{{distinguish|text=the defunct [[Basket Brussels]]}} {{infobox basketball club |color1 = #ffffff |color2 = #33587E | name = Brussels Basketball | logo = File:Brussels Basketball logo 2024.png | nickname = | leagues = [[BNXT League]] | founded = {{Start date and age|1958}} | image_size = | dissolved = | history = '''Excelsior Brussels'''<br>(1958–2013)<br>'''Brussels Basketball'''<br>(2013–2019)<br>'''Phoenix Brussels'''<br>(2019–2022)<br>'''Brussels Basketball'''<br>(2022–present) | arena = Neder-Over-Heembeek<br>sports complex | capacity = 1,500 | location = [[Brussels]], Belgium | colors = Blue, White <Br>{{Color box|#151e2f}} {{Color box|white}} | current = | sponsor = | president = André De Kandelaer | coach = [[Serge Crèvecœur]] | captain = Alexandre Libert | ownership = | championships = | website = {{URL|http://www.brusselsbasketball.be/}} | h_body = | h_pattern_b = | h_shorts = | h_pattern_s = | a_body = | a_pattern_b = | a_shorts = | a_pattern_s = | 3_body = | 3_pattern_b = | 3_pattern_s = | 3_shorts = }} '''Brussels Basketball''', also known as '''Excelsior Brussels''', is a professional [[basketball]] club based in [[Neder-Over-Heembeek]] ([[Brussels]]), [[Belgium]]. The team competes in the [[BNXT League]] and hosts its home games at the Neder-Over-Heembeek sports complex, which has a capacity of up to 1,500 spectators.
==History== Founded in 1958 as the basketball section of Excelsior Brussels,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bruzz.be/sport/de-club-excelsior-brussels-2009-07-10|title=De club: Excelsior Brussels|work=[[Bruzz]]|date=10 July 2009 |access-date=26 June 2025|language=nl}}</ref> the club spent decades in Belgium’s lower leagues.
After six years in the third division, [[Serge Crèvecoeur]] joined in 2008 and immediately led the team to promotion to the [[Top Division Men One|second division]]. Over the next seasons, Excelsior steadily improved—finishing 4th and 5th with quarterfinal appearances, then reaching the semifinals in 2011–12. Despite slipping to 10th and missing the playoffs in 2012–13, the club was promoted to the [[Pro Basketball League|top Belgian division]] that year as part of an expansion to include a capital city team.
The club rebranded its first division team as Brussels Basketball to better promote the city and boost the league’s appeal, with main sponsor Basic-Fit joining at the same time and influencing the name change to Basic-Fit Brussels. The rest of the club retained the Excelsior identity. The club received a C-licence, which allowed them to play with a lower budget in the league.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/dmf20130422_00550264|title=Basketclub Excelsior Brussels krijgt licentie|work=Nieuwsblad.be|date=22 April 2013 |access-date=April 16, 2023}}</ref>
The first two seasons in the top division were marked by limited success, but the closed league format provided a stable environment for gradual growth. In their [[2015–16 Basketball League Belgium Division I|third season]], they narrowly missed the playoff finals, which they reached the following year in [[2016–17 Pro Basketball League|2016–17]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://euromillionsbasketball.be/article?id=5340|title=1/2F EMBL playoffs: Basic-Fit Brussels advances to first finals appearance in club's history|date=June 1, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2017|publisher=Euromillionsbasketball.be}}</ref> Strong performances in both the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons earned them places in the [[FIBA Europe Cup]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20160916_02472748|title=Excelsior Brussel speelt Europees|date=September 17, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2017|publisher=Nieuwsblad.be}}</ref>
Following the 2016–17 vice-championship, Crèvecoeur left and was replaced by assistant coach Laurent Monier. The 2017–18 season under Monier was less successful. Crèvecoeur returned for the 2018–19 season and immediately led the team to third place in the playoffs and a Belgian Cup semifinal.
In 2019, Basic-Fit withdrew as main sponsor, prompting a rebrand to Phoenix Brussels and an increased reliance on public funding and political support.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bx1.be/sport/le-basic-fit-brussels-devient-le-phoenix-brussels-et-reste-a-neder-over-heembeek/|title=Le Basic-Fit Brussels devient le Phoenix Brussels et reste à Neder-over-Heembeek|date=July 2, 2019|access-date=July 12, 2019}}</ref> The COVID-19 pandemic brought serious financial challenges, threatening the first team’s survival—but the club ultimately endured.
