Rotterdam City Basketball
Rotterdam City Basketball
Rotterdam City Basketball logo
NicknameRCB
LeaguesBNXT League
Founded1954 (1954)
HistoryAMVJ1954–1988 Rotterdam Basketbal1988–2018Feyenoord Basketbal2018–2025Rotterdam City Basketball2025–present
ArenaTopsportcentrum Rotterdam
Capacity2,000
LocationRotterdam, Netherlands
Team colorsGreen, Blue   
Main sponsorZeeuw & Zeeuw
PresidentChiel den Dunnen
General manager
Head coachTim Arns
Championships1Dutch Cup
Websitercb.nl

Rotterdam City Basketball, is a Dutch professional basketball club based in Rotterdam. The team plays in the BNXT League and plays its home games at the Topsportcentrum next to De Kuip in Rotterdam. Established in 1954, it became the basketball section of the football club Feyenoord in 2018. However, this cooperation was dissolved in 2025.

Rotterdam won their only trophy in 1985, when they won the domestic NBB Cup. The team has reached the semi-finals of the Dutch League playoffs three times in history.

History

The Rotterdam Challengers in an away match against the GasTerra Flames in 2010

Challenge Sports Rotterdam started in 1954 under the name AMVJ Rotterdam.[1] The first sponsor of the club was Gunco in 1988, which was their first year in the highest Dutch league. They only lasted a year and demoted to a lower division. In 1991 they returned with sponsor De Schiestreek, followed by the Rotterdam firm Idetrading in 1995. After a sponsorless year, Gunco then again returned as title sponsor in 1999. Johan Haga has made possible following a restart. This created a new name, new look, new logo and a change in the player selection.[2] In 2002, the team took the name Rotterdam Basketbal, without sponsorname. In 2007 the team was renamed to Rotterdam Challengers, but in 2010 they again took the name Rotterdam Basketbal. Starting with the 2011–2012 season, the name became Rotterdam Basketbal College, to underline the importance of the youth in the team. During the 2013–14 season, the club got a new main sponsor in Challenge Sports and the team's name was changed to Challenge Sports Rotterdam.[3]

Feyenoord Basketball era (2018–2025)

In May 2018, Rotterdam reached the DBL semi-finals for the first time in 12 years, after upsetting Den Bosch in the quarter-finals, 1–2.[4] This month the club announced as well that it would be named Feyenoord Basketball starting with the 2018–19 season, as the team became a part of the multi-sports club of association football club Feyenoord.[5]

On 15 April 2019, accomplished head coach Toon van Helfteren signed a two-year contract to become the head coach of Feyenoord.[6]

Since the 2021–22 season, Feyenoord plays in the BNXT League, in which the national leagues of Belgium and the Netherlands have been merged.[7]

Rotterdam City Basketball (2025–present)

In the 2025 offseason, the club announced that it ended its collaboration with Feyenoord, with the aim of having more room to attract its own commercial partners.[8] The club was rebranded as Rotterdam City Basketball starting from the 2025–26 season. The logo was announced in June, with the new team's colors being navy blue and green.[9]

Names

Due to sponsorship reasons, the club has known several names:

  • 1988–1989: Gunco Rotterdam
  • 1989-1995: De Schiestreek Rotterdam
  • 1995–1999: Idétrading Rotterdam
  • 1999–2002: Gunco Rotterdam
  • 2002–2007: Rotterdam Basketbal
  • 2007–2010: Rotterdam Challengers
  • 2010–2011: Rotterdam Basketbal
  • 2011–2014: Rotterdam Basketbal College
  • 2014–2016: Challenge Sports Rotterdam
  • 2016–2018: Forward Lease Rotterdam
  • 2018–2019: Feyenoord Basketball
  • 2019–2025: Zeeuw & Zeeuw Feyenoord[10]
  • 2025–present: Rotterdam City Basketball[11]

Players

Current roster

Rotterdam City Basketball roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Age
G1United StatesSpence, Jakari1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 24 – (2001-12-20)20 December 2001
PG2United StatesVan La Parra, Chermano1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 19 – (2007-01-17)17 January 2007
G3United StatesNilsen, Lars1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 24 – (2001-06-12)12 June 2001
SG4NetherlandsVrecken, Nino1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 22 – (2003-07-19)19 July 2003
PG6NetherlandsBlangé, Joost23 – (2002-08-12)12 August 2002
SF9United StatesNwokeji, Zimi2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
C10Netherlandsvan den Beemt, Mathias2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 24 – (2001-06-04)4 June 2001
F11United StatesGraham, James2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (2000-08-26)26 August 2000
F12Netherlandsvan der Schalie, Liam1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 22 – (2003-03-01)1 March 2003
SF13NetherlandsSlingerland, Noah1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 20 – (2005-09-03)3 September 2005
F21NetherlandsDe Vaal, Tjall2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 21 – (2005-01-21)21 January 2005
F25United StatesIdowu, Rey2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 26 – (1999-05-23)23 May 1999
G27SwitzerlandSignoroni, Maxime1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 24 – (2001-11-25)25 November 2001
Head coach
  • NetherlandsTim Arns
Assistant coach(es)
  • NetherlandsArmand Salomon
  • NetherlandsCliff ten Berge
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (I) Import player
  • Injured Injured
Updated: August 31, 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Individual awards

All-DBL Team
DBL Coach of the Year
DBL MVP Under 23
DBL Rookie of the Year
  • Jeroen Slor – 2008
DBL Most Improved Player
DBL All-Rookie Team
  • Yasalde Pas Costa – 2007
  • Yannick Franke – 2014
  • Nigel Onuoha – 2015

Club records

Bold denotes still active with team. As of 14 April 2021:

