The establishment of Dubai Basketball and its entry into the Adriatic Basketball Association League has been celebrated by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic as a “great thing” for the sport in the Emirates.

Abdulla Saeed Al Naboodah launched Dubai Basketball in 2023 as a new professional team that will compete in the 2024–2025 European Basketball Association.

Dubai Basketball, having won both of its initial games in the league, features a strong roster with players from the Philippines, Turkey, the US, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Jordan, Latvia, and Italy, among others.

Their next opponent at Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday will be the Serbian team Mega MIS, where Jokic began his professional journey and played for three seasons before joining the Denver Nuggets.

While playing for the Nuggets at the NBA Abu Dhabi Games in the United Arab Emirates, Jokic has received positive feedback about Dubai Basketball.

At the Etihad Arena on Thursday, the 2022–2023 NBA champion commented, “I think it’s a great thing for the country and for basketball.”

“I believe basketball needs and should expand more.”

According to my friends who play in Dubai, it’s a well-organized team. They say that everything is excellent, so perhaps basketball will keep growing in this nation.

After spending time with the Serbian national team in the summer preparing for their bronze medal win at the Olympics in Paris, Jokic is in Abu Dhabi for the second time in three months.

Jokic, a passionate horse racing fan who owns several horses, was asked about his plans to explore the UAE’s equestrian scene.

“The best horses are there, so I want to see the horses,” he replied. “I doubt I’ll have time, but perhaps I will.”

Jokic feels confident about his conditioning heading into the upcoming NBA season, despite a shortened offseason due to his Olympic commitments.

“We shall see,” he stated. “My endurance is unaffected by the fact that we won the championship the last time I played for the national team.”

“Maybe I’ll be even fitter. We’ll find out when the season starts or perhaps when it wraps up.”

The Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated Jokic and his teammates in the playoffs the following season after the Denver Nuggets secured their first-ever NBA championship in 2023.

Jokic emphasized that his motivation for the current season has had “zero” impact from his early exit, stating, “Last year doesn’t motivate me,” while discussing the difficulty of defending an NBA title—something the Golden State Warriors haven’t achieved since 2017 and 2018.

“They often say it’s hard to win a championship again, but it’s tough to win one at all,” remarked the 29-year-old Serbian.

“It felt like we didn’t get a break after experiencing so many emotions after winning a championship. Maybe we were tired, or maybe we weren’t.

“We should just be grateful that we won the championship since many great teams never achieve that, and everything else is just bonus,” he added.

Along with veteran point guard Russell Westbrook and Croatian forward/center Dario Saric, the Nuggets will again rely on the dynamic duo of Jokic and Jamal Murray.

In practice, Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star and former NBA MVP, has been lively and engaging. He brings a wealth of leadership and experience from his 16 years in the league.

Jokic commended Westbrook, stating, “He’s always positive, a fantastic teammate both on and off the court.” “I hope he maintains his excellent performance throughout the season because he has been nothing short of that so far.”

As part of the third NBA Abu Dhabi Games, the Nuggets will face the Boston Celtics, the current NBA champions, in two preseason games at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on October 4 and 6.