Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. () is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain, playing in the Liga ACB and the FIBA Champions League. Known to their fans as La Penya (in English, The Club), it is one of only two teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League. The only other is Real Madrid.
It is one of the most prestigious basketball clubs in Spain. Its trophy cabinet includes eight Basketball King's Cup, three Prince of Asturias Cup, three Spanish Super Cups, and four league titles at the domestic level, two of which were won during the current ACB era. At international level, Juventut has won an EuroLeague title—the top continental club competition—won in 1994 after defeating Olympiacos in the final; two Korać Cups, a ULEB Cup, and a FIBA EuroCup.
Well-known players have included the Margall brothers (with Josep Maria Margall), Zoran Slavnić, Jordi Villacampa, Rafael Jofresa, Corny Thompson, Mike Smith, Reggie Johnson, Harold Pressley, Tanoka Beard, Andre Turner, Raül López, Rudy Fernández, Ricky Rubio, Pau Ribas, Demond Mallet, Nicolás Laprovittola, Joel Parra, Andrés Feliz and Ante Tomic.
History Early years Badalona has had a basketball team since 30 March 1930, when Joventut was founded as Penya Spirit of Badalona. Apart from basketball, the club initially had teams involved in several sports including cycling, table tennis, and football. In 1932, the club changed its name to Centre Esportiu Badaloní and in 1939, it was forced to become Club Juventud de Badalona. By 1940, basketball was established as the club's main sport and green and black were adopted as the club's colours.
As one of the founding clubs of the Spanish league, Joventut became also one of the top teams in Spain since the 1950s, developing a great rivalry with Real Madrid and with the other neighbouring teams like FC Barcelona, playing memorable duels. Joventut won their first Spanish Cup in 1948 and their two first leagues in 1967 and 1978.
In 1981, Joventut started its golden era by winning their first European title: the FIBA Korać Cup in 1981, by defeating Carrera Venezia in the final played in Barcelona by 105–104 after a game winning shot by Joe Galvin at the buzzer. Joventut repeated title in 1990, this time beating Scavolini Pesaro in the double-legged final.
1991-present One year later, in 1991, Joventut achieved their third league, the first under the ACB and repeated title in the following season, after losing the final of the FIBA European League against Partizan, that won thanks to a buzzer beater of Saša Đorđević. However, in 1994, Joventut won the title after winning the Final Four played in Tel Aviv against Olympiacos with Zeljko Obradovic as coach.
After two years of decline, Joventut clinched their seventh national cup and in the 2000s, started a new golden era with players like Rudy Fernández, and Ricky Rubio developed in the youth teams of the club. During their years at Badalona, Joventut won a FIBA Europe Cup in 2006, by beating Khimki in the final, a ULEB Cup in 2008, beating Akasvayu Girona in the finals,Akasvayu Girona – Joventut Badalona 54:79 (Match Report) ScoresPro.com and the eighth Copa del Rey, also in 2008.
Joventut Badalona is one of the only two teams, along with Real Madrid, to have played every year in the top league.
In the 2017–18 season, Joventut was close of the dissolution, but the shareholders voted to save the club. Finally, it could finish the season in the 15th season and avoided the relegation, despite ending in the worst position ever.
Since then, Joventut has returned to the elite of Spanish basketball with several ACB and King's Cup semifinals, also being contenders in the Eurocup.
Sponsorship naming
Club Joventut de Badalona has received diverse trade names along its history. These are the Joventut denominations along the years:
Juventud Kalso: 1965–1968 Juventud Nerva: 1968–1971 Juventud Schweppes: 1971–1977 Juventud Freixenet: 1977–1978 Joventut Freixenet: 1978–1981 Joventut Sony: 1981–1982 Joventut Fichet: 1982–1983 Joventut Massana: 1983–1984 Ron Negrita Joventut: 1984–1987 Ram Joventut: 1987–1990 Montigalà Joventut: 1990–1992 Marbella Joventut: 1992–1993 7up Joventut: 1993–1995 Festina Joventut: 1996–1998 Pinturas Bruguer Badalona: 1998–2000 DKV Joventut: 2001–2011 FIATC Joventut: 2011–2016 Divina Seguros Joventut: 2016–2019 Probitas Joventut: 2019–2025 Asisa Joventut: 2026–present
Home arenas Pavelló de la Plana: (1962–72), before 1962, the team played in open air stadiums. Pavelló d'Ausiàs March: (1972–91), also known as Pavelló Club Joventut (5,000 seats).pistes de joc Palau Olímpic: (1991–present)
Gallery
Players
Retired numbers Joventut Badalona retired numbersN°PlayerPositionTenure 5* Rafael Jofresa PG 1986–96, 1997–98, 2000–03 7 Josep Maria Margall SF 1972–90 8 Jordi Villacampa SF 1980–97 *Even though number #5 had been retired to honor Rafael Jofresa, from 2002 to 2008 Rudy Fernández kept wearing that number during his stay at the professional team.
