Basketball has always been a big sport in Ukrania, and its capital Kyiv is a city with great tradition. Its most famous club for decades was Stroitel Kyiv, a middle-of-the-table team in the Soviet Union League and that won six Ukranian League titles from 1992 to 1997. Things have changed since BC Kyiv was founded in 1999, as its president and 1988 Olympic gold medalist Aleksandar Volkov was not only the first Soviet Union player to join the NBA in the late eighties, but has become the godfather of Ukranian basketball. BC Kyiv joined the Ukranian Superleague in the 1999-00 season, and also got a spot in the 2000 Korac Cup. A wise investment in players like Stanislav Medvedenko, Curtis McCants or Grygorii Khizhniak instantly paid off, as the team won the Ukranian Superleague and reached the Korac Cup group stage. BC Kyiv has stayed competitive since that moment, becoming one of the teams to beat in Ukrania along with Azovmash Mariupol. Kyiv finished second in 2001 and 2002 despite having players like Sean Cornell, Jason Crowe or legendary veterans Volkov and Rimas Kurtinaitis. Despite having an all-Ukranian roster in 2003, Kyiv was third in its domestic league and the following season, the club landed Sergei Chikalkin and Reggie Geary, returning it to the Ukranian final. Kyiv finally lifted its second Ukranian League title in 2005, also reaching the FIBA Europe League title game that the club lost 85-74 against Dynamo St. Petersburg. Lamarr Greer, Chikalkin, Marcelo Nicola or Marcus Norris led Kyiv to its best season so far. Kyiv host the 2006 FIBA EuroCup final four but lost in the semifinal against eventual champ DKV Joventut. Last season, Kyiv reached the Ukranian League finals but once again, Azovmash escaped with the title. The club now goes one step higher by being the first Ukranian team to join the ULEB Cup.