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With EuroBasket set to begin, we decided to take a look at the top players representing their countries at the event.
We can guarantee our ranking this time around will be better than our attempt for the previous Eurobasket, when we included no players from Spain on the list... before Spain went on to win the entire tournament.
Spanish National Team head coach Sergio Scariolo even poked some fun at us over that, telling the media during the tournament: "I read a list of the Top 15 players in this Eurobasket and there was no Spanish player... Hopefully, at the end of the tournament, there is one."
Truth be told, Spain fans might not be too happy with our list this time around, either. Regardless, below, check out our ranking of the Top 15 players at the 2025 Eurobasket tournament.
15. Deni Avdija (Israel)
After breaking out over the past couple of seasons in the NBA, we expect great individual play out of Israeli forward Deni Avdija at the Eurobasket. We're just not sure if that will be enough for Israel to make a deep run at the event. Avdija and Israel did recently beat Greece in a warm-up game ahead of the tournament, with Avdija securing 16 points and six rebounds in the 75-58 win, but that was with Greece sitting some of their top players.
Avdija, though, believes Israel can make it all the way to the final.
"What would count as success? Deni Avdija: “The European Championship final. I really want it. I know it sounds unrealistic and that we’re a small country and there are strong national teams, but I believe that if we play together and do the things we know, we can make an amazing move.”
14. Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania)
Veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas is no stranger to international play, or to this tournament, having helped lead Lithuania to two silver medals at previous Eurobaskets. Those two silver medal showings for the Lithuanians came in 2013 (Slovenia) and 2015 (France), with Valanciunas playing a vital role for both squads, even earning All-Tournament distinction in 2015 after putting up 16 points and eight rebounds per contest.
Valanciunas looks to be in good form heading into this year's tournament, scoring 16 points, securing eight rebounds and blocking two shots in 17 minutes this past weekend against Iceland...
...but even then, Lithuania may have a tough time making a deep run this summer, as Valanciunas is the only NBA player on a roster that lacks depth in the backcourt.
13. Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro)
Another veteran big man, two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic, most recently represented Montenegro at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he put up nearly 20 points and nine rebounds per game. Montenegro failed to reach the quarterfinals of the event, however, despite Vucevic's stellar play. We fear similarly could happen to Montenegro at the upcoming Eurobasket, considering the roster Vucevic will have around him, one without a single other NBA, or even EuroLeague, player on it.
Vucevic, 34, said this summer that this will probably be his final international tournament with Montenegro...
Despite his pride and being a mainstay in the international fold since his first EuroBasket in 2011, the 34-year-old has also hinted that this is likely to be his last dance for the national team. "I think after the EuroBasket, that'll be it," Vucevic conceded. "I'll give my best, enjoy it, and try to achieve the best result possible. I'm entering the final phase of my career. My focus will shift - to rest during summers, to be with my family. It's not 100 percent certain, but at the moment I believe these will be my last games for the national team."
...so look for him to go out firing on all cylinders.
12. Simone Fontecchio (Italy)
A player who we might be underrating at this event is Italy's Simone Fontecchio, who has enjoyed a great summer of play so far, dropping 19 points and three steals in an 84-72 win over Argentina, and 21 points in a 91-75 victory over Latvia prior to that. Italy is 4-0 ahead of the 2025 Eurobasket, with Fontecchio sharpshooting and pull-up midrange scoring playing a large part in that.
Italy does boast a roster with seven EuroLeague players on it, so don't be surprised if Fontecchio and Co. make some noise this summer.
Fontecchio had the following to say ahead of the festivities:
"The NBA is work, the national team is fun. But without a medal, I wouldn't be happy. It's hard to be happy when you leave an event without a medal. If I said I was happy with a tenth-place finish coming home from the European Championships, I'd be saying a lot..."
11. Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia)
A well-decorated player in international competition, sharpshooting 2-guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has won four silver medals in senior international competition with Serbia, including at the 2017 Eurobasket. Most recently, Bogdanovic played a part in Serbia almost upsetting Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, before the nation had to settle for bronze at the prestigious event.
At the 2017 Eurobasket, Bogdanovic averaged over 20 points and five assists, earning All-Tournament Team honors for his efforts. He has also made All-Tournament Team at two World Cups while representing Serbia, at the 2019 and 2023 events, as well as being named 2nd Team All-Tournament at the most recent Olympic Games in Paris, after putting up just over 18 points on 46.2 percent shooting from three in the tournament.
Bogdanovic is Serbia's all-time leading scorer in international competitions, so he'll be a player to watch at the 2025 Eurobasket.
10. Guerschon Yabusele (France)
After making headlines last summer not only with his play, but with his poster dunk over LeBron James in the Olympics...
...Guerschon Yabusele heads to this Eurobasket with a lot of momentum, as France is 5-0 in pre-tourney play. Most recently, the French National Team defeated Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece 92-77 as Yabusele went four-for-five from the field with three threes, finishing with 14 points.
