Dubai Basketball has strengthened its frontcourt by signing Georgian forward Tornike Shengelia, adding one of the most experienced players in European basketball ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The club announced Thursday that Shengelia has joined the team after one season with FC Barcelona, where he averaged 12.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 34 EuroLeague appearances. The 2.06-meter power forward also played 40 Liga ACB games, averaging 11.2 points per game while helping Barcelona reach the Spanish League Finals.
Barcelona confirmed Shengelia’s departure on the same day, announcing that the player exercised his contract release clause, reportedly close to €1 million. The club thanked him for his contribution during the 2025-26 season, when he appeared in 78 total games across the ACB, EuroLeague, Copa del Rey and Lliga Catalana.
Shengelia gives Dubai another proven frontcourt option after the club finished its first EuroLeague season with a 19-19 record, ranking 11th in the regular-season standings. Dubai was competitive throughout the campaign, posting a 13-6 home record and finishing just outside the playoff qualification places.
The Georgian international arrives with 13 seasons of EuroLeague experience across five clubs. His career includes successful spells with Baskonia, CSKA Moscow, Virtus Bologna and Barcelona, along with earlier stops at Valencia and Spirou Charleroi.
During the 2025-26 EuroLeague season with Barcelona, Shengelia remained efficient as a veteran contributor. He shot 54.2% from the field, including 59.2% on two-point attempts, while adding 2.7 assists per game. His ability to create offense from the frontcourt has been one of the defining elements of his career.
Shengelia has also collected significant silverware throughout his European career. He won the 2019-20 Spanish Championship with Baskonia, the 2020-21 VTB United League title with CSKA Moscow, the 2024-25 Italian Championship with Virtus Bologna and the 2023 Italian Super Cup.
The 34-year-old forward is also a two-time EuroCup champion, winning the competition with Valencia and Virtus Bologna. He has been named EuroLeague MVP of the Round nine times, including a standout performance against Partizan when he recorded a season-high Performance Index Rating of 42.
Dubai’s offseason has focused on adding experience and maintaining competitiveness after entering the EuroLeague as an expansion team. The club hired head coach Xavi Pascual and added players including Elie Okobo, Davion Mintz, Mamadi Diakite, Jaron Blossomgame and center Kevin Kokila, who was loaned out to Virtus Bologna.
