The reigning Ukrainian basketball champion — Dnipro of Dnipro — has officially begun preparations for the new Superleague season. The team's head coach, Vladimir Koval, told the official website of the National Basketball Federation of Ukraine about the progress of the first stage of pre-season work, upcoming friendly matches, and the club's personnel policy. According to the coach, the squad returned from vacation in excellent shape and is showing a high level of motivation, which allows the coaching staff to look optimistically at the upcoming championship.

First Stage: Focus on Physical Conditioning

As Koval reported, the current stage of preparation is focused primarily on physical work. Dnipro's basketball players trained in the gym, on the stadium, and directly on the court — this comprehensive approach allows for a thorough assessment of the players' readiness after the summer break. The coach noted that the coaching staff was pleased with the results of the first weeks of work: "This is the first stage. The guys worked very hard, and we're satisfied with the attitude and the inspiration with which they train after the vacation. So I think everything went very well," Koval emphasized. In the coming days, the team will move to on-court work, where they will run through tactical schemes and game combinations ahead of a series of friendly matches.

Friendly Matches: Tournament in Ivano-Frankivsk and a Game Against Volyn

Ahead of the start of the regular season, Dnipro faces a packed schedule of friendly games. The team will soon take part in a tournament in Ivano-Frankivsk, where it will play three matches. After the tournament concludes, the Dnipro-based side will play one more friendly — an away game against Volyn of Lutsk. These matches will serve as the first real test of strength for Koval's charges after the physical preparation period and will allow the coaching staff to assess how effectively the team has absorbed the tactical assignments in a competitive rhythm.

Personnel Situation: The Club Retains Its Core

In response to questions about transfer policy, Vladimir Koval stated that Dnipro is not currently planning to look for new basketball players. According to him, the team will start the new season with virtually the same lineup that competed in the previous championship. The only newcomer on the roster is Artem Smytyukh — a former player of Kyiv-Basket who, in the coaching staff's assessment, has successfully adapted to the team and already fits into the playing system. At the same time, the coach does not rule out the possibility of personnel changes during the championship: "We will assess the situation depending on how the season develops," Koval noted, reserving the right to adjust the lineup as the tournament progresses.

Contradictory Data

At the same time, open sources contain information about Dnipro signing an American guard, which formally contradicts Koval's words about the absence of new players in the lineup. However, this fact most likely refers to a different time period or to a player who was already on the club's roster at the time of the previous season and, accordingly, is not considered "new" in the context of the current preparation. In his interview with the federation, Koval directly states that the only newcomer is Smytyukh, and it is this version that should be considered the primary one when describing the personnel situation at the start of the 2026/27 season.

Context: The Fight for a Third Consecutive "Gold"

It is worth recalling that Dnipro won the regular Superleague championship last season and is chasing a third consecutive title. The stability of the lineup and the continuity of the coaching staff are, most likely, the key factors the club is relying on in its fight to retain its champion status. A successful completion of the pre-season stage and productive friendly matches will be the first indicators of how realistic the ambitions of the Dnipro-based team are in the new season.