And with no Rudy Gobert or Victor Wembanyama suiting up for France this summer, look for Yabusele to make an even bigger impact for his country.
The versatile, supersized forward is a strong player in international competition and will look to help France win gold this summer, after the country finished with silver at both the 2022 Eurobasket and 2024 Olympics.
Even though France will be one of the favorites at the event, Yabusele discussed the challenges ahead for the team:
France’s path in Eurobasket won’t be easy, with Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece, Nikola Jokić’s Serbia, and other powerhouses waiting down the road. But Yabusele welcomes the challenge. “Those are some of the best players in the world. That’s why I think this is going to be one of the biggest competitions. It’s going to be tough, and in terms of basketball, one of the purest. They’re huge for their teams — not just scoring, but passing, playmaking. We’ll try to keep them low in scoring and assists. But at the end of the day, every team is dangerous. We just have to focus on ourselves, play our game, and whatever happens, happens.”
9. Vasilije Micic (Serbia)
Although his star didn't translate to the NBA, Vasilije Micic is a weapon in international play thanks to his crafty shot-making and creation. Micic, the lone non-NBA player on this list, played a part in Serbia nearly upsetting the Americans in the semifinal of the most recent Olympics, scoring eight points and dishing out three assists in the contest. Micic was even more important in the third-place game against Germany, the 93-83 Serbian win that helped the country secure Olympic bronze, as he went off for 19 points in his 5-for-10 performance.
8. Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia)
After a concerning 2024-25 season in which he missed a lot of time due to a mysterious illness, Latvian star Kristaps Porzingis has looked much more like his usual self this summer as he helps his country prepare for Eurobasket.
Porzingis had an impressive 22-point, five-assist, three-block showing against Lithuania this summer, and 20 points, six rebounds and two assists against Slovenia.
With his mix of deep shooting range, face-up, post-up chops and shot-blocking, Porzingis should put on a show in front of his home fans.
In his brief senior National Team experience, Porzingis has shone, averaging 25.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in two World Cup qualifying games back in 2023. Expect similar output from the skilled big man this summer. And with Latvia finishing in fifth at the 2023 FIBA World Cup with a 6-2 record, without Porzingis participating, the team could be primed for a strong 2025 Eurobasket showing now that it does have its best player in the fold.
7. Franz Wagner (Germany)
Blossoming NBA star Franz Wagner has enjoyed a great summer playing with Germany so far, scoring 19 points and dishing out seven assists in a 106-105 overtime win over Spain, and following that up with a 29-point, six-rebound game in a rematch against the Spaniards, which went 95-78 in favor of the Germans.
Wagner's slippery slashing skills, his quick first step and his strength driving the ball make him extremely difficult to defend in FIBA play. And couple that with his international experience, including helping Germany win gold at the 2023 World Cup, and finishing in fourth at the Olympics, and you have the makings of a player who should have a huge showing at the upcoming Eurobasket.
Wagner recently discussed some of the stars he's set to face at the tournament (via EuroHoops):
Franz Wagner: “You always have to know where he’s at. You have to gameplan for him as a team. Obviously, he’s super athletic, super fast. Super strong, and usually the tallest guy on the floor. You can’t just expect one guy to defend him well,” he talked about the Freak. “I think there are a few players in the world that are as versatile or can manipulate the game as well as he does offensively. Same thing, you can’t just guard him with one player. Have to kind of switch up the looks you give him and also be OK with him making some tough looks,” he continued with Doncic.
6. Alperen Sengun (Turkey)
Turkish big man Alperen Sengun leads a Turkey team this summer that boasts various current and former NBA names, including Adem Bona of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Cedi Osman, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.
Thanks to his bruising post-up game, his finesse as a face-up attacker and his creativity as a frontcourt playmaker, Sengun should have a big showing at Eurobasket. In Turkey's final tune-up game before the competition, a 96-85 win over Montenegro, Sengun scored 26 points and secured 11 rebounds, his third-straight game with 25-plus points for Turkey.
If anything, we may be underrating the skilled center with his place in this ranking, as he already also boasts Eurobasket experience after averaging over 16 points and eight rebounds at the 2022 Eurobasket competition. Sengun and Co. even forced mighty France to overtime in the Round of 16 before ultimately falling at the 2022 event.
Serbian coach Djordje Sijan discussed working with Sengun on his biggest weakness, his outside shooting, this summer:
And this summer, Sengun worked with Sijan on his shooting: “We mostly worked on shooting… I went through Partizan’s school with centers, and I can say that Sengun is the best player with his back to the basket in Europe. In the NBA, they focused on where he is dominant, and he developed to perfection. But creativity was forbidden to him. I was asked in an interview, ‘What did you do with him?’ Nothing, I let him get off the shots from all possible positions. Some coaches don’t like it. But this year we worked mostly on the three-point shot. That shot was forbidden to him”.
