Dubai Basketball are set to make history as the first team from the UAE to compete in a leading European basketball league. The newly formed club, also referred to as Dubai BC, are taking part in the 2024/25 ABA League – the top-tier basketball competition for teams from the former Yugoslavia.
Ahead of the historic first game of their inaugural season against defending champions Red Star from Serbia, here is everything you need to know about Dubai BC.
What is Dubai Basketball?
Dubai BC is a new professional basketball team who will compete in the ABA League for the next three seasons. The team was founded by Abdulla Saeed Al Naboodah, the former chairman of Al Ahli Football Club (now Shabab Al Ahli), and Dejan Kamenjasevic, who will work as the club's general manager. Salem bin Dasmal – a prominent businessman and former national tennis champion – has been appointed as chief executive.
Dubai BC will play their home games at the Coca-Cola Arena.
What is the ABA League?
The ABA League is the leading professional basketball league for teams from the former Yugoslavia. The 2024/25 season has been expanded to 16 teams and includes clubs from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro.
It has been a breeding ground for many NBA players from the Balkan region, including Serbia's three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, former NBA All-Star Goran Dragic (Slovenia), Phoenix Suns centre Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia).
The new season will comprise 30 regular season games, with the top eight advancing to the play-offs and the bottom team consigned to relegation to the ABA League Second Division. The second-bottom side will play a qualification against the Second Division finalists to avoid demotion.
The play-off quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played in a best-of-three series, with the finals decided in a best of five.
What is the Dubai Basketball roster?
Dubai BC have assembled a 12-player squad representing nine countries: Serbia, USA, Italy, Latvia, Turkey, Jordan, Croatia, the Philippines, and Slovenia.
Dubai BC roster: Klemen Prepelic, captain (shooting guard, Slovenia), Davis Bertans (power forward, Latvia), Leon Radosevic (centre, Serbia), Awudu Abass (small forward, Italy), Nate Mason (point guard, USA), Ahmet Duverioglu (centre, Jordan-Turkey), JaCorey Williams (power forward, USA), Nemanja Dangubic (small forward, Serbia), Danilo Andusic (shooting guard, Serbia), Aleksa Uskokovic (point guard, Serbia), Bora Yasar (centre, Turkey), Thirdy Ravena (Philippines, shooting guard).
Dubai Basketball fixtures
Dubai BC's first game will be against defending regular and post-season champions Red Star on September 22 at Coca-Cola Arena. The regular season will be played until May 2-5 followed by the play-off quarter-finals from May 9. The finals are scheduled to begin on June 6.
How to get tickets
Tickets to watch Dubai BC's season-opener are available from the Coca-Cola Arena website with prices starting from Dh75. Season passes can also be purchased, starting at Dh1,750, which includes reserved seating for all 15 regular season home games.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