As the club faced growing challenges, Serge Crèvecoeur departed once again. He was replaced by [[Ian Hanavan]], who took charge for the [[2020–21 Pro Basketball League|2020–21 season]]—the final season of the standalone Belgian league. Hanavan remained in place for the start of the 2021–22 campaign, marking the debut of the new [[BNXT League]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Licenties BNXT League 2021-2022 toegekend|url=https://www.dutchbasketballleague.nl/nieuws/licenties-bnxt-league-2021-2022-toegekend/|website=Basketball League|access-date=July 10, 2021|language=nl}}</ref> but was quickly dismissed by the board due to underperformance. [[Jean-Marc Jaumin]] took over and managed to stabilize the team during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. During his tenure, the club secured a new main sponsor in betting platform Circus,<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 17, 2022|title=Basket: nouveau sponsor, nouveau logo, nouveaux joueurs… le Circus Brussels est né !|url=https://lacapitale.sudinfo.be/961759/article/2022-06-17/basket-nouveau-sponsor-nouveau-logo-nouveaux-joueurs-le-circus-brussels-est-ne|access-date=June 18, 2022|website=Édition digitale de Bruxelles |language=fr}}</ref> rebranding as Circus Brussels. However, this naming ended in 2023 following a new law that banned gambling promotion in sports.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yannick Desiron et Luka Kotrulja rejoignent le Brussels|url=https://inforbasket.eu/?p=16231|website=Inforbasket|language=fr|date=June 19, 2023|access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
[[Serge Crèvecoeur]] returned ahead of the 2023–24 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Serge Crevecoeur de retour au Brussels:"L'amour pour ce club ne m'a jamais quitté"|url=https://www.dhnet.be/archives-journal/2023/03/23/serge-crevecoeur-de-retour-au-brusselslamour-pour-ce-club-ne-ma-jamais-quitte-5OQE4ZTKKZF67OSGA23JOVAWXU/|website=DH|language=fr|date=March 3, 2023|access-date=April 16, 2023}}</ref> Over two seasons, he guided the team toward greater stability, resulting in the club’s first playoff appearance since 2019 in 2024–25.
== Infrastructure == Upon the club's establishment in 1958, the team played outdoors on the field of the [[King Baudouin Stadium|King Baudoin/Boudewijn Stadium]] (then the Heysel/Heizel Stadium). Brussels Basketball currently plays its home games in the multifunctional sports hall of the Neder-Over-Heembeek sports complex. The hall features retractable seating and typically accommodates around 1,000 spectators, though it can hold up to 1,500, as it did during the 2017 Belgian playoff finals against [[BC Oostende|Oostende]]. Owned by the [[City of Brussels|municipality]] rather than the club, this has historically led to scheduling and organisation conflicts.
