Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The AC at home may have failed him on the morning of our interview, but Dejan Kamenjasevic was unflustered.
“Every day brings a new challenge,” quipped Dubai Basketball club’s Chief Executive Officer, brushing off a busy media day including a private conversation with Aletihad.
It was a reminder that there is no time to stop and reflect when running a professional club in its second year of existence. Still, he is “tired” of proving how the club is already a cool success story – one that has now stepped onto the grandest of stages as Dubai Basketball steps up into the most elite EuroLeague so soon into their journey.
On Tuesday evening, Dubai Basketball made their EuroLeague debut against Partizan Belgrade, just a year after their debut in the Adriatic Basketball Association, a regional league within Europe.
For Kamenjašević, the rise has been extraordinary but not accidental. “What we know for sure is that this is an amazing story,” he said.
“It is a story of Dubai, of the city and of all of us. We now have a lot of people who are following us and learning about us. They will see the different ecosystem and the unique ecosystem that we have. We are something in both the ABA and the EuroLeague – something special.”
The CEO acknowledged that last season’s ABA League run provided invaluable lessons where the rookies made it all the way to the semi-finals. “We had a great season last year, but now is a new season and a new challenge.
“Standards are much higher because we are in EuroLeague – the league of 20 teams, the best in Europe. There will be a lot of travel, a lot of hours, but we are ready. We are excited and motivated,” he said while also admitting that he has kept his plans focused on the next two months with so much going on.
Readiness, however, is not only about the players. The scale of the dual campaign – EuroLeague and ABA League – tests every layer of the club.
“Very challenging, very difficult,” he admits. “But all our people in the management, the front office, assistant coaches, the academy – these are high-level professionals. Because of them, we are where we are.”
The workload is intensified by the schedule: home and away games each week across different countries, while still building a base in Dubai. A morale booster has been the revelation of almost sellout crowds even for the ABA league last season at their home venue, the Coca-Cola Arena.
Then there is the good show that the youth feeder team also showed during the EuroLeague’s Final Four age competition earlier this year in Abu Dhabi. Strong performances against established teams underlined that beyond the first team of Dubai Basketball, concerted efforts are under way develop the roots.
“This is amazing success for the city of Dubai, our partners, Dubai Sports Council, and all of us. We were competitive in the ABA League, plus what we saw in the Final Four. Now it is another level.”
Another new element this season is the weight of sponsorship. Abu Dhabi entities Etihad Airways and Experience Abu Dhabi have come on board as sponsors, which Kamenjasevic sees as both responsibility and inspiration, and not pressure, for the club as UAE’s collective representative on the court.
“I think it is motivation. The pressure is motivation. We are part of a great story happening in the UAE – basketball-wise, sports-wise, social-wise, institutional-wise. We just need to be proud and happy of what is happening in the UAE, Abu Dhabi, and especially in Dubai.”
The conversation turns to fans – a crucial element for any EuroLeague side. The competition is known for the intensity of Greek, Turkish and Baltic supporters. Kamenjasevic accepts that Dubai’s fan culture is still young, but insists the support is there.
“Our fans have already shown us that they are with us. They push and support us. We are creating something new in Dubai. Maybe we will not yet have the fans like Athens, Belgrade or Kaunas, but definitely they are ready for what is coming.”
From a broken air-conditioning unit to navigating Europe’s fiercest arenas, challenges span the mundane and monumental. Yet the CEO’s vision is clear: the club is not just chasing wins but laying a foundation for a bright future. “We are part of a story bigger than basketball. This is the story of Dubai itself.”
