![]() It says a great deal about the run-up to this competition that Lithuania has resumed its normal position as an expected contender having looked like it was on a transitional arc to dark horse status. Luka Doncic is out to prove his Slovenia side is capable of going back to back. That Spain, winners of three of the last five editions, are merely sixth favourites at 20/1 tells us of the questions facing this emerging generations. Serbia, at 4/1, are favourites, followed by Greece, Slovenia, France, Lithuania, and Spain. The usual suspects are atop all of the bookmakers odds-lists, so long as we assume Slovenia is a usual suspect given its current regnal status. It’s here as a book and here in Kindle form. It either falls on its face early or it proves that you really ought to never, ever, count it out.īallinEurope has a book, a real life actual book called I Like it Loud, and you can buy it on Amazon now. ![]() A big nation in sport that’s unfancied to win it all in any code or tournament tends to go one of two ways. Personally, I think that makes both of them awfully dangerous. Spain appear at a generational changing point while France haven’t been quite what they could be in the games leading up to this event. Spain and France won the four tournaments that preceded Slovenia’s breakthrough yet they are not the sides being talked up going into the event. Subscribe to BallinEurope on YouTube to see our videos as soon as they drop Svi has a story to write in Milan and, hopefully, Berlin. Every national team plays for its nation’s people on paper but it rarely feels as real as with this Ukraine side. His team is playing with a kind of hope and pressure that I can’t comprehend or truly describe despite my 20 plus years getting paid to write. The Ukrainian comes into this tournament without a NBA team, having been waived by the Raptors, but with some rotten form in the recent World Cup qualifying window having performed in ghastly fashion against Italy and not having quite enough against Iceland despite improved stats. We cannot speak of men who lead the dreams of their nation without looking at Svi Mykhailiuk. Silver in EuroBasket 2017, silver at the 2016 Olympics, silver at the 2013 World Cup, the taste of silver sickens Serbian stomachs to the point that gold is the only answer now. Serbia’s wait is made maddening by all of its close calls in major tournaments in recent times. Greece’s last win, in 2005, really doesn’t feel that long ago but it’s long enough for the hunger. They represent the hope of basketball mad nations that are impatiently waiting for titles. The Joker and the Freak are more than just holders of the last four NBA MVP awards. That is not to diminish their teammates in the slightest but some things are locks and if you’ve got a generational talent with worldwide name recognition on your team and they do well, it’s nigh impossible for any of their colleagues to outshine them in the eyes of those that make the final decision. Both of them are absolute megastars and if either’s nation wins it all, there’s zero doubt the tournament MVP will be whichever of them smiles last. You’re going to hear a lot about Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic over the next couple of weeks and rightly so. ![]() Now, 24 teams enter, over two thirds of them survive to the second week, and single elimination breeds arguments from the Baltics to the Balearics and beyond. It is only in the years since 2017, when Slovenia’s ability to claim the moniker of Kings of Europe for so long that the true value of this 18 day sprint was appreciated. ![]() Every two years the pulse of the continent was taken for an immediate decision on the champion in a fleeting moment. That’s a cup competition at best, a lovely trinket, but to decide bragging rights for so long? My, that’s gloriously unhinged.ĮuroBasket used to be like a midterm election. Look at any national league or continental club competition, the idea of a champion for a single year being decided on such a small sample size would be met with horror. EuroBasket 2022 is here, it’s time to make the deep diveĭon’t you just love the sheer unfair madness of it all? A bunch of round-robin games followed by four knockout rounds to decide who is the best of Europe for the whole of the next four years. We are one sleep away from a five year wait ending. ![]()
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