Abu Dhabi will become the center of the basketball world for the EuroLeague Final Four and NextGen Finals
NextGen Finals to inspire future generations in United Arab Emirates
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The saying goes: In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. But in order for that to happen, you first have to see and face the best. And U18 Dubai Basketball believes facing Europe’s best teams as the host club of the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals will serve as an inspiration for the country’s future generations.
Dubai received one of the wild cards for the NextGen EuroLeague Finals after it participated in the competition for the second straight season. And Petros Krasopoulos, the general manager of Dubai Basketball’s youth program, is thrilled to give his youngsters and the emerging basketball community in Abu Dhabi – and the rest of the United Arab Emirates – a chance to witness some of the best players on the globe.
“For the kids coming through Dubai Basketball’s academy and other young players across the UAE, seeing a team from Dubai competing in the NextGen EuroLeague has been a massive source of inspiration,” said Krasopoulos, a Greek native who has been with the club since 2015. “It makes professional basketball an achievable feat – highlighting that there’s a clear pathway from playing the game here locally to stepping onto the court against some of the biggest youth teams in Europe.
“Being selected for the NextGen Finals is a historic milestone for UAE youth basketball and a unique opportunity for Dubai Basketball to gain valuable experience, especially for our top talents born in 2010.”
The country in general will experience a landmark moment in the next couple of weeks, with the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four taking place between May 23 and 25, while the NextGen Finals will be played between May 22 and May 25.
“Having both the EuroLeague Final Four and the NextGen Finals in Abu Dhabi puts the country firmly on the global basketball map. For fans here, it’s a rare chance to witness the highest level of the game live. And for young players, it shows them what’s possible,” Krasopoulos said.
"For Dubai specifically, it brings attention to what’s already happening here with Dubai Basketball, and hopefully it inspires more people to engage with the sport – whether that’s by picking up a ball or coming to support our team. It all feeds into the bigger goal of building a lasting basketball culture in the region.”
Dubai Basketball’s official youth program, The Falcons Academy, has been operational for over a decade now and has been a major contributor to the success of Dubai Basketball. Starting with just three students in 2014, the academy now consists of 500 youngsters aged 3 to 18, indicating the momentum of the sport in the Middle East.
“We are determined to build a passion for basketball from within the community, instilling a love for the sport from a young age,” said Krasopoulos, who moved into the position of the club’s sports director and coached the U18 team the last two years.
“The UAE is on track to being a global hub for basketball, and Dubai Basketball is a key contributor to the cause. We still have a long way to go to support and build a culture of basketball in the country, but the response we have been receiving from the public has been nothing but resoundingly positive.”
The Falcons Academy comprises mostly of expats, just like the population of the country. But Krasopoulos and the other leaders of the club are working to change that.
“We are tasked with the job of inciting an interest in basketball with the local population, and this begins at a grassroots level,” he said. “We’re laying the structure now to ensure Emirate talent is a strong part of our future.”
In addition to the NextGen EuroLeague Ulm event, the club’s youth team has been competing this season in the U19 ABA League against the best teams from the Adriatic region and domestic leagues such as the Dubai Open Basketball Academy and Ball Above All. And the youth team will also compete starting in 2026 as Dubai Basketball in the UAE National League.
This was actually the second time the club participated in the NextGen EuroLeague, hosting one of the qualifiers in the 2023-24 season. And the academy actually picked up a victory, beating eventual first-place finisher U18 ratiopharm Ulm 80-73.
Krasopoulos knows his young team will face a major test in the NextGen Finals as they are in Group A along with 2022 continental champion U18 Mega Super Belgrade, the 2016 winner U18 FC Barcelona and Italian powerhouse U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.
“Milan, Mega and Barcelona are great teams and represent countries that have a legacy of producing amazing talent. The teams have proved their level over the years and bring to Abu Dhabi a great deal of experience. We anticipate some tough games, but we are prepared and look forward to some great competition and proving the level we bring here at Dubai Basketball,” Krasopoulos said.
The fans in Dubai have seen some pretty high quality basketball at the senior level this season as Dubai Basketball is competing for the first time in the ABA League, a competition which includes EuroLeague teams Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, BKT EuroCup clubs Buducnost VOLI Podgorica and Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, as well as strong sides such as SC Derby Podgorica, KK Igokea and Mega Super Belgrade.
Dubai finished the ABA League regular season with an impressive 25-5 record, including a 13-2 mark at home, after Jurica Golemac's squad went on a 13-game winning streak to lock up the third seed entering the playoffs. After Game 1 of the playoffs, Dubai holds a 1-0 lead in its series with Cedevita Olimpija.
“It’s huge for us. Having these elite teams from the ABA League come to Dubai is a massive step, not just for our club, but for the basketball scene here as a whole. We're talking about some of the most respected teams in European basketball – with strong legacies, passionate fanbases, and world-class talent,” Krasopoulos said.
“For our players, it’s an opportunity to measure themselves against the best. And for the fans, it’s a chance to experience top-tier basketball up close, maybe for the first time. It raises the bar and puts Dubai Basketball in the spotlight. It reinforces what we’re trying to build – a team that belongs on an international stage. This kind of exposure is only going to help us reach more fans around the world and inspire the next generation to get involved.”
And the EuroLeague Final Four and NextGen Finals will also do their part in terms of inspiration.