By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Confirming an earlier report, Dubai announced the addition of Dwayne Bacon on Wednesday.
The former Florida State standout is the sixth official summer signing for the new EuroLeague team, following Serbian guard Aleksa Avramovic, Bosnian forward Dzanan Musa, French center Mam Jaiteh, Bosnian center Kenan Kamenjas, and American guard McKinley Wright IV.
Returning to Europe’s premier club continental competition, Bacon carries the experience of 56 games between AS Monaco in the 2021-22 season and Panathinaikos in the 2022-23 season. He will also display his talents in the AdmiralBet ABA League with the team coached by Jurica Golemac, marking his debut in the regional league.
Over the last two years, the Florida native went from China and Puerto Rico to the VTB United League with Zenit and was named Most Valuable Player of the 2024-25 Regular Season. He tallied 16.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per contest over 42 appearances with the team based in Saint Petersburg. Behind a 39-5 W-L tally, his side ranked first in the Regular Season and reached the Finals in the Playoffs but fell to second-seeded CSKA in six games.
Back in 2017, coming out of the Seminoles, Bacon was selected with the 40th overall pick of the NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and subsequently traded to the Charlotte Hornets. He went on to play in 207 games between three years with the Hornets and one with the Orlando Magic, before using overseas options to further his career.