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Legia Warsaw (basketball)

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This article is about the basketball team. For other sections of the sports club, see Legia Warsaw (sports club).
Legia Warsaw
Legia Warsaw logo
NicknameWojskowi ("Militarians"),
Legioniści ("Legionnaires", "Legionarries")
LeaguePLK
ENBL
Founded1929; 95 years ago (1929)
HistoryLegia Warsaw
1929–present
ArenaHala OSiR Bemowo
Cos Torwar
Capacity1,416
4,824[1]
LocationWarsaw, Poland
Team colorsRed, White, Green and Black
       
PresidentRobert Chabelski
General managerAaron Cel
Head coachIvica Skelin
Championships7 Polish Championships
3 Polish Cups
1 I Liga
Websitelegiakosz.com
Departments of Legia Warsaw
Football
(Men's)		 Football II
(Men's)		 Football Youth Academy
(Men's)		 Football Youth Academy
(Women's)
Basketball
(Men's)		Ice Hockey
(Men's)		 Rugby union
(Women's & Men's)		Volleyball
(Men's)
Amputee football Kickboxing Shooting Boxing
Equestrian Gymnastics Judo Athletics
Weightlifting Cycling Tennis Wrestling
Waterpolo Squash Swimming Fencing
Badminton Windsurfing Motorcycle
speedway		 Ice Skating
(Figure & Speed)
Pentathlon Table Tennis Futsal Volleyball
(Women's)

Legia Warszawa Sekcja Koszykówki (in English: Legia Warsaw Basketball Section) is a Polish men's basketball club, based in Warsaw. The team currently plays in the PLK, the Polish first division. The club was established in 1929 as the basketball section of the military multi-sport club of Legia Warsaw. Legia became the leading team in Polish basketball in the 1950s and 1960s with seven national championships and two national cups.

It is one of the sports sections of Legia brand, with the most famous being a football team.

History

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First steps to glory

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The basketball section of Legia Warsaw was founded in 1929. The first game of the team was on December 8, 1929, when the team won 31–5 over Jutrznia.

The team was re-activated in 1947, after absence during World War II, by students from the Stefana Batorego. The team won the national high school championship, and after several more promotions, it returned to the highest-level league in 1951.

Legia played its first international match on September 6, 1953, facing UDA Praha. In 1956, the first national championship in club history was won after finishing first with a 14–4 record. A year after their triumph in the competition, Legia's basketball players once again secured the Polish championship. Then, in one of the more interesting matches for places 1-6, it took five overtimes to determine the winner in the Legia - ŁKS game! The Łódź Sports Club, competing at the time as Włókniarz Łódź, ultimately defeated Legia 77-75. For Legia, it was the only loss out of five games in this phase of the competition, and our players secured the Polish championship.

Legia's basketball players were the first Polish team to represent the country in European cup competitions. Their second consecutive Polish championship in 1957 secured team's participation in the FIBA European Champions Cup the following year. In the second round, Legia faced the best team in Europe at that time Rīgas ASK. Although the victory in Warsaw did not allow them to advance to the semifinals, it was a huge surprise for the basketball community in Europe. Legia became powerhouse in Poland, winning 7 national titles in 13 years in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as 2 Polish cups.

Financial difficulties lead to downfall

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Unfortunately, in the 2002-03 season, Legia, instead of building on their momentum, ended their adventure in the top league for many years. This was due to the club's severe financial problems, which prevented them from paying the players' contractual obligations. Most of the basketball players left the club, and Legia finished the season with juniors. The youth players were unable to save Legia's position in the top league.

In the following season, after many troubles, Legia finally played in the First League with a very strong squad that was expected to fight for a return to the national elite. Unfortunately, Legia performed below expectations - they advanced to the playoffs from the eighth place and lost 0-3 to Turów Zgorzelec in the first round of the playoffs. Warsaw continued to struggle with financial problems, resulting in the team not registering for the First League. Legia spent the 2003-04 season in the Second League, which was the third tier of national championship, and even at this level had to fight against relegation.[2]

On May 15, 2014, the team was brought under a new legal form when the joint-stock company "Legia Warszawa Sekcja Koszykówki" was founded; the main shareholders of the club are Legia Warszawa SA and Robert Chabelski. In 2017, Legia was promoted to the PLK after being absent for 14 years.[3]

Regaining its status in Poland

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In 2020-21 season for the first time since promoted back to the PLK, Legia finished the season with a positive record, winning 24 of 37 games and finishing fourth. That let the team to participate in FIBA Europe Cup. 2021-22 season was successful both internationally and locally, reaching the FIBA Europe Cup quarterfinal and PLK final for the first time since 1969. The European run continued when Legia participated in 2022–23 Basketball Champions League and 2023–24 FIBA Europe Cup.

In 2024 Legia won the Polish Basketball Cup for the first time in 44 years.

After the end of the 2023–24 PLK season, in which they finished fifth, club started a rebuilding process. First step was to hire a new sports director in Aaron Cel.[4] Later that summer it was announced that a new coach would take over the team as Legia signed a contract with Croatian specialist Ivica Skelin.[5] Long-time captain of Legia, Dariusz Wyka, left the team.[6] After not getting a place in any of the more prestigious European competitions, Legia joined up-and-coming ENBL.[7]

Arena

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Legia basketball players played in the former riding school hall which was adapted from a former riding school in the 1950s for the needs of indoor sports. At the start of the 1992-93 season Legia basketball team moved to the current Hala OSiR Bemowo facility. The hall in which basketball players play today was converted from a former aircraft hangar to the needs of indoor sports.[8]

For European games Legia has used the Arena COS Torwar.

