Club Joventut Badalona

Club Joventut de Badalona, S.A.D. () is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain, playing in the Liga ACB and the EuroCup. Known to their fans as "La Penya" (in English, "The Club"), it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League. The only other two are Real Madrid and Estudiantes. In 1994, Joventut de Badalona was the champion of the FIBA European Champions' Cup (today known as the EuroLeague), the first Catalan basketball club to accomplish such a grandiose achievement and the first Spanish team to do so in the "Final Four" format.
Well-known players have included the Margall brothers (with Josep Maria Margall), Zoran Slavnić, Jordi Villacampa, Rafael Jofresa, Raül López, Rudy Fernández, Ricky Rubio and Joe Galvin.
History.
Badalona has had a basketball team since 30 March 1930, when Joventut was founded as "Penya Spirit of Badalona". Apart from basketball, the club initially had teams involved in several sports including cycling, table tennis and football. In 1932, the club changed its name to "Centre Esportiu Badaloní" and in 1939, it was forced to become "Club Juventud de Badalona". By 1940, basketball was established as the club's main sport and green and black were adopted as the club's colours.
As one of the founding clubs of the Spanish league, Joventut became also one of the top teams in Spain since the 1950s, developing a great rivalry with Real Madrid and with the other neighbouring teams like FC Barcelona, playing memorable duels. Joventut won their first Spanish Cup in 1948 and their two first leagues in 1967 and 1978.
In 1981, Joventut started its golden era by winning their first European title: the FIBA Korać Cup in 1981, by defeating Carrera Venezia in the final played in Barcelona by 105–104 after a game winning shot by Joe Galvin at the buzzer. Joventut repeated title in 1990, this time beating Scavolini Pesaro in the double-legged final.
One year later, in 1991, Joventut achieved their third league, the first under the ACB and repeated title in the following season, after losing the final of the FIBA European League against Partizan, that won thanks to a buzzerbeater of Saša Đorđević. However, in 1994, Joventut won the title after winning the Final Four played in Tel Aviv against Olympiacos.
After two years of decline, Joventut clinched their seventh national cup and in the 2000s, started a new golden era with players like Rudy Fernández, and Ricky Rubio developed in the youth teams of the club. During their years at Badalona, Joventut won a FIBA Europe Cup in 2006, by beating Khimki in the final, a ULEB Cup in 2008, beating Akasvayu Girona in the finals, and the eighth Copa del Rey, also in 2008.
Joventut Badalona is one of the only three teams, along with Estudiantes and Real Madrid, to have played every year in the top league.
In the 2017–18 season, Joventut was close of the dissolution, but the shareholders voted to save the club. Finally, it could finish the season in the 15th season and avoided the relegation, despite ending in the worst position ever.
Sponsorship naming.
Club Joventut de Badalona has received diverse trade names along its history. These are the Joventut denominations along the years:
Players.
Notable players.
 Domestic Players:
(Non-EU Players):
 Bosman Players:
"For a complete list of current and former players, see the category.
Uniforms.
The Joventut jerseys have always been green with a black stripe across the chest, and the shorts have been traditionally black, with the exception of some years that have been green too. The traditional away jerseys have been white, although in 2008–09 a new silver alternate jersey was introduced.
Rivalries.
Joventut has a traditional rivalry with provincial neighbours FC Barcelona. Both teams face in the Catalan basketball derby.
Individual awards.
ACB Most Valuable Player
ACB Rising Star/Best Young Player
ACB Finals MVP
Spanish Cup MVP
ULEB Eurocup Finals MVP
EuroChallenge Final Four MVP
EuroLeague Rising Star
All-ACB Team
ACB Slam Dunk Champion
Wheelchair basketball.
Joventut Badalona has also a wheelchair basketball team which currently plays in the División de Honor, the Spanish top league.
In 2011 the team, which was known as Joventut GAM by sponsorship reasons, was dissolved and two years later was re-launched again. In its first season after the re-opening, the team promoted to División de Honor.