Dubai Basketball has appointed Aleksander Sekulic as its new head coach on Monday, April 13, with the contract running through the end of the current season. The move comes at a critical stage of the EuroLeague campaign, where playoff margins remain extremely tight.
Sekulic steps into the role immediately, taking charge for Dubai’s Round 38 clash against Valencia Basket. The game carries high stakes, with Dubai needing a victory to maintain any chance of overtaking FC Barcelona for 10th place and securing the final Play-In Showdown position.
The timing follows a coaching change after the club parted ways with Jurica Golemac on Sunday, ending his tenure during the final stretch of the regular season. Sekulic is expected to stabilize the team quickly in a short preparation window before one of the most important games in the club’s EuroLeague debut year.
Dubai enters the decisive round with a 19-18 record, sitting 11th in the standings. The team also owns a 15-1 record in the ABA League, highlighting contrasting performances across competitions during the season.
Sekulic brings extensive international experience, including his ongoing role as head coach of the Slovenian national team. He previously guided Slovenia to fourth place at the 2021 Olympic Games, establishing his credentials on the international stage.
His recent club résumé includes ERA Nymburk in 2021–22, Lokomotiv Kuban from 2022 to 2024, and Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2025–26 season. Despite that background, this marks his first EuroLeague coaching appointment.
Sekulic also has limited experience in European club continental competition, having coached Krka Novo Mesto in the 2011–12 EuroCup season, finishing with a 3–6 record. That remains his only previous EuroCup campaign.
The current EuroLeague standings underline the pressure facing Dubai, with Barcelona holding 10th place at 20-17, just ahead of Dubai’s 19-18 record. The mathematical scenario remains narrow, requiring both a win and favorable results elsewhere.
Sekulic arrives as Valencia Basket prepares for a top-four finish push, sitting second in the table at 24-13. The Spanish club also holds a strong home record of 16-3, adding further difficulty to Dubai’s qualification path.
