By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
In less than 20 days the eyes of the basketball world will be fixed on Europe. The Eurobasket 2022 is not only the regional marquee event but will also captivate the eyes of a worldwide audience thanks to the players who will get the spotlight.
Getting Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo to play, the last two NBA MVPs with Giannis having already the 2021 NBA Championship under his belt, plus the most exciting young star in basketball, none other than Luka Doncic, competing across Europe, creates a buzz that’s global.
Yes, there are other NBA players competing too, in total 38 at this point, pending final confirmation. And while in the past we had Eurobasket tournaments in which Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and Pau Gasol, the previous holy trinity of European basketball competed against each other, their heirs have already eclipsed their star power, being the undisputed leaders of their respected NBA franchises and already global basketball icons.
In this day and age, things are already different. As French coach Vincent Collet said: “The fact that there’s now only one Eurobasket every four years (ed. note: instead of two) has raised the level of the competition. A lot of teams are really impressive if you look at the rosters”.
He has a point and now winning the Eurobasket will be more rare, cutting the opportunities of the future generations in half.
But it’s not only that. With the NBA actively making an expansion to Europe by naturally attracting all the top talent