Džanan Musa: From NBA to EuroLeague Champion and Dubai Basketball

Bosnian forward Džanan Musa has embarked on a novel chapter with Dubai Basketball after a decorated career that included stints in the NBA and EuroLeague. The move comes after three successful seasons with Real Madrid, where he secured multiple championships.

Early Career and NBA Journey

Musa was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft, with the 29th overall pick. He played 54 games for the Nets over two seasons before returning to Europe. He initially signed a three-year deal with Anadolu Efes, but described the experience as a bad decision, noting that he would not have had many minutes due to the presence of other key players.

Finding a Home in Europe

After a brief period with Río Breogán, where he was recognized for his performance, Musa joined Real Madrid. He credits a call from Paco Olmos as pivotal in his decision to join Breogán, stating, I had not heard of Breogán but I thought: if I am going to be well and happy, I will proceed and grant everything. Breogán is like a family. They did not give money but they give you the rest. He won the ACB MVP in the 2021/2022 season before moving to Real Madrid.

Success with Real Madrid

Musa’s time with Real Madrid was marked by significant success, including two Liga ACB championships (2024, 2025), a Spanish Cup win (2024) and two Spanish Supercup titles (2022, 2023). He was named Liga ACB Finals MVP in 2024 and Liga ACB MVP in 2022. He also won a EuroLeague championship in 2023. He expressed that playing for Real Madrid was more important to him than returning to the NBA, stating, For me it was more important to play for Real Madrid than in the NBA. Also for my family, my country and for the figure of Mirza Delibasic..

New Challenge with Dubai Basketball

In July 2025, Musa signed a three-year contract with Dubai Basketball, a relatively new team in the EuroLeague. He affirmed the club’s ambition to compete at the highest level, stating their goal is to reach the top-10 this year and ultimately win the EuroLeague in the coming campaigns. The goal is to be in the top-10 this year and see if we can win the Euroleague. That is the plan and we are going to work for it. Next year or two we want to reach the Final Four.

Key Achievements

• 2x EuroLeague Champion (2021, 2023)
• 2x Liga ACB Champion (2024, 2025)
• Liga ACB MVP (2022)
• Liga ACB Finals MVP (2024)
• Turkish League Champion (2021)
• 3x Croatian League Champion (2016-2018)
• 3x Croatian Cup Winner (2016-2018)
• FIBA U16 EuroBasket MVP (2015)
• 2x Bosnian Sportsman of the Year (2022, 2023)

Musa’s journey exemplifies a player prioritizing team success and personal fulfillment, and his arrival in Dubai signals a new era for the burgeoning EuroLeague franchise.