formation, Dubai became the first team in the Gulf to ever have competed in a professional European sports league after becoming the country’s first-ever professional sports franchise in 2024.

Dubai Basketball ended their historical EuroLeague run in 11th place, narrowly missing out on a Top 10 spot and the Play-In, but leaving behind a season filled with growth and unforgettable performances on Europe’s biggest stage.

Dubai’s new Head Coach Aleksander Sekulić commented on the night saying, "This season has been an important step for our team. We proved that we can compete with the best teams in Europe, but also showed where we need to grow. I’m proud of the players and the way they represented Dubai throughout their campaign. Now our full focus is on the ABA League, where we want to carry this experience into the playoffs and finish the season strong."

Valencia Basket opened the game with strong offensive execution, controlling tempo and taking a 24:19 lead after the first quarter. Dubai Basketball responded in the second period with improved defensive intensity and better ball movement, generating efficient scoring possessions late in the half to edge ahead 47:45 at the break, marking their most cohesive stretch of the game on both ends.

The decisive phase came in the third quarter, where Valencia imposed a higher pace and capitalised on defensive lapses, outscoring Dubai 34:20 to build a double-digit advantage. Dubai showed resilience in the final period, but struggled to consistently break Valencia’s defensive structure, while the visitors managed the game effectively in the closing minutes. Džanan Musa led Dubai with 21 points, with Davis Bertans adding 17 in the final EuroLeague game of the season.

Despite falling just short of the EuroLeague Play-In, Dubai Basketball’s debut campaign stands as a landmark achievement, both for the club and the region. Competing against Europe’s elite, recording wins over world-renowned teams at Coca-Cola Arena, and welcoming over 70,000 fans to the city all underline Dubai’s growing commitment to the development of the sport.

With the EuroLeague chapter closing, focus now shifts to the ABA League, where Dubai Basketball sits at the top of the table and is preparing for the playoffs in May. Carrying momentum and confidence into the final stretch of the season, the team remains firmly on course to turn a historic debut year into a title-contending campaign.