Why Dubai Basketball's Rise Should Worry European Giants

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Dubai Basketball, the new professional team which is rubbing shoulders with European elites in the EuroLeague, has now earned an admirer in Rudy Fernández, the Real Madrid legend.

A two-time World Cup winner and a two-time Olympic silver medallist with Spain, Fernández is hugely impressed with Dubai Basketball’s performances in the Euro League and the ABA League.

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In its debut season last year, Dubai Basketball made the ABA League playoffs, a remarkable achievement for a new team.

Inspired by their ABA League success last season, Dubai Basketball, with a mix of former NBA stars and European players in the squad, made their EuroLeague debut this season.

Competing in two leagues simultaneously is no easy feat, but Dubai Basketball have continued to produce fantastic results across both events.

Under head coach Jurica Golemac, the team is a tough nut to crack, especially at home, the majestic Coca-Cola Arena, where Dubai Basketball has lost only one match so far this season in the Euro League.

Among the clubs that have failed to breach the Coca-Cola Arena fortress was Real Madrid - a team for which Rudy Fernández played a key role in their 2015, 2018 and 2023 EuroLeague-winning campaigns.

Now having retired from the sport in 2024, Fernández was a helpless spectator at Coca-Cola Arena earlier this month when Dubai Basketball produced a stunning 93-85 victory over Real Madrid, keeping their hope alive for a top-10 position.

The 40-year-old, nevertheless, was still able to shower praise on Dubai Basketball for becoming a highly competitive team in such a short period of time.

“For (us) Real Madrid, it was big to play here in Dubai for the first time. To produce good basketball players in this country is a good opportunity because the Dubai Basketball is a very good project. I think for us, it was a great experience to get close to the fans and the other culture,” Fernández told Khaleej Times.

Launched with the ambition of growing the sport in the country, the Dubai Basketball already has an impressive fanbase, bringing large crowds to every home game.

The Real Madrid game was attended by 7,000 fans at Coca-Cola Arena, giving the team the extra energy to go for the big wins and a place in the play-in showdown, which will see teams ranked between seventh and 10th compete for the final two playoff slots.

While Dubai Basketball have already qualified for the ABA League playoffs, they are currently in the 11th position in the Euro League with 10 games remaining.

Six of those 10 remaining matches will be played at Coca-Cola Arena, their fortress.

Fernández, whose former Real Madrid teammate Džanan Musa has now become a key player for Dubai Basketball, is backing the new team to become a formidable obstacle home and away for the top guns.

“Mousa is one of the leaders now in the Dubai Basketball team. He is a great player. I speak with him a lot about this project. He is so excited to be part of this project,” Fernández said.

“The project is very ambitious, they have got some great players in their team. I think they have a great future.”

Fernández also visited the Real Madrid World in Dubai, where he met fans and signed autographs for aspiring young cagers.

“It was amazing to get closer to the Real Madrid basketball fans in Dubai. It was a great experience to see how big Real Madrid is even in this part of the world,” he said.

“I know basketball has a big fanbase here, which is beautiful to see. Now with Abu Dhabi hosting the NBA pre-season games and Dubai Basketball playing in the Euro League, I think it’s great for the fans and the sport here in this region.”

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