Current roster
Depth chart
Notable players
Domestic players:
Rudy Fernández Josep Maria Margall Tomás Jofresa Andrés Jiménez Rafa Jofresa Raúl López Pau Ribas Ferran Martinez Álex Mumbrú Ricky Rubio Alberto Abalde Pere Tomàs Jordi Villacampa Albert Oliver Sergi Vidal Albert Miralles Alfonso Martinez Gonzalo Sagi-Vela Lluis Miquel Santillana Joel Parra
(Non-EU players):
Darryl Middleton Maceo Baston Tanoka Beard Elmer Bennett Kyle Guy Derek Willis Mike Smith Reggie Johnson Charles Gaines Harold Pressley Corny Thompson Tariq Kirksay Andre Turner Ed Johnson Askia Jones Sam Dekker
Bosman players:
Robert Archibald Jamie Arnold Luboš Bartoň Andrew Betts Demond Mallet Alain Digbeu Milan Gurović Marcelinho Huertas Jan-Hendrik Jagla Simas Jasaitis Marko Todorovic Juan Alberto Espil Andrés Feliz Nicolas Laprovittola Pops Mensah-Bonsu Jérôme Moïso Henk Norel Petar Popović Sitapha Savané Zoran Slavnić Žan Tabak Nenad Dimitrijevic Arturs Zagars Christian Eyenga Shawn Dawson Goran Suton Jerome Jordan Ante Tomic
For a complete list of current and former players, see the Joventut Badalona players category.
Players at the NBA draft
PositionPlayerYearRoundPickDrafted byPF Albert Miralles20042nd round39thToronto RaptorsSG/SF Rudy Fernández20071st round24thPhoenix SunsPG Ricky Rubio20091st round5thMinnesota TimberwolvesPF Henk Norel20092nd round47thMinnesota TimberwolvesSF Christian Eyenga20091st round30thCleveland Cavaliers
Head coaches
Xavier Estruch: 1939–1941 Luis Antoja: 1941–1943 Gironés: 1943–1944 Xavier Estruch: 1944–1946 Vicenç Lleal: 1946–1947 José Tomas: 1947–1948 José Vila: 1947–1950 José Maria Costa: 1950–1951 José Grau: 1951–1953 Joaquín Broto: 1953–1955 J. Jiménez: 1955–1956 Joaquín Broto: 1956–1958 Rafael Murgadas: 1958–1959 José Grau: 1959–1961 Joan Canals: 1961–1962 Antonio Molina: 1962–1963 Albert Gasulla: 1963–1964 Antonio Molina: 1963–1964 Eduardo Kucharski: 1965–1969 Josep Lluís Cortés: 1969–1972 Clinton Morris: 1972–1973 Josep Lluís Cortés: 1973–1975 Eduardo Kucharski: 1975–1976 Josep María Meléndez: 1975–1977 Antoni Serra: 1977–1979 Josep Lluís Cortés: 1979–1980 Manel Comas: 1980–1982 Joaquín Costa Prat: 1981–1982 Jack Schrader: 1982–1983 Aíto García Reneses: 1983–1985 Miquel Nolis: 1985–1986 Alfred Julbe: 1986–1989 Herb Brown: 1989–1990 Lolo Sainz: 1990–1993 Željko Obradović: 1993–1994 Pedro Martínez: 1994–1995 Miquel Nolis: 1994–1995 Zoran Slavnić: 1995–1996 Alfred Julbe: 1996–2000 Josep María Izquierdo: 1999–2001 Manel Comas: 2000–2003 Aíto García Reneses: 2003–2008 Sito Alonso: 2008–2010 Pepu Hernández: 2010–2011 Salva Maldonado: 2011–2016 Diego Ocampo: 2016–2018 Carles Duran: 2018–2024 Daniel Miret: 2024–present
Logos
Uniforms
The Joventut jerseys have always been green with a black stripe across the chest, and the shorts have been traditionally black, with the exception of some years that have been green too. The traditional away jerseys have been white, although in 2008–09 a new silver alternate jersey was introduced.
Rivalries Joventut has a traditional rivalry with provincial neighbours FC Barcelona. Both teams face in the Catalan basketball derby.
Season by season