Corinthians set 2026/2027 basketball plans, close on leaders staying | OneFootball

Corinthians have already begun assembling their basketball roster for the 2026/2027 season. Even with an expected reduction in the department’s budget, the club is working to keep some of the team’s main pillars while also moving forward in negotiations for new players.

Among the names expected to remain at Parque São Jorge are point guard Elinho and small forward Victão. According to information reported by Meu Timão, both are expected to continue representing Corinthians next season.

Photos: Beto Miller / Corinthians

Elinho has been with the club since August 2023 and, at 36, is one of the squad’s main leaders. He also holds a prominent place in the history of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), being the league’s all-time assists leader, and has also played for the Brazilian National Team.

Victão, meanwhile, is set to begin his third season with Corinthians. The forward earned his place within the group mainly through his connection with the fans and his active role in the squad during recent campaigns.

Jece Leite is also expected to remain as the team’s head coach. He is set to begin his third year in charge of Timão after leading Corinthians to their first-ever NBB semifinal, the club’s best campaign in the national competition.

Other players are still awaiting a decision on their future. Rafael Munford, Lucas Cauê, and Cauê Borges have yet to reach confirmed agreements for next season. The only player under contract beyond the current cycle is center Gabriel Novaes, who is tied to the club until May 2027.

The continuation of the professional basketball project was confirmed by Corinthians after a period of uncertainty over the future of the sport at the club. However, within the financial planning of the board led by Osmar Stabile, the department will have its budget reduced by around 30%.

With the change in planning, some athletes are not expected to stay. Americans Davaunta Thomas and Elyjah Clark are not in the plans for next season, while young center Kauan Raymundo will also leave the club to join Brasília.

In addition to the players staying, Corinthians are also working to strengthen the roster. The name closest to being announced is center Matheus Leal, who played for Unifacisa in the last NBB season.

With 11 years of experience in the country’s top competition, the player is only awaiting the signing of the contract to be officially announced as Timão’s new player.

Two other names are also at an advanced stage of negotiations: shooting guard Gemadinha, from Rio Claro, and forward Betinho, from Pinheiros.

Gemadinha was one of Rio Claro’s standout players in the last NBB season. He finished the championship as the São Paulo team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.8 points per game. In total, he played 40 games, averaging nearly 31 minutes on the court per matchup, helping the team reach the round of 16 in the competition. He also took part in the NBB All-Star Game, replacing Georginho of Franca.

Betinho, meanwhile, arrives with a well-established career in Brazilian basketball. The forward has surpassed the 7,000-point mark in the NBB and played an important role in Pinheiros’ runner-up campaign last season, the same team that eliminated Corinthians in the semifinal.

The player appeared in 51 games in the last cycle, averaging 17 minutes on the court and nine points per game. Before Pinheiros, he had spells with teams such as Caxias do Sul, São Paulo, Paulistano, and Rio Claro.

Corinthians have already confirmed participation in the 2026 Campeonato Paulista and have also completed registration with the Liga Nacional de Basquete (LNB), securing a place in the next edition of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.