Dubai Basketball’s season of resilience: Playing and winning together

Dubai: When circumstances forced Dubai Basketball to take their home games thousands of kilometres away, it could have derailed a young team still finding its footing on the international stage.

Instead, it became the foundation of one of the most compelling resilience stories in sport this season.

From Sarajevo to Zenica, the team has continued to compete – and win – despite being away from their home crowd at the Coca-Cola Arena.

“It hasn’t been easy. Changing our home environment and being away from our fans is always a challenge,” Dejan Kamenjašević, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Dubai Basketball, said.

“But from the beginning, we chose not to make excuses. The players showed maturity and professionalism, and our staff did a great job creating stability in a different setting. In the end, we turned a difficult situation into something that brought the group closer and kept us focused on basketball.”

For a team competing in the EuroLeague for the first time and only its second Adriatic Basketball Association League season, the disruption came at a critical moment. Yet rather than slow their progress, it accelerated it.

Dubai Basketball finished the ABA League Top 8 phase in first position and were the first team to qualify for the playoffs, carrying a strong 21–3 record into the knockout stage. In the EuroLeague, they narrowly missed a play-in spot, finishing 11th with a balanced 19–19 record — including wins over some of Europe’s biggest clubs such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

But beyond the numbers, the experience reshaped the team’s culture.

“This experience has strengthened our identity. It’s one thing to talk about culture, but moments like this define it,” Kamenjašević said.

“The players learned how to stay together, stay disciplined, and compete under pressure. Being outside your comfort zone teaches you a lot, and this group showed real resilience every day.”

Operating away from home could have fragmented the squad. Instead, it reinforced a shared purpose.

“The credit goes to the players and the staff, their commitment has been the key. This situation brought us closer and gave us a stronger sense of purpose,” he added.

“Everyone understood we represent something bigger than just results. We play for Dubai, and we represent the UAE in every game.”

That sense of responsibility has translated into performance — and belief.

In just a short span, Dubai Basketball has gone from a new entrant to a serious contender, achieving milestones that many teams take years to reach.

“At the same time, we are building a winning franchise. This is not easy, it’s a process that takes time, patience, and a lot of energy from everyone in the club,” Kamenjašević said.

“In sports, not many teams have done something like this in such a short time, so we have to be proud of what we’ve achieved so far.”

With a playoff run now within reach, Dubai Basketball’s journey this season stands as a reminder that resilience is not just about enduring challenges, but using them to grow.

“Adversity can accelerate growth, and I believe this team has used it in the right way. That’s why we are in this position,” he said.

And as the team edges closer to the next stage of competition, one thing is clear: their belief travels with them wherever they play.