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Davis Bartans: Thank you for the great 15 years! It has been exactly a decade and a half since my first official match in the Latvian senior national team jersey. The time has come to listen to my body and, unfortunately – but with great joy and pride for everything I have experienced in these 15 years – the time has come to put an end to my career in the national team. It may hurt a little that we did not end the last match with a victory, but I believe that during all these years we have experienced incredible emotions – both in our hall and in tournaments and matches outside Latvia, such as the European Championships and the World Cup, which will remain in our memories for a very long time. I sincerely hope that basketball in Latvia is in a much better place today than it was before my first match. In the future, I will definitely be one of the biggest fans of the national team, I will always support and, whenever I have the opportunity, cheer on the guys from the stands. Thank you all for your support, for being with us both after victories and defeats, for celebrating with us, but also for grieving. Thank you!”
Kristaps Porzingis led Latvia with a team-high 20 points along with 6 rebounds and 2 assists, while Davis Bertans weighed in with four triples in his 16 points. Rihards Lomazs and Dairis Bertans added 12 points apiece.
For Bertāns, who became aware of Dubai’s potential after his agent moved there a few years ago, a three-year deal was particularly enticing. “After being traded in the NBA for the last few seasons, in season and in the summer, the moves for the family were just getting harder, with the kids having to find new schools.” he told The Athletic. “If I come from the NBA, with eight years there, I made more money than I probably need, and I’m still going to come to every practice and give 100 percent effort that just sets an example.”
With the VTB United League SuperCup 2025 heading to Belgrade and Dubai among the four contenders, Davis Bertans will skip the preseason tournament. The 32-year-old combo forward of Dubai announced his decision following the first practice with the senior national team of Latvia, heading to the EuroBasket 2025.
“Considering who is organizing the VTB Super Cup, I cannot participate in a tournament with that name, even in a game against Crvena Zvezda,” he said during a media session on Monday, “The team supports my decision, although the coach had not previously looked at the situation from that perspective.” In addition to the EuroLeague newcomers and Crvena Zvezda, Russian VTB teams, CSKA and Zenit, are slated to play in the Super Cup, between September 24 and 25 in Belgrade Arena, sponsored by a Russian company.
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Atlanta Hawks star Kristaps Porzingis is back with the Latvian national team and headlining an extended roster ahead of the training camp for the 2025 EuroBasket. Dubai BC forward Davis Bertans, his brother, RIGA guard Dairis, Anadolu Efes forward Rolands Smits, Fenerbahce Beko guard Arturs Zagars and UCAM Murcia forward Rodions Kurucs are also named on the list of players that Latvia coach Luca Banchi has called. Porzingis returns to squad after the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and will participate in a major summer competition for the first time since the 2017 EuroBasket. Per the Latvian Federation, he’s expected to join the team after a visit to Atlanta.
After getting waived by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis Bertans made a surprising move and moved to play for a newly established club in the United Arab Emirates - Dubai BC. The NBA's constant movement had drained the family, and the Latvian forward wanted to settle down, he says. Dubai BC competes in the ABA League, where they are currently 2-1 after a loss to Mega Basket on Saturday. After the game, Bertans revealed his reasons for signing with the organization.
"This is a big project for the future. It is a dream for Dubai to play in the EuroLeague during the next two or three years. I wanted to be there already in the first year so that it would forever be recorded that Davis Bertans was among the first eight [signings] of Dubai," Bertans said in an interview with Nikola Stojkovic from Mozzart Sport. "I also got a contract for three years, which was very important for my family, so that I don't have to move every year," he explained.
As a former player of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, Bertans was associated with the Serbian club during his free agency and was even rumored to have had an interest in the partnership. However, the Latvian player says that there was no substance in those rumors. "I didn't get an offer to go to Partizan. Maybe there was a chance to go for one season, but it wasn't for me. I wanted to spend a longer time in the same city. I was traded four times in two years in the NBA, it's very difficult for the family," Bertans explained. "Each team in the EuroLeague has 15 players - that's how much quality there is," he continued. "[Ognjen] Dobric played only seven minutes against us. It is very important for me to play continuously until the end of my career."
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The general manager of the Emirati club gave an interview to Mozzart Sport, in which he talked about the arrival of the long Latvian and their budget. These are his statements. Kamenjasevic on Davis Bertans: “If we look at the players who came back to Europe from the NBA in the summer, so Vezenkov, Fournier, Osman and Garuba, only Bertans had a real role in the United States. His arrival is a miracle because we did not bring to Europe a player who sat on the bench in the NBA, but a real player. He played in the NBA for a long time, financially he is secure. We still have the budget of less than 4 million that we talked about, Bertans did not come here for the money, but for the project and the vision of this club”.
Marc Stein: Update: NBA veteran Dāvis Bertāns is no longer expected to audition this month for Golden State after receiving a multiyear offer to play in Dubai that is said to include “out” conditions that do allow for a down-the-road return to the league. More NBA: marcstein.substack.com
Vasiliki Karamouza: Davis Bertans is ready to leave from the NBA and close to joining Dubai BC, according to sources.