Category Player Record
Games playedTies Theeuwkens283
Points scoredTies Theeuwkens1,862
ReboundsRobert Krabbendam917
AssistsTies Theeuwkens433
StealsStephan van der Schoot277
BlocksChaz Briggs85
Three-point field goalsTies Theeuwkens376

Trophies

  • NBB Cup[12]
    • Winners (1): 1984–85
      • Runners-up (1): 2005–06

Season by season

Season Tier League Pos.Postseason NBB Cup
1988–89 1 Eredivisie9 –
1991–92 1 Eredivisie11 –
1992–93 1 Eredivisie8 Quarterfinalist
1993–94 1 Eredivisie9 –
1994–95 1 Eredivisie8 –
1995–96 1 Eredivisie3 Quarterfinalist
1996–97 1 Eredivisie6 Quarterfinalist
1997–98 1 Eredivisie6 Quarterfinalist
1998–99 1 Eredivisie8 Quarterfinalist
1999–00 1 Eredivisie8 Quarterfinalist
2000–01 1 Eredivisie5–
2001–02 1 Eredivisie10 –
2002–03 1 Eredivisie9 –
2003–04 1 Eredivisie9 –
2004–05 1 Eredivisie4 Semifinalist
2005–06 1 Eredivisie4 Semifinalist Runner-up
2007–08 1 Eredivisie6 Quarterfinalist
2008–09 1 Eredivisie10 –
2009–101 Eredivisie10 – 4th round
2010–111 DBL10 – 4th round
2011–121 DBL8 – Quarterfinalist
2012–131 DBL10 – 4th round
2013–141 DBL9 – Quarterfinalist
2014–151 DBL5 Quarterfinalist Quarterfinalist
2015–161 DBL6 Quarterfinalist
2016–171 DBL5 Quarterfinalist
2017–181 DBL5 Semifinalist
2018–191 DBL8 Quarterfinalist
Champions Runners-up Playoff berth
Season Tier League Finish Wins Losses Win%National Playoffs NBB CupBNXT Playoffs Head coach
Rotterdam Basketbal
2012–131 DBL10th 3 33 .083 – Fourth Round– Randy Wiel
2013–141 DBL9th 7 29 .194 – QuarterfinalistFerry Steenmetz
2014–151 DBL5th 8 20 .286 Lost quarterfinals (Landstede), 0–2 Armand Salomon
2015–161 DBL6th 9 19 .321 Lost quarterfinals (Donar), 0–2
2016–171 DBL5th 12 16 .429 Lost quarterfinals (Den Bosch), 0–2
2017–181 DBL5th 15 17 .469 Won quarterfinals (Den Bosch), 3–1Lost semifinals (Donar), 0–4 Fourth Round
Feyenoord Basketball
2018–191 DBL8th 9 25 .265 Lost quarterfinals (ZZ Leiden), 0–2 Quarterfinalist– Richard den OsJan Stalman (a.i.)
2019–201 DBL5th 12 10 .545 Cancelled[a]QuarterfinalistToon van Helfteren
2020–211 DBL5th 10 11 .476 Lost quarterfinals (Landstede, 158–180) Semifinalist
2021–221 BNXT League10th10 20 .333 Lost quarterfinals (Landstede, 0–2) QuarterfinalistWon second round (BAL, 158–138)Lost third round (Mons, 143–162)
2022–231 BNXT League17th10 18 .357 – SemifinalistLost first round (Brussels, 137–152)
2023–241 BNXT League18th8 20 .286 Lost quarterfinals (ZZ Leiden, 0–2) Semifinalist – Tim Arns
2024–251 BNXT League17th9 27 .250 – Semifinalist
Rotterdam City Basketball
2025–261 BNXT League Quarterfinalist

Head coaches

Period Name Honours
2003–2008NetherlandsErik BraalNBB Cup runner-up: 2006
2008–2009United StatesTerence Stansbury
2009–2011Netherlands Zlatko Jezerkic
2011–2013Netherlands Randy Wiel
2013–2014Netherlands Ferry Steenmetz
2014–2018NetherlandsArmand Salomon
2018–2019Netherlands Richard den Os
2019Netherlands Jan Stalman (interim)
2019–2023NetherlandsToon van Helfteren
2023NetherlandsArmand Salomon (interim)
2023–presentNetherlands Tim Arns

References

  1. ^"Rotterdam Basketbal". www.rotterdambasketbal.nl. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  2. ^"Rotterdam Basketbal is gered - Startbedrijf - uw eigen bedrijf of onderneming starten". www.startbedrijf.nl. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. ^"Challenge Sports main sponsor of Rotterdam Basketbal College". Rotterdam Basketbal College (in Dutch). January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  4. ^Rotterdam Basketbal stunt op bezoek bij Den Bosch
  5. ^Rotterdamse sportclubs gaan in rood/wit en onder naam Feyenoord spelen
  6. ^"Van Helfteren naar Feyenoord". basketballleague.nl. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  7. ^"Licenties BNXT League 2021-2022 toegekend". Basketball League (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  8. ^"Feyenoord Basketball maakt zich los van de gelijknamige voetbalclub". Feyenoord Basketball. 31 January 2025. Archived from the original on 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  9. ^"Eindelijk: het nieuwe logo!". Zeeuw & Zeeuw Feyenoord Basketball. 16 May 2025. Archived from the original on 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  10. ^"ZEEUW & ZEEUW HOOFDSPONSOR IN ROTTERDAM". 1 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  11. ^"Nieuwe naam bekend!". 12 May 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  12. ^"Landskampioenen, bekerwinnaars en competitiewinnaars" (in Dutch). J-dus.com. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

Notes

  1. ^The 2019–20 season was cancelled prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

51°53′38″N4°31′35″E / 51.893977°N 4.526486°E / 51.893977; 4.526486

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