Antwerp Giants

Lore & Background

The Antwerp Giants originated from the 1995 merger of Sobabee and Racing Mechelen, forming Racing Basket Antwerpen. The club debuted in the top Belgian league in the 1998–99 season and won its first national championship the following year as Telindus Antwerpen, defeating Oostende 3–1 in the finals. After a period of mid-table finishes, the team won its third trophy in 2007 by capturing the Belgian Basketball Cup for the second time.

In the 2018–19 season, Antwerp achieved its most successful campaign. The team qualified for the Basketball Champions League (BCL) after three qualifying rounds and advanced to the Final Four, hosted in Antwerp's Sportpaleis. There, they lost in the semi-finals to Iberostar Tenerife but won the third-place game against Brose Bamberg. Domestically, they won the Belgian Cup for the first time in 12 years and finished as runners-up in the PBL finals to Filou Oostende.

Since the 2021–22 season, Antwerp has competed in the BNXT League, a merger of Belgian and Dutch leagues. On 12 March 2023, the Giants won their fifth Belgian Cup by beating Oostende. In July 2024, Windrose Technology became the new name sponsor, rebranding the team as Windrose Giants Antwerp. The club also fields a second team in the Belgian Second Division and a women's team in regional competition.

Reader's Guide

The Antwerp Giants are a significant force in Belgian basketball, having won two national championships and six Belgian Cups. Their 2018–19 season marked a high point, as they became the surprise of the Basketball Champions League by reaching the Final Four and securing third place, while also winning the domestic cup. The club holds the Belgian attendance record of 17,135 spectators, set in 2015 against Spirou Charleroi. The merger that created the club in 1995 brought together two existing teams, and subsequent sponsorship deals—including a three-season partnership with Telenet starting in 2017 and the Windrose Technology naming in 2024—have shaped its identity. The Giants' move to the BNXT League in 2021 reflects broader regional integration in European basketball. Their legacy includes consistent cup success and a memorable European run that showcased the club on an international stage.

Did You Know?

• The club holds the Belgian attendance record for a basketball game, with 17,135 spectators on 31 January 2015.
• Antwerp won its first national championship in the 1999–2000 season as Telindus Antwerpen.
• In the 2018–19 Basketball Champions League, Antwerp reached the Final Four and finished third.
• The team was renamed Windrose Giants Antwerp in July 2024 after a sponsorship deal with Windrose Technology.