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Wael Arakji (Arabic: وائل عرقجي; born September 4, 1994) is a Lebanese basketball player for Dubai of the ABA League. He is nicknamed "the Fearsome" (Arabic: الرهيب, romanized: al-rahib).[1]
| No. 16 – Dubai BC | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Point guard | ||||||||||||||||||||
| League | ABA League | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 4, 1994 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–present | Dubai | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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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.
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]
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.
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
Lebanon
- Arab Basketball Championship
Gold Medal: (2022) - FIBA Asia Cup
Silver Medal: 2022
Individual
| 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 |
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