Since 2017 the team regularly plays gala matches in [[Palais 12|Palais/Paleis 12]]. In the 2020–2021 season, the team made a temporary move to the venue for all games from December 2020 to April 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Basket-ball : le Phoenix Brussels va déménager au Palais 12 jusqu'en mars 2021|url=https://bx1.be/communes/bruxelles-ville/basket-ball-le-phoenix-brussels-va-demenager-au-palais-12-jusquen-mars-2021/|website=BX1|language=fr|date=December 22, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
The club recognized early the necessity of upgrading its infrastructure. In 2013, upon entering the first division, the president André De Kandelaer stated, "Our hall is not designed for the first division" and "If a serious project develops, it will certainly not be at Neder-Over-Heembeek".<ref>{{cite web|title="Notre salle n'est pas conçue pour la D1" |url=https://www.dhnet.be/archives-journal/2013/10/06/notre-salle-nest-pas-concue-pour-la-d1-7B2UCLW2ZZHTJCNEQNPW42JS3A/|website=La DH|language=fr|date=October 6, 2013|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> In 2017, a plan was unveiled for a 3,000-seat arena on the [[Heysel Plateau|Heysel/Heizel Plateau]], but it failed to materialize.<ref>{{cite web|title=Un nouveau stade de basket pour le Brussels|url=https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/sport/un-nouveau-stade-de-basket-pour-le-brussels/9901362.html#:~:text=%22Il%20s'agira%20d',Volley%2Dball%20et%20le%20Handball%22&text=Le%20Brussels%20joue%20dans%20le,est%20que%20de%201.200%20places.|website=L'Écho|language=fr|date=June 6, 2017|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> In 2021, a more ambitious proposal for a 4,000-seat arena at the same location was introduced, though this project did not progress either.<ref>{{cite web|title=A l'ombre de l'Atomium, un projet de dôme de basket-ball à l'américaine : trop ambitieux et trop cher ?|url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/a-l-ombre-de-l-atomium-un-projet-de-dome-de-basket-ball-a-l-americaine-trop-ambitieux-et-trop-cher-10745503|website=RTBF|language=fr|date=April 21, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref>
==Honours== *'''[[Pro Basketball League|Belgian League]]''' : ''Runners-up (1)'': [[2016–17 Pro Basketball League|2016–17]]
==Names== Due to sponsorships and other reasons, the name of the club has frequently changed: {{Columns-list|colwidth=22em| *'''Excelsior Brussels''' (1958–2013) *'''Basic-Fit Brussels Basketball''' (2013–2019) *'''Phoenix Brussels Basketball''' (2019–2022) * '''Circus Brussels Basketball''' (2022–2023) *'''Brussels Basketball''' (2023–present) }}
==Season by season== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%" |- bgcolor="" !Season !Tier !League !{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position playoffs}} !{{Tooltip|W–L|Wins-Losses}} ![[Belgian Basketball Cup|Belgian Cup]] !colspan=3 | European competitions |- | style="background:#efefef;" |2008–09 | align="center" | 3 | Belgian {{Ordinal|3}} Division | style="background:#BBF3BB" align="center" | 2nd | | | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |2009–10 | align="center" | 2 | [[Top Division Men One|Belgian {{Ordinal|2}} Division]] | style="background: " align="center" | 5th | | | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |2010–11 | align="center" | 2 | [[Top Division Men One|Belgian {{Ordinal|2}} Division]] | style="background: " align="center" | 5th | | | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |2011–12 | align="center" | 2 | [[Top Division Men One|Belgian {{Ordinal|2}} Division]] | style="background: " align="center" | 4th | | | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |2012–13 | align="center" | 2 | [[Top Division Men One|Belgian {{Ordinal|2}} Division]] | style="background: " align="center" | 10th | | | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |[[2013–14 Ethias League|2013–14]] | align="center" | 1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] | style="background: " align="center" | 8th | align=center|8–28 | style="background: " | [[2013–14 Belgian Basketball Cup|Round of 16]] | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |[[2014–15 Belgian Basketball League|2014–15]] | align="center" | 1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] | style="background: " align="center" | 10th | align=center|10–18 | style="background: " | [[2014–15 Belgian Basketball Cup|Round of 16]] | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |[[2015–16 Belgian Basketball League|2015–16]] |align=center|1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |align=center|4th |align=center|21–16 |[[2015–16 Belgian Basketball Cup|Round of 16]] | colspan=3 | |- | style="background:#efefef;" |[[2016–17 Belgian Basketball League|2016–17]] |align=center|1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |bgcolor=silver align=center|2nd | align=center|28–19 |[[2016-17 Belgian Basketball Cup|Semifinalist]] | <small>'''4'''</small> [[2016–17 FIBA Europe Cup|FIBA Europe Cup]] || align=center|{{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} || align=center|1–5 |- | rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;" |[[2017–18 Belgian Basketball League|2017–18]] |rowspan=2 align=center|1 |rowspan=2|[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |rowspan=2 align=center|8th |rowspan=2 align=center| 12–26 |rowspan=2|[[2017–18 Belgian Basketball Cup|Quarterfinalist]] | <small>'''3'''</small> [[2017–18 Basketball Champions League|Champions League]] || align=center|{{Tooltip|QR3|Third qualifying round}} || align=center|0–2 |- | <small>'''4'''</small> [[2017–18 FIBA Europe Cup|FIBA Europe Cup]] || align=center|{{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} || align=center|2–4 |- |style="background:#efefef;" |[[2018–19 Pro Basketball League|2018–19]] |align=center|1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |align=center|3rd |align=center| 23–17 |[[2018–19 Belgian Basketball Cup|Semifinalist]] |colspan=3| |- |style="background:#efefef;" |[[2019–20 Pro Basketball League|2019–20]] |align=center|1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |align=center| {{Tooltip|9th|Cancelled, due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic}} |align=center| 6–11 | Quarterfinalist | <small>'''4'''</small> [[2019–20 FIBA Europe Cup|FIBA Europe Cup]] || {{Tooltip|RS|regular season}} || 2–4 |- |style="background:#efefef;" |[[2020–21 Pro Basketball League|2020–21]] |align=center|1 |[[Belgian Basketball League|Belgian League]] |align=center| 10th |align=center| 4–22 | [[2020–21 Belgian Basketball Cup|Play-in Round]] |colspan=3| |- | rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;" | [[2021–22 BNXT League|2021–22]] | rowspan=2 align=center | 1 | rowspan=2 | [[BNXT League]] | align=center | <small>'''BE'''</small> 9th | rowspan=2 align=center | 9–19 | rowspan=2 align=center | Quarterfinalist | rowspan=2 colspan=3 | |- | style="text-align:center;" | <small>'''BNXT'''</small> 16th |- | rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;" | [[2022–23 BNXT League|2022–23]] | rowspan=2 align=center | 1 | rowspan=2 | [[BNXT League]] | align=center | <small>'''BE'''</small> 10th | rowspan=2 align=center | 9–19 | rowspan=2 align=center | Quarterfinalist | rowspan=2 colspan=3 | |- | style="text-align:center;"|<small>'''BNXT'''</small> 16th |- |rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;"|[[2023–24 BNXT League|2023-24]] |rowspan=2 align=center|1 |rowspan=2|[[BNXT League]] |align=center| <small>'''BE'''</small> 6th |rowspan=2 align=center| 17–15 |rowspan=2 align=center| [[2023–24 Belgian Basketball Cup|Quarterfinalist]] |rowspan=2 colspan=3| |- |style="text-align:center;"|<small>'''BNXT'''</small> 14th |- |rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;"|[[2024–25 BNXT League|2024-25]] |rowspan=2 align=center|1 |rowspan=2|[[BNXT League]] |align=center|<small>'''BE'''</small> 5th |rowspan=2 align=center|25–11 |rowspan=2 align=center|[[2024–25 Belgian Basketball Cup|Round of 16]] |rowspan=2 colspan=3| |- |style="text-align:center;"|<small>'''BNXT'''</small> 5th |- |rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;"|[[2025–26 BNXT League|2025-26]] |rowspan=2 align=center|1 |rowspan=2|[[BNXT League]] |align=center|<small>'''BE'''</small> 7th |rowspan=2 align=center|18–16 |rowspan=2 align=center|[[2025–26 Belgian Basketball Cup|Round of 32]] |rowspan=2|<small>'''R'''</small> [[2025-26 European North Basketball League|European North League]]||rowspan=2 align=center|{{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}}||rowspan=2 align=center| 3-5 |- |style="text-align:center;"|<small>'''BNXT'''</small> 9th |} {{notelist}}
