Legia Warsaw (basketball)

Legia Warsaw
Legia Warsaw
Nickname	Wojskowi ("Militarians"), ; Legioniści ("Legionnaires", "Legionarries")
League	PLK; ENBL
Founded	1929; 95 years ago
History	Legia Warsaw; 1929–present
Arena	Hala OSiR Bemowo ; Cos Torwar
Capacity	1,416 ; 4,824
Location	Warsaw, Poland
Team colors	Red, White, Green and Black;
President	Robert Chabelski
General manager	Aaron Cel
Head coach	Ivica Skelin
Championships	7 Polish Championships; 3 Polish Cups ; 1 I Liga
Website	legiakosz.com
Home	Away

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

First steps to glory

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

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

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

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

Current roster

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.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Age
SG	0	McGusty, Kameron	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	86 kg (190 lb)	27 – (1997-09-09)9 September 1997
PG	1	Evans, Jawun	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	86 kg (190 lb)	28 – (1996-07-26)26 July 1996
PG	2	Niedzialkowski, Dawid	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	83 kg (183 lb)	24 – (2000-06-03)3 June 2000
PG	3	Pluta Jr., Andrzej	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	83 kg (183 lb)	24 – (2000-06-03)3 June 2000
G	4	Wieluński, Marcin	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)		28 – (1996-03-27)27 March 1996
G	6	Maciejewski, Filip	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)		19 – (2005-06-13)13 June 2005
C	10	Vucić, Mate	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)		27 – (1997-11-11)11 November 1997
C	12	Jones, Shawn	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	107 kg (236 lb)	32 – (1992-03-25)25 March 1992
F	15	Siliņš, Ojārs	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)	98 kg (216 lb)	31 – (1993-07-20)20 July 1993
F	17	Jasiewicz, Wojciech	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)		17 – (2007-09-02)2 September 2007
C	21	Dabrowski, Julian	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)		17 – (2007-08-31)31 August 2007
G/F	23	Kolenda, Michał (C)	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)	88 kg (194 lb)	27 – (1997-03-31)31 March 1997
G	24	Gospodarek, Patryk	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)		30 – (1994-03-09)9 March 1994
PF	25	Grudzinski, Dominik	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)		26 – (1998-02-04)4 February 1998
SG	32	Wilczek, Maksymilian	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)		20 – (2004-06-13)13 June 2004

Head coach

Ivica Skelin

Assistant coach(es)

Maciej Jamrozik
Maciej Jankowski

Strength & conditioning coach(es)

Piotr Stankiewicz
Radosław Senski

Legend

(C) Team captain
Injured

Roster

Updated: September 4, 2024

Depth chart

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

In

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

Pos.	Nat.	Player
PG	POL	Andrzej Pluta Jr. (from Arka Gdynia)
G	POL	Maksymilian Wilczek (from Arka Gdynia)
PF	POL	Dominik Grudzinski (from Spójnia Stargard)
F	LVA	Ojārs Siliņš (from Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski)
C	CRO	Mate Vucić (from Twarde Pierniki Toruń)
SG	USA	Kameron McGusty (from Limoges CSP)
PG	USA	Jawun Evans (from JDA Dijon Basket)
G	POL	Patryk Gospodarek (from Energa Basket Warszawa)
C	USA	Shawn Jones (from KK Cedevita Olimpija)

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

Pos.	Nat.	Player
C	POL	Dariusz Wyka (to Górnik Wałbrzych)
SG	USA	Raymond Cowels (to MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza)
PG	USA	Christian Vital (to Derthona Basket)
PG	USA	Loren Jackson (to Czarni Słupsk)
PF	POL	Grzegorz Kulka (to Górnik Wałbrzych)
G	POL	Marcel Ponitka (to Śląsk Wrocław)
PF	USA	Aric Holman (to Al Nasr)
PF	JAM	Tyran de Lattibeaudiere (to Start Lublin)
C	CRO	Josip Sobin (to Cedevita Junior)

First Team staff

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

Last updated: 4 September 2024
Source: Legia Warsaw Website

Personnel

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

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

^[9]

Honours

Total titles: 11

Domestic competitions

Polish Championship:
- Winners (7): 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1969
- Runners-up (1): 2022
Polish Cup:
- Winners (3): 1968, 1970, 2024
I Liga
- Winners (1): 2017

Season by season

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

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

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.