Rīgas Zeļļi is a professional basketball team based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in the summer of 2023 and currently competes in Latvian-Estonian Basketball League and EuroCup.
History News of the planned team began appearing in April 2023 with Kristaps Janičenoks voicing support for their inclusion in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League. The team was intended as a privately financed club with key sponsors including Riga Technical University, Betsafe, Sportland, Dienas Bizness, Sporta Avīze, and Cēsu pilsētas sporta skola identified.
On July 13, 2023, it was announced that a new team named Rīgas Zeļļi will take part in Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, Latvian Basketball League and Latvian Basketball Cup. Its president is sports manager Edgars Buļs and former player Artūrs Šēnhofs is taking the role of a general manager. Previously, both worked together as hosts of a basketball show "Ūdenszeļļi" on television.
Club offers everyone to become its member by donating money, in return having a word in teams' decisions. It has also created a mobile app for a team to communicate with teams' management. It presents itself as the most innovative sports organizations in Latvia.
On July 14, 2023, it was announced that the head coach of the team will be Juris Umbraško.
On September 19, Andris Biedriņš, the first Latvian basketball player ever drafted in the NBA, joined the club as its ambassador.Andris Biedriņš atgriežas basketbolā, kļūstot par "Rīgas Zeļļu" biedru un vēstnesi
On September 30, 2023, Zeļļi played the first official game in a team's history beating Keila Coolbet in Arena Riga.
The first foreign player signed by Zeļļi was Georgian forward George Natsvlishvili.Official announcement on Rīgas Zeļļi Instagram account After the start of debut season Rīgas Zeļļi signed an American point guard Nigel Johnson.'Rīgas Zeļļi' pēc Skujas savainojuma piesaista amerikāni Džonsonu Later he was replaced by Canadian shooting guard Isiah Osborne."Rīgas Zeļļi" veic izmaiņas sastāvā – pievienojas Osborns, komandu atstāj Džonsons
On January 20, 2024, Rīgas Zeļļi announced that the team was joined by Aleksandrs Samoilovs, a two-time European silver medalist in Beach volleyball."Zeļļi" nolūko papildinājumu: Samoilovs debitēs profesionālajā basketbolā It was meant to be a marketing campaign and he actually played in only one game, scoring two points against KK Viimsi.Box Score
On February 29, 2024, Rīgas Zeļļi signed a long-standing center of the Latvian national team Mārtiņš Meiers until the end of the season.Ilggadējais Latvijas izlases centrs pastiprina "Rīgas Zeļļu" groza apakšu 10 days later team also signed Australian center Jordan Hunter.Kings centre Jordi Hunter has signed a short-term deal in Latvia
On August 2, 2025, Rīgas Zeļļi has officially announced its participation in the upcoming season of the European North Basketball League. Club president Edgars Buļs emphasized that European North Basketball League offers a guaranteed number of games, which is crucial for player development and fan engagement. The decision reflects the club’s long-term vision and ambition to grow on the European stage. Starting with the 2025–26 season, Rīgas Zeļļi will play their home games at the newly built Komandu Sporta Spēļu Halle (Team Sports Games Hall) in Riga. The hall can accommodate up to 3,000 spectators. The club also announced that its budget could reach up to €1 million, the highest in its history.
On October of 2025 it became known that the club's front office member Reinis Lacis has joined the Philadelphia 76ers as a scout.
Season by season
Season League Regional Europe Latvian Cup Head coach 2023-24Latvian LeagueRunner-upLatvian–Estonian League6th Placedid not participateLatvian CupRunner-upJuris Umbraško2024-25Latvian LeagueBronzeLatvian–Estonian LeagueRunner-updid not participateLatvian CupSemifinalJuris Umbraško2025-26Latvian LeagueBronzeLatvian–Estonian League5th PlaceENBLQuarterfinalsLatvian CupSemifinalJuris Umbraško/Dāvis Čoders
Players
Current roster
Depth chart
Squad changes for the 2026–27 season
In
Out
* Left/joined the team during the season
Historical rosters 2025–26 season roster Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 Left team during season C #33 Christian Anigwe #55 Denis Krestinin PF #7 Rodijs Mačoha #31 Jānis Bērziņš #5 Frank Champion SF #23 Frankie Fidler #15 Uģis Pinete C #20 Ritvars Nikolajevs #37 Dāvids Vīksne SG #8 Roberts Bērziņš #10 Rolands Šulcs #9 Raivo Kudrjavcevs #14 Mike Adewunmi PG #0 Khalil Shabazz #5 Denys Lukashov #1 Juris Vītols #3 Toms Skuja #2 JP Peagues #11 Jackie Johnson III
2024–25 season roster Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 C #7 Krišs Helmanis #24 Rolands Freimanis PF #14 Zigmārs Raimo #22 Francis Lācis #12 Kristers Skrinda SF #32 Dāvids Vīksne #15 Uģis Pinete C #17 Dans Galdiņš SG #8 Roberts Bērziņš #10 Rolands Šulcs PG #3 Toms Skuja #20 Robert Ford III #1 Juris Vītols
Coaches Rokas Kondratavicius 2026-present Dāvis Čoders 2026–2026 Juris Umbraško 2023–2026
Honours Latvian League: Runners-up (1): 2024 Bronze (2): 2025; 2026 Latvian Cup: Runners-up (1): 2024 Latvian–Estonian League Runners-up (1): 2025
References
External links