Wael Arakji

Wael Arakji (Arabic: وائل عرقجي; born September 4, 1994) is a Lebanese basketball player for Al Riyadi of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is nicknamed "the Fearsome" (Arabic: الرهيب, romanized: al-rahib).^[1]

Wael Arakji

No. 16 – Al Riyadi
Position	Point guard
League	Lebanese Basketball League
Personal information
Born	(1994-09-04) September 4, 1994 (age 30) Beirut, Lebanon
Listed height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight	90 kg (198 lb)
Career information
NBA draft	2015: undrafted
Playing career	2012–present
Career history
2012–2019	Al Riyadi
2018	→ Beikong Fly Dragons
2020–2021	Al-Shamal
2021	US Monastir
2021	Al-Jahra
2022	Beirut Club
2022–2024	Al Riyadi
2024	Al-Arabi
2024–2025	Dubai
2025–present	Al Riyadi
Career highlights and awards
2× FIBA Asia Champions Cup / BCL Asia champion (2017, 2024) BCL Asia MVP (2024) WASL Champion (2024) FIBA Asia Cup MVP (2022) FIBA Asia Cup All-Tournament Team (2022) All-BAL First Team (2021) 8× Lebanese League champion (2014-2017, 2019, 2022–2024) Qatari League champion (2020) Tunisian League champion (2021)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Lebanon FIBA Asia Cup 2022 Jakarta Arab Basketball Championship 2022 Dubai

At the club level, he also played in the Chinese Basketball Association and participated in the NBA Summer League for the Dallas Mavericks in 2019. For the national team, Arakji won the MVP award at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup, where Lebanon finished runners-up.

Professional career

Born in Beirut, Lebanon,^[1] Arakji caught the eye of head coach of Al Riyadi Beirut, Slobodan Subotić, following his performances with Lebanon at the 2012 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship.^[1] During his seven seasons with Al Riyadi in the Lebanese Basketball League, Arakji won seven league titles and the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in 2017.^[2] In 2015 he declared for the NBA draft, but was not selected.^[1]

On January 31, 2018, Arakji signed with Beikong Fly Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association after Zaid Abbas was injured.^[3] During that five-game stint, he averaged 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 steals.^[4] In 2019, he got an opportunity to play for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Summer League.^[5]

On January 20, 2020, Arakji signed with Nanjing Monkey Kings of the Chinese Basketball Association.^[6][7] On February 7, 2020, Arakji signed with Al-Shamal of the Qatari Basketball League.^[8] On July 15, 2020, Arakji re-signed with Al-Shamal.^[9] Arakji helped Al-Shamal win the Qatari Basketball League. He started the 2020–21 season with the same club and helped them reach the final of the league averaging 26.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals in 14 games.^[1]

On February 7, 2021, Arakji signed with US Monastir of the Championnat National A.^[10] Arakji won the Championnat National A with US Monastir, and reached the final of the Basketball Africa League.^[11] He was named to the 2021 All-BAL First Team.^[12]

On June 2, 2021, Arakji signed with Al-Shamal.^[13] On August 10, 2021, Arakji signed with Al-Jahra in Kuwait.^[14] On March 6, 2022, Arakji signed with Beirut Club for his return to the Lebanese Basketball League after three years.^[15] He helped Beirut win the championship, after defeating his former club Al Riyadi Beirut in the final.^[1]

On October 25, 2022, Arakji signed with Al Riyadi.^[16] On June 15, 2024, Arakji and Al Riyadi won the 2024 Basketball Champions League Asia, his second continental championship.^[17] He had a tournament-high 31 points and 9 assists in the final against Shabab Al Ahli.^[17] Arakji was named the league MVP after averaging 21.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and a league-high 8.4 assist per game, while shooting 75.5% from the field and 71.4% from three.^[18]

On October 18, 2024, Arakji signed with Al-Arabi of the Qatari Basketball League.^[19] On December 10, Arakji signed with Dubai of the ABA League.^[20]

National team career

In 2012, Arakji made his debut by helping Lebanon finish in seventh place at the 2012 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship.^[1]

Arakji helped Lebanon win the 2022 Arab Basketball Championship, winning the final against Tunisia 72–69,^[1] and was nominated MVP of the tournament.^[21] He also finished runner-up of the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup as the tournament's MVP and top scorer,^[22] with an average of 26.0 points per game.^[23]

He played with the national team in 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Awards and accomplishments

Al Riyadi Beirut

• FIBA Asia Champions Cup: (2017,^[24] 2024^[17])
• FIBA West Asia Super League : (2024)
• 7x Lebanese Basketball League: (2014,2015,2016,2017,2019,2023,2024)

