Huertas returns to the EuroLeague with Xavi Pascual's Dubai

The signing of Marcelinho Huertas by Dubai Basketball marks the return of the veteran Brazilian player to the Euroleague after more than five years without competing in the highest continental category. The operation, which has not yet been officially confirmed by either club, comes just a day after Huertas made history in the Liga Endesa by surpassing Joe Arlauckas as the eighth all-time leading scorer in the history of the Spanish competition.

A Reunion with Pascual After Years at Barça

The arrival of Marcelinho Huertas to the team coached by Xavi Pascual represents a reunion between two figures who shared success in the past. They spent four seasons together at FC Barcelona between 2011 and 2015, a period during which they established a working relationship that the Catalan coach is now looking to revitalize. Pascual sees in the experience and offensive talent of the Brazilian point guard the piece needed to strengthen a Dubai Basketball team that is in its second year in the Euroleague with a record of 7 wins and 3 losses.

Pascual's team has shown a remarkable competitive level in recent games, accumulating important victories, such as the recent one achieved in Bologna. With this trajectory, Dubai positions itself among the pursuers of Panathinaikos, looking to establish itself as one of the main forces in European competition.

Huertas, the Top Scorer of La Laguna Tenerife

The departure of Marcelinho Huertas from La Laguna Tenerife comes at a delicate time for the Canary Islands team, coached by Jaka Lakovic. The Brazilian point guard has been on the island for eight seasons, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the club's history. During his time at La Laguna, Huertas has won one Basketball Champions League and two Intercontinental Cups, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest level.

In the current Liga Endesa campaign, Huertas remains essential for the Canarians. He averages 14.3 points and 3.9 assists in just 20 minutes of play, with an impressive 72.7% shooting from three-point range. These numbers reflect his relevance as an elite player, despite being 43 years old. In the previous season, the Brazilian point guard scored 14.9 points and provided 5.5 assists in 35 games, achieving a rating of 15.3 points per game, which earned him MVP honors in the Liga Endesa at the age of 42.

A Significant Blow for the Canarians

For La Laguna Tenerife, the possible departure of Marcelinho Huertas represents a significant setback in an already complicated context. The team is already struggling due to the absences of other key players. Ethan Happ will be out for approximately three months, while Rokas Giedraitis and Xabi López-Arostegui are also unavailable. The departure of the all-time leading scorer in the club's history would add another difficulty to Lakovic's plans to maintain a competitive level.

A Historic Milestone at the European Level

If the arrival of Marcelinho Huertas at Dubai Basketball is confirmed, the Brazilian point guard would become a historic player at the European level. At 43 years and five months, he would be the second oldest player to compete in the modern Euroleague, only behind Dan Gay, who played over 45 years old for Fortitudo Bologna during the 2007 season.

This fact highlights the exceptional longevity of Huertas as a professional athlete. The last team he played for in the Euroleague was Baskonia, which he left in 2019. His absence from the continental competition for five years makes his return particularly significant, both due to his age and the time elapsed since his last participation in the top European tier.

The operation still requires official confirmation from both institutions, but everything indicates that Marcelinho Huertas is ready to embark on a final adventure in the Euroleague under the orders of Xavi Pascual. His arrival at Dubai Basketball would not only strengthen the Emirati team in its quest to establish itself in the competition, but would also represent another chapter in the legendary career of one of the best point guards to have passed through the Liga Endesa in recent decades.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Huertas regresa a la Euroliga con el Dubai de Xavi Pascual