==Players== ===Current roster=== {{Basketball roster header |team = Brussels Basketball |wt = n |nationality = yes}} <!-- list of players --> {{player3 | num = 1 | nat = BEL | first = Evert | last = Van Eyck | m = 1.79 | pos = G | year=2005 | month=01 | date=10}} {{player3 | num = 3 | nat = BEL | first = Onyeka Joe | last = Agu | m = 2.09 | pos = C | year=2004 | month=04 | date=26}} {{player3 | num = 5 | nat = BEL | first = Alexandre | last = Libert | m = 1.88 | pos = G | year=1990 | month=01 | date=25 | note = C}} {{player3 | num = 6 | nat = USA | first = J. J. | last = Overton | m = 1.97 | pos = SF | year=1999 | month=09 | date=23}} {{player3 | num = 7 | nat = CRO | first = Tonko | last = Vuko | m = 2.03 | pos = PF | year=1994 | month=07 | date=07}} {{player3 | num = 10 | nat = BEL | first = Louis | last = Hazard | m = 1.99 | pos = F | year=1998 | month=01 | date=13}} {{player3 | num = 11 | nat = USA | first = Jomaru | last = Brown | m = 1.88 | pos = PG | year=1999 | month=06 | date=07}} {{player3 | num = 17 | nat = USA | first = Demetric | last = Horton | m = 1.96 | pos = F | year=1999 | month=10 | date=14}} {{player3 | num = 19 | nat = BEL | first = Kobe | last = Abelshausen | m = 1.87 | pos = G | year=2005 | month=05 | date=06}} {{player3 | num = 22 | nat = BEL | first = Arne | last = Schrevens | m = 2.11 | pos = C | year=2002 | month=07 | date=08}} {{player3 | num = 24 | nat = BEL | first = Godwin | last = Tshimanga | m = 2.02 | pos = FC | year=2001 | month=01 | date=25}} {{player3 | num = 27 | nat = FRA | first = Jared | last = Ambrose | m = 2.03 | pos = FC | year=2001 | month=01 | date=22 | dab = basketball}} <!-- end list of players --> {{Basketball roster footer | head_coach = * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Serge Crèvecœur]] | asst_coach = * {{flagicon|GRC}} Thodoris Alexandridis * {{flagicon|BEL}} Thomas Creppy * {{flagicon|BEL}} Laurent Monier | roster_url = https://www.brusselsbasketball.be/quipe-3 | accessdate = February 16, 2026 }}
===Depth chart=== {{Basketball depth chart |team_name = Brussels Basketball | starter_c = | starter_pf = | starter_sf = | starter_sg = | starter_pg = | bench 1_c = | bench 1_pf = | bench 1_sf = | bench 1_sg = | bench 1_pg = | bench 2_c = | bench 2_pf = | bench 2_sf = | bench 2_sg = | bench 2_pg = | bench 3_c = | bench 3_pf = | bench 3_sf = | bench 3_sg = | bench 3_pg = | bench 4_c = | bench 4_pf = | bench 4_sf = | bench 4_sg = | bench 4_pg = }}
===Notable players=== {{Basketball notable players criteria}} {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Lionel Bosco]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Terry Deroover]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Aleksander Lichodzijewski]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Alexandre Libert]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Domien Loubry]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Guy Muya]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Éric Struelens]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jonathan Tabu]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Godwin Tshimanga]] * {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Kevin Tumba]] * {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Jason Washburn]] * {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Steve Ross (basketball)|Steve Ross]] * {{flagicon|CAR}} [[Max Kouguère]] * {{flagicon|CRO}} [[Ivan Karačić (basketball)|Ivan Karačić]] * {{flagicon|CUB}} [[Sigfredo Casero-Ortiz]] * {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Okko Järvi]] * {{flagicon|LIT}} [[Augustas Pečiukevičius]] * {{flagicon|RWA}} [[William Robeyns]] * {{flagicon|SEN}} [[Pape Badji]] * {{flagicon|SER}} [[Dejan Kravić]] * {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Thomas Massamba]] * {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Dino Pita]] * {{flagicon|UK}} [[Ryan Richards]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Taylor Brown (basketball)|Taylor Brown]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chris Dowe]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Julian Gamble]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brandon Peterson (basketball)|Brandon Peterson]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Colt Ryan]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Brandon Ubel]] }}
==Head coaches== *{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Serge Crèvecœur]]: 2008–2017, 2018–2020, 2023–present *{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Laurent Monier]]: 2017–2018, 2020 *{{flagicon|USA}} {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ian Hanavan]]: 2020–2021 *{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Jean-Marc Jaumin]]: 2021–2023
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.brusselsbasketball.be/ Official website] *[https://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Circus-Brussels-Basketball/1370 Eurobasket.com profile]
{{Brussels Basketball current roster}} {{Pro Basketball League}} {{BNXT League}}
[[Category:1957 establishments in Belgium]] [[Category:Basketball teams established in 1957]] [[Category:Basketball teams in Belgium]] [[Category:Pro Basketball League teams]] [[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Brussels]]