BEIRUT (Lebanon) - Jordanian stalwart Sam Daghlas has been named as the ambassador for FIBA Asia Cup 2025 to be played in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) from Aug 5-17, 2025.
“It’s an honour to be named ambassador for FIBA Asia Cup 2025,” said Daghlas.
“The FIBA Asia Cup has done wonders to my career. There are not enough words to describe how exalted I feel to be associated with such an elite competition,” he said.
“To me, FIBA Asia Cup means a lot more than just playing and winning. I was lucky to be a part of the Jordan team which had a lot of great players. Playing alongside these players, we did achieve a lot of wins including the FIBA Asia Cup, but it meant a lot more than that,” he said.
To me, FIBA Asia Cup means a lot more than just playing and winning. I was lucky to be a part of the Jordan team which had a lot of great players. Playing alongside these players, we did achieve a lot of wins including the FIBA Asia Cup, but it meant a lot more than that,
“Just being present in a competition like FIBA Asia Cup was enough to build strong character. My career in FIBA Asia Cup was not only about what I achieved as a player, but also how it shaped me to be a better human being,” he added.
“I cannot wait to interact with those who will be in Jeddah and help the spread of FIBA’s message and mission in Asia,” he said.
Daghlas belongs to the rare group of personalities who has led his national team to the Quarter-Finals of FIBA Asia’s flagship event both as a player as well as a coach.
Daghlas, now 45 years old, made his debut in the FIBA Asia Cup in 2003 at Harbin and followed it up with another appearance two years later at Doha leading the team into the Quarter-Finals. But his marque performances, acting as a catalyst to Jordan’s rise as a powerhouse in Asian basketball, happened over the next three editions of FIBA Asia Cup.
In 2007 at Tokushima, the point-guard returned figures of 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game leading Jordan to their first ever top-5 finish. Two years thence, at Tianjin, Daghlas was at the forefront of the Jordanian campaign for their first ever podium finish, as they went on to beat West Asian archrivals Lebanon in the third-place play-off.
The most iconic moment of Daghlas’ FIBA Asia Cup career came in 2011 at Wuhan.
Trailing 35-36 at half-time of the Quarter-Final against another West Asian nemesis, and twice-defending champions Iran, Daghlas came up with a galvanizing speech during the break, which as termed by a teammate of that time “will be remembered as the one of the best locker room pep talks.”
Jordan won that game 88-84, took Philippines 75-61 in their stride in the Semi-Finals and held hosts China by the scruff of their neck before going down 69-70 in the Final. China scraped through for a win, but that event was all about Daghlas’ stirring presence and that rousing speech. He finished the event with figures of 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game and was an obvious choice in the All-Star Five.
Daghlas played in another FIBA Asia Cup in 2015 at Changsha. He returned as the coach of the team for the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 in Lebanon, where the team made the Quarter-Finals and went on to successfully helm the team qualifying to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.
Sam also plied his professional trade in China, Iran and Philippines leagues, including leading the season in assists for three successive years in the Chinese CBA.
Daghlas now serves as an advisor to Jordanian club Amman United and also runs the SD13 Sports Academy.
FIBA