Legia Warsaw (basketball)

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 winning that competition, Legia's basketball players once again won the Polish championship. Then 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 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]

In February of 2025, Legia surprisingly changed coaches as Heiko Rannula was appointed the new head coach.^[8] He led the team to its first Polish Championship in 56 years.^[9]

Current roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Legia Warsaw roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age SG 0 Graves, Jayvon 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 91 kg (201 lb) 27 – (1998-12-29)29 December 1998 PG 1 Czapla, Błażej 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 18 – (2007-12-19)19 December 2007 C 2 Niedziałkowski, Dawid 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 18 – (2007-06-01)1 June 2007 PG 3 Pluta Jr., Andrzej 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 25 – (2000-06-03)3 June 2000 SG 5 Tomaszewski, Wojciech 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 24 – (2002-02-20)20 February 2002 F 7 Brewton, DJ 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 31 – (1995-01-15)15 January 1995 C 13 Tass, Matthias  2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 111 kg (245 lb) 27 – (1999-03-23)23 March 1999 F 15 Siliņš, Ojārs 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 32 – (1993-07-20)20 July 1993 C 21 Dabrowski, Julian 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 18 – (2007-08-31)31 August 2007 G/F 23 Kolenda, Michał (C) 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 29 – (1997-03-31)31 March 1997 F 25 Thompson, Race 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 107 kg (236 lb) 26 – (1999-06-04)4 June 1999 SG 32 Wilczek, Maksymilian 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 21 – (2004-06-13)13 June 2004 C 40 Hunter, Shane 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 94 kg (207 lb) 24 – (2001-06-27)27 June 2001 PF 42 Ponsar, Carl 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 29 – (1997-04-02)2 April 1997	Head coach Heiko Rannula Assistant coach(es) Maciej Jamrozik Maciej Jankowski Strength & conditioning coach(es) Samuel Covelli Legend (C) Team captain Injured Roster Updated: January 21, 2026

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Depth chart

Squad changes for the 2025–26 season

More information No., Pos. ...

In Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality. No. Pos. Nat. Player G  USA Ben Shungu (from Hapoel Afula) SG  POL Wojciech Tomaszewski (from Toruń) PG  POL Błażej Czapla (from Władysławowo) C  EST Matthias Tass (from BC Oostende) F  USA Race Thompson (from Memphis Hustle) SG  USA Jayvon Graves (from Rytas Vilnius) C  USA Shane Hunter (from Norrköping Dolphins) PF  FRA Carl Ponsar (from AS Alsace) G  USA DJ Brewton (from APU Udine)

Out Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality. No. Pos. Nat. Player SG  USA Kameron McGusty (to London Lions) C  USA EJ Onu (to Bamberg Baskets) SF  SRB Aleksa Radanov (to Bayern Munich) C  CRO Mate Vucić (to Anwil Włocławek) PG  USA Keifer Sykes (to Free agent) PF  POL Dominik Grudzinski (to Free agent) G  USA Ben Shungu (to Miasto Szkła Krosno)

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Domestic competitions

• Polish Championship:
  • Winners (8): 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1969, 2025
  • Runners-up (1): 2022
• Polish Cup:
  • Winners (3): 1968, 1970, 2024
• I Liga
  • Winners (1): 2017

Notable players

• Lukasz Koszarek
• Michal Michalak
• Marcel Ponitka
• Cezary Trybański
• Andrzej Pluta Jr.
• Jānis Bērziņš
• / Geoff Groselle
• Ojārs Siliņš
• Kameron McGusty
• Kiefer Sykes

Notable former coaches