By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Commenting on Dubai’s rapid ascent and future trajectory, general manager Dejan Kamenjasevic addressed the team’s ongoing roster adjustments and the competitive landscape of the market during an extensive interview with Serbian outlet Mozzart Sport, published Sunday.
Projecting the roster for the squad coached by Xavi Pascual ahead of the 2026–27 EuroLeague and AdmiralBet ABA League campaigns, Kamenjasevic openly acknowledged their pursuit of premium backcourt talent, confirming that high-profile acquisitions often hinge on financial negotiations. He explained that Dubai had been in contention for several prominent figures, including Thomas Walkup of defending EuroLeague champions Olympiacos, but ultimately missed out because those athletes prioritized more lucrative offers. Dismissing any frustration, he emphasized that losing players to higher bidders is simply a standard aspect of modern sports business.
“We are looking for a playmaker,” he stated regarding their current transfer targets. “One of the players is Thomas Walkup. It will depend on the agreement with Olympiacos or his exit from that contract.”
Awudu Abass, Justin Anderson, Dwayne Bacon, Davis Bertans, Jaron Blossomgame, Nemanja Dangubic, Mamadi Diakite, Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Mfiondu Kabengele, Kenan Kamenjas, Kosta Kondic, Davion Mintz, Dzanan Musa, Elie Okobo, Filip Petrusev, Klemen Prepelic, Tornike Shengelia, and McKinley Wright IV are currently squad members for the reigning ABA champions.
Furthermore, the Bosnian executive also confronted the persistent, inflated rumors surrounding the franchise’s spending power, noting how the media frequently exaggerates their transfer links, referring to Panathinaikos Aktor owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos revealing a bid for NBA superstar Nikola Jokic.
“When the owner of a club comes out and publicly says he made an offer to Jokic, that is fine. Imagine if Dubai had done that. Imagine if I came out and said, ‘We made an offer to Jokic’. How would you look at us? What would happen?”, he mentioned, highlighting the double standards in public perception and clarifying that the operational budget actually ranks outside the top five in the EuroLeague.
Also, Kamenjasevic downplayed the developing NBA Europe situation, characterizing the concept as ‘a cloud that constantly circles us’. “Nothing will come of it, unless they reach a commercial agreement with the Euroleague,” he added.
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