Emirati national team and Al Ahli youth team player Hamad Abdul Latif expressed his pride at being named "Best Young Player" at the Dubai International Tournament, which concluded last week. Abdul Latif, alongside the "Al Ahli" team, secured a silver medal, marking the team's best-ever performance in the prestigious tournament, which first began in 1989.
"Being named the best young player in a tournament that featured elite clubs from Asia and Africa places a great responsibility on me to continue striving for the Emirati basketball, whether with the national team or with my club, Al Ahli," Abdul Latif told "Al Ittihad" newspaper.
The silver medal capped off a performance that brought me a lot on a personal level, through strong experiences playing against elite professional players in the region, including stars who have played in the NBA," he added.
Regarding his passion for basketball in Dubai, he said: "The Dubai tournament confirms year after year its status as one of the oldest in Asia, thanks to the high competitive levels, like in last year's edition, which saw former Los Angeles Laker Dwight Howard play with the Philippine team 'Strong Group.' I learned a lot from him and brought those experiences with me to this edition."
"I always have the encouragement of my teammates, including my brother Ahmed, which gives me the confidence on the court to break through opponents' defenses and play the style I love, which is driving to the basket," he continued.
Abdul Latif also explained the reasons for failing to achieve the dream of winning the Dubai tournament after the final loss to the Tunisian club Espérance with a score of 77-93. "Espérance is one of the best clubs in Africa, featuring a selection of the Tunisian national team. Their experience was the decisive factor, especially in the first quarter, which was crucial," he noted.
"Being named the best young player places a great responsibility on me to continue striving for Emirati basketball. I promise the fans to return next year with the ambition of gifting the national team and Emirati basketball an unprecedented historical achievement by winning the title," he concluded.
"Last year, in 2025, the national team won the bronze medal, and we will continue to aim in 2026 to present the best performance in the 'Al Ahli' team's history in the tournament, reaching the final with a perfect record without any defeats," he explained.
