BK Ventspils

History

BK Ventspils was founded in 1994. In first years Ventspils proved themselves as relevant part of Latvian basketball, but major step came in 1997 when Ventspils Olympic Center was built. At that time Ventspils started to play in international competitions playing in 1997–98 edition of FIBA Korać Cup, which was followed by playing in FIBA Saporta Cup. Meanwhile, in the Latvian League Ventspils reached finals in both 1998 and 1999, but in 2000 they won their first domestic title and then went on to win seven consecutive from 2000 to 2006. The team won its eight Latvian League championship in 2009.

During that championship run Ventspils also had great performances in European competitions. In the 2002–03 season Ventspils reached FIBA Champions Cup Final Four, where they finished third. In the 2003–04 season Ventspils debuted in the ULEB Cup competition, making eighthfinals. In the 2004–05 ULEB Cup season, Ventspils reached new heights and missed semifinals after, losing by one point in two game series against Hemofarm. Before the 2009–10 season, Ventspils participated in the EuroLeague Qualifying round, becoming the first Latvian team to do so.

Ventspils has been a team for many players to establish themselves on the European stage, such as Mire Chatman, Marijonas Petravičius, Jānis Blūms, Brent Wright, and others, who later had successful careers at the EuroLeague level.

In 2013, BK Ventspils became the first Latvian club to have won the Baltic Basketball League, after winning the first leg by a score of 69:91, and losing the second, by a score of just 70:73, in the finals against Prienai, from Lithuania. In the following season, BK Ventspils won their first Latvian League title since 2009, becoming the champions of the 2014 Latvian Basketball League campaign.

Honours

League

• Latvian-Estonian League ::Winners (1): 2019
• Latvian League: ::Winners (10): 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2018 :::Runners-up (13): 1998, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 ::::Bronze (6): 1996, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2020, 2024
• Latvian Cup :::Runners-up (2): 2022, 2025
• Baltic League ::Winners (1): 2013 :::Runners-up (1): 2015 ::::Bronze (2): 2007, 2010
• North European Basketball League ::::Bronze (1): 2002
• FIBA Europe Champions Cup ::::Bronze (1): 2003

Season by season

Roster

Depth chart

Squad changes for the 2025–26 season

In

Out

• Left/joined the team during the season

Historical rosters

Notable players

• Latvia Rihards Lomažs
• Latvia Artis Ate
• Latvia Ainars Bagatskis
• Latvia Dairis Bertāns
• Latvia Artūrs Bērziņš
• Latvia Jānis Blūms
• Latvia Sandis Buškevics
• Latvia Kaspars Cipruss
• Latvia Raitis Grafs
• Latvia Māris Gulbis
• Latvia Uvis Helmanis
• Latvia Kristaps Janičenoks
• Latvia Mareks Jurevičus
• Latvia Ernests Kalve
• Latvia Rihards Kuksiks
• Latvia Toms Leimanis
• Latvia Mārtiņš Meiers
• Latvia Kārlis Muižnieks
• Latvia Ivars Timermanis
• Latvia Jānis Timma
• Latvia Mārtiņš Skirmants
• Latvia Artūrs Strēlnieks
• Latvia Jānis Strēlnieks
• Latvia Andrejs Šeļakovs
• Latvia Aigars Šķēle
• Latvia Armands Šķēle
• Latvia Žanis Peiners
• Latvia Juris Umbraško
• Latvia Raimonds Vaikulis
• Latvia Arnis Vecvagars
• Latvia Sandis Valters
• Latvia Ronalds Zaķis
• Latvia Uģis Viļums
• Latvia Aigars Vītols
• Latvia Akselis Vairogs
• Finland Perttu Blomgren
• Lithuania Marijonas Petravičius
• Lithuania Kęstutis Šeštokas
• Lithuania Simas Buterlevičius
• Lithuania Edgaras Želionis
• Serbia Vladimir Štimac
• Montenegro Bojan Bakić
• Greece Georgios Tsiakos
• Greece Serbia Dušan Jelić
• Greece Nikos Gkikas
• Nigeria Akin Akingbala
• Jamaica Weyinmi Efejuku
• Puerto Rico Emmanuel Ubilla
• UK USA Mike Lenzly
• United States Rashad Anderson
• United States Jimmy Baxter
• United States Tyrone Brazelton
• United States Rasheed Brokenborough
• United States Dominez Burnett
• United States Folarin Campbell
• United States Tweety Carter
• United States Warren Carter
• United States Mire Chatman
• United States Willie Deane
• USA Daeshon Francis
• United States John Gilchrist
• United States Jerai Grant
• United States Steven Gray
• United States Blake Hamilton
• United States Brandon Hunter
• United States Ted Jeffries
• United States Michael-Hakim Jordan
• United States Justin Love
• United States Bernard King
• United States Willie Kemp
• United States Chester Mason
• United States Dan McClintock
• United States Gerry McNamara
• United States Eddie Shannon
• United States Casey Shaw
• United States Jamaal Tatum
• United States Terrance Thomas
• United States Lorenzo Williams
• United States Brent Wright
• United States Jahmar Young

Notable coaches

• LAT Armands Krauliņš
• LAT Kārlis Muižnieks
• LAT Agris Galvanovskis
• LAT Guntis Endzels
• LAT Gundars Vētra
• SLO Gašper Okorn
• CRO Silvano Poropat
• LTU Algirdas Brazys
• LAT Roberts Štelmahers
• LAT Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis

References

References

1. (3 October 2012). "Tronī uzkāpj 'Ventspils' (2000-2006; 2009)".
2. [http://www.scorespro.com/basketball/livescore/bc-prienai-vs-bk-ventspils/02-04-2013/ BC Prienai - BK Ventspils : 69:91 (Match report)] ScoresPro.com
3. [http://www.scorespro.com/basketball/livescore/bk-ventspils-vs-bc-prienai/06-04-2013/ BK Ventspils - BC Prienai : 70:73 (Match report)] ScoresPro.com