Roster

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Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Legia Warsaw roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
SG 0 United States McGusty, Kameron 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 27 – (1997-09-09)9 September 1997
PG 1 United States Evans, Jawun 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 28 – (1996-07-26)26 July 1996
PG 2 Poland Niedzialkowski, Dawid 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 24 – (2000-06-03)3 June 2000
PG 3 Poland Pluta Jr., Andrzej 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 24 – (2000-06-03)3 June 2000
G 4 Poland Wieluński, Marcin  1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1996-03-27)27 March 1996
G 6 Poland Maciejewski, Filip   Injured 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 19 – (2005-06-13)13 June 2005
C 10 Croatia Vucić, Mate 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 26 – (1997-11-11)11 November 1997
C 12 United States Jones, Shawn 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 107 kg (236 lb) 32 – (1992-03-25)25 March 1992
F 15 Latvia Siliņš, Ojārs 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 31 – (1993-07-20)20 July 1993
F 17 Poland Jasiewicz, Wojciech 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 17 – (2007-09-02)2 September 2007
C 21 Poland Dabrowski, Julian 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 17 – (2007-08-31)31 August 2007
G/F 23 Poland Kolenda, Michał (C) 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 27 – (1997-03-31)31 March 1997
G 24 Poland Gospodarek, Patryk 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 30 – (1994-03-09)9 March 1994
PF 25 Poland Grudzinski, Dominik 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 26 – (1998-02-04)4 February 1998
SG 32 Poland Wilczek, Maksymilian 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 20 – (2004-06-13)13 June 2004
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Poland Maciej Jamrozik
  • Poland Maciej Jankowski
Strength & conditioning coach(es)
  • Poland Piotr Stankiewicz
  • Poland Radosław Senski
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: September 4, 2024

Depth chart

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Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Mate Vucić Shawn Jones Julian Dabrowski
PF Ojārs Siliņš Dominik Grudzinski
SF Michał Kolenda Maksymilian Wilczek
SG Kameron McGusty Marcin Wieluński Filip Maciejewski
PG Jawun Evans Andrzej Pluta Jr. Patryk Gospodarek

Squad changes for the 2024–25 season

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First Team staff

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Position Staff
Head coach Croatia Ivica Skelin
Assistant coach Poland Maciej Jamrozik
Assistant coach Poland Maciej Jankowski
Physical Trainer Poland Piotr Stankiewicz
Physical Trainer Poland Radosław Senski
Physiotherapist Poland Jakub Nowosad
Manager Poland Paweł Zagrodniczek
Doctor Poland Mateusz Dawidziuk

Last updated: 4 September 2024
Source: Legia Warsaw Website

Personnel

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Chairman Poland Robert Chabelski
Vice-President Poland Lukasz Sekula
Shareholder Poland Jarosław Jankowski
Sports Director PolandFrance Aaron Cel

Source: [citation needed]

[9]

Honours

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Total titles: 11

Domestic competitions

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Season by season

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Season Tier League Pos. Record Polish Cup
2011–12 4 3 Liga 1st
2012–13 3 2 Liga 3rd
2013–14 3 2 Liga 1st
2014–15 2 I Liga 4th
2015–16 2 I Liga 2nd
2016–17 2 I Liga 1st
2017–18 1 PLK 16th
5–27
 Quarterfinalist
2018–19 1 PLK 8th
15–15
2019–20 1 PLK 14th1
5–171
 Quarterfinalist
2020–21 1 PLK 4th
24–13
 Quarterfinalist
2021–22 1 PLK Runners-up
24–17
2022–23 1 PLK 4th
24–13
2023–24 1 PLK 5th
20–14
Champion
^1 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

International record

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Season Achievement Notes
Euroleague
1958 Quarter-finals eliminated by Rīgas ASK, 59-93 (L) in Riga and 63-61 (W) in Warsaw
1960–61 Quarter-finals eliminated by CSKA Moscow, 72-98 (L) in Warsaw and 73-85 (L) in Moscow
1961–62 Quarter-finals eliminated by Real Madrid, 73-62 (W) in Warsaw and 71-100 (L) in Madrid
1963–64 Quarter-finals eliminated by Real Madrid, 90-102 (L) in Warsaw and 86-92 (L) in Madrid
Saporta Cup
1968–69 Quarter-finals eliminated by Slavia Prague, 82-113 (L) in Prague and 80-91 (L) in Warsaw
1970–71 Quarter-finals eliminated by Fides Napoli, 75-84 (L) in Warsaw and 73-96 (L) in Napoli
FIBA Europe Cup
2021–22 Quarter-finals eliminated by Reggiana, 68–71 (L) in Warsaw and 80–75 after overtime (L) in Reggio Emilia
2023–24 Quarter-finals eliminated by Bilbao Basket, 83-64 (W) in Warsaw and 53-81 (L) in Bilbao
Basketball Champions League
2022–23 Group stage eliminated in the Group stage
European North Basketball League
2024–25

Notable players

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Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Coaches

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Notable former coaches

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References

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  1. ^ "COS Torwar Hall". legiakosz.com. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ "Legia Warszawa wywalczyła awans do Polskiej Ligi Koszykówki". Eurosport.onet.pl. 2017-05-20.
  4. ^ Aaron Cel w Zarządzie koszykarskiej Legii
  5. ^ Ivica Skelin trenerem Legii Warszawa
  6. ^ Legia Warszawa bez kapitana. Rewolucja jest nam potrzebna
  7. ^ Polish Cup winners ready to shine: welcome, Legia Warszawa
  8. ^ Bemowo Sports and Recreation Centre
  9. ^ [2]
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