Even so, Turkey as a team, for whatever reason, often performs lesser than the sum of its parts in international competition, so we'll see if Sengun can help turn that around this summer.
5. Dennis Schroeder (Germany)
The leader of Germany's World Cup gold medal in the 2023 World Cup, Dennis Schroeder averaged nearly 18 points and seven assists per contest at the event, earning Tournament MVP honors as well as making the All-Tournament Team. Schroeder is so well-respected in Germany that he was a flag-bearer at the 2024 Olympics, where he'd go on to make the FIBA Olympics All-Star Five Team.
That's all to say, we expect big things out of Schroeder at the upcoming Eurobasket, as he leads a German team with three NBA players, including Wagner, and seven Euroleague players. Schroeder has high expectations for the tournament, stating that he expects Germany to win the whole thing: “We will win the title. If I weren’t convinced of that, I wouldn’t play in the tournament and would rather spend my time in Braunschweig.”
4. Lauri Markkanen (Finland)
One of the players in better form entering this event is Finland forward Lauri Markkanen, who scored 42 points on 10-of-17 shooting, while also securing 12 rebounds, in a recent win over Poland. Markkanen shot 20 free throws in the contest, proving how difficult he is to defend in a FIBA setting thanks to his shooting ability and face-up prowess. Prior to that, Markkanen scored 48 points against Belgium, following that up by scoring 31 against the same foes days later.
At the last Eurobasket, Markkanen led Finland to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1967, doing so by dropping 43 points for his country in a win against Croatia in the Round of 16. Markkanen led Finland in scoring at the tournament by a mile at 27.9 points per game on north of 55 percent shooting, so he should be ready to have a huge Eurobasket showing.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)
While light years ahead of any other Greek player in the country's history, Giannis Antetokounmpo is not as celebrated by many in Greece as legends of yesteryear like Nikos Galis or Vassilis Spanoulis. That's partly because, unlike them, Antetokounmpo has not won anything with the National Team, not even a medal… and it's not for lack of trying.
This will be the ninth year in which Antetokounmpo suits up for Greece, but the lack of talent around him has made it difficult for even a player as bright and great as the Greek Freak to carry the team to international glory. Even so, Antetokounmpo was the top scorer at the 2022 Eurobasket, putting up 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals over six games, earning All-Tournament Team honors for his efforts, so it's difficult to say he could be doing more for his country.
2. Luka Doncic (Slovenia)
Slovenia has faced some turmoil this summer, with talented Euroleague players Vlatko Cancar and Josh Nebo skipping the event. Team superstar Luka Doncic defended the two players, however, indicating that it was their club team's fault they sat out:
“I didn’t resent anything,” Dončić said, via Ekipa24. ‘As far as I understand, the club didn’t allow them to come. In the end, the Lakers allowed it; Milan didn’t. I’d rather not get involved in it, but that should be the player’s decision. In my opinion. Those two are not at fault.”
That means this will be a carry job like never before for Doncic, though perhaps the 26-year-old will be up for the challenge with his newfound fitness level. It looks like Doncic's improved form hasn't really changed his demeanor on the court, though, as he appeared to show up teammates on the court during Slovenia's recent 106-72 loss to Serbia before voicing his frustrations in the locker room after the game:
After the game, head coach Aleksander Sekulic acknowledged that Doncic was visibly frustrated and stressed that Slovenia's supporting cast must step up if the team hopes to make noise at EuroBasket, which tips off on August 27. But Luka's frustration didn't stay on the court. Behind closed locker room doors, he reportedly had strong words for his teammates, according to SportKlub. "I don't like to talk about what's going on in the team. Yes, we had a conversation," said Edo Muric. "We cleared up a lot of things and said what needed to be said. This defeat actually brought us even closer."
Slovenia went 1-5 in pre-tournament play this summer, a troubling sign if the country expects to repeat 2017 Eurobasket gold medal glory.
1. Nikola Jokic (Serbia)
Serbia's success at the 2024 Olympic tournament, where they almost beat Team USA at the semifinals before eventually winning bronze over Germany, pretty much eliminated any resentment from local fans about Nikola Jokic's commitment to the beloved National Team.
Following the bronze medal in Paris, Serbia enters the tournament as the runaway favorite and Jokic is the main reason for that, as the big Serbian is as good in FIBA play as he is in the NBA. Still arguably the best player in the world, Jokic became the first man ever to lead an Olympic basketball tournament in total points, rebounds, assists and steals at the Paris Games, in which he averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists on over 58 percent shooting from the floor.
Heading a roster with four NBA players and seven Euroleague players, all of the pressure heading into the event will be on Serbia's shoulders, though we think Jokic and Co. will be up for the challenge.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: 2025 Eurobasket: Ranking the 15 best players at the tournament
Reporting by Frank Urbina, Hoops Hype / Hoops Hype
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