US Monastir

• Championnat National A: 2021

Al-Shamal

• Qatari Basketball League: 2020

Beirut Club

• Lebanese Basketball League: 2022

Lebanon

• Arab Basketball Championship Gold Medal: (2022)
• FIBA Asia Cup Silver Medal: 2022

Individual

• FIBA Asia Cup MVP: 2022
• FIBA Asia Cup All-Tournament Team: 2022
• Arab Basketball Championship MVP: 2022
• All-BAL First Team: 2021
• Lebanese Basketball League MVP: 2024
• Basketball Champions League Asia MVP: 2024^[17]

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	MPG	Minutes per game	FG%	Field goal percentage
3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game
PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high		Led the league

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2012–13	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	21	10.2	.450	.333	.400	1.6	1.8	.6	.0	2.7
2013–14	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	22	9.9	.333	.095	.667	1.0	1.3	.8	.0	1.8
2014–15	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	33	19.8	.532	.286	.806	2.6	2.7	.8	.1	6.9
2015–16	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	35	22.2	.472	.288	.750	2.4	3.2	.8	.1	6.7
2016–17	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	19	25.1	.580	.280	.633	3.8	4.6	1.2	.2	9.8
2017–18	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	26	29.7	.492	.327	.710	4.0	6.3	1.3	.0	13.1
2017–18	Beijing Royal Fighters	CBA	5	34.8	.431	.136	.720	4.8	7.2	1.6	.0	16.6
2018–19	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	25	26.5	.511	.425	.812	3.2	4.4	1.0	.1	12.5
2019–20	Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut	LBL	2	34.1	.360	.200	.000	2.0	4.0	1.0	.0	10.0
2020–21	US Monastir	BAL	6	22.6	.707	.4	0.867	2.6	3.4	1.4	.0	15.0

References

1. Ghazi, Hussien (July 24, 2022). "وائل عرقجي .. مسيرة مع النجومية قادته لأفضل لاعب بكأس آسيا" [Wael Arakji “The Terrible” .. A career with stardom led him to the best player in the Asian Cup]. alaraby (in Arabic). Retrieved July 25, 2022.
2. "Al Riyadi are the kings of FIBA Asia champions cup 2017". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
3. "北控签下黎巴嫩后场核心 澄清信一到便能登场". 新浪体育. January 31, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
4. "Al Riyadi keeps Arakji for another season". Eurobasket.com. June 1, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
5. "Mavs off to a great start on day one of summer league workouts". Mavs.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
6. "Wael Arakji: Agrees to terms with Chinese club". CBSSports.com. January 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
7. "曝黎巴嫩国手签同曦 曾力压郭艾伦成亚洲第一后卫". 网易体育. January 21, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
8. "Wael Arakji (ex Al Riyadi) is a newcomer at Al Shamal". Eurobasket.com. February 7, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
9. "Arakji re-signs at Al Shamal". Eurobasket.com. July 15, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
10. "US Monastir signs Wael Arakji, ex Al Shamal". Eurobasket.com. February 7, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
11. "New signings dominate Basketball Africa League teams' latest moves". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
12. @theBAL (June 4, 2021). "The All-BAL First Team. ⭐" (Tweet). Retrieved June 6, 2021 – via Twitter.
13. "Al Shamal welcomes back Arakji". Eurobasket.com. June 2, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
14. "Wael Arakji (ex Al Shamal) joins Jahraa". Eurobasket.com. August 10, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
15. Madwar, Ahmad (March 6, 2022). "Beirut Club inks Wael Arakji, ex Jahraa". Asia-basket.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
16. "Al Riyadi welcomes back Arakji". Eurobasket.com. October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
17. "Wael Arakji leads Al Riyadi to a dominating title in first-ever BCL Asia". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
18. "Wael Arakji named Basketball Champions League Asia 2024 MVP". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
19. "Al Arabi signs Wael Arakji, ex Al Riyadi". Eurobasket.com. October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
20. "Dubai basketball completes landmark signing of Lebanese star Wael Arakji". Dubai Basketball. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
21. "Lebanon's Arab Basketball Championship stars receive heroes welcome from fans in Beirut". Arab News. February 18, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
22. "عرقجي أفضل لاعب في أمم آسيا للسلة". كووورة. July 24, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
23. The SportsGrail; Dilta, Abhishek; Dilta, Abhishek (July 24, 2022). "FIBA Basketball Asia Cup 2022 Final Winner, Australia vs Lebanon Live Score, Results, Prize Money 2022, Awards Winners List". The SportsGrail. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
24. "Redemption unlocked as Al Riyadi annex Champions Cup crown". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved June 18, 2024.

External links

• Wael Arakji at FIBA.basketball
• Wael Arakji at FIBA.com (archived)
• Wael Arakji at Eurobasket.com
• Wael Arakji at DraftExpress.com
• Wael Arakji at RealGM