Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ALETIHAD)
Dubai Basketball have signed two big names to beef up their squad for what will be a tough debut in the elite EuroLeague, having cut their teeth impressively in the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) league in the season gone by.
The announcement of the back-to-back marquee signings of Serbian Olympian Aleksa Avramović and Bosnian star Dzanan Musa coming are a major statement of intent.
The deals – both three-year contracts running until 2028 – mark a significant leap for the UAE-based club as it prepares to represent the Middle East at the highest level of European basketball for the first time.
Within weeks of the team’s inception in the 2024/25 season in the second-tier ABA League, Dubai Basketball consistently made headlines by notching one milestone after another and paved the way for a new era in the region’s sporting scene. They made the play-offs and fell short at the penultimate hurdle by losing in the semi-finals, which went down to the wire.
As the club prepares for its EuroLeague debut this season, head coach Jurica Golemac and the management are not resting on their laurels and have assembled a roster capable of challenging the very best teams in Europe.
Dzanan Musa
The 26-year-old Musa, fresh off a title-winning run with Real Madrid, brings championship pedigree and elite scoring ability to the Dubai squad. A two-time EuroLeague winner and a former NBA first-round draft pick, Musa joins after contributing 466 points in Real Madrid’s 2024/25 domestic campaign.
Named in the EuroLeague First Team in 2023, Musa’s explosive offence and proven big-game experience make him one of Europe’s most respected shooting guards. “Joining Dubai Basketball is an incredible opportunity,” Musa said. “I’m excited to connect with fans here and build something lasting in this city.”
Musa’s announcement was made soon after his arrival in Dubai, where he posed with his shirt with the tall Burj Khalifa in the background. This has now been followed with a bigger update from the club on Wednesday.
Aleksa Avramović
The Dubai club has also locked in Avramović, a dynamic point guard and 2021 Olympic bronze medallist with Serbia. The 30-year-old joins from CSKA Moscow, where he played a pivotal role in their VTB League title win, averaging 12.2 points and 3.4 assists per game.
With over 70 appearances across the EuroLeague and EuroCup, Avramović’s experience across Serbia, Italy, Spain and Russia brings invaluable depth to Dubai’s backcourt. His crowning moment came during the 2022/23 season, when he helped Partizan Belgrade win the ABA League, highlighted by a 30-point performance against Anadolu Efes.
For basketball fans in the UAE, these moves show Dubai Basketball means business, with a determination to slam dunk its way into the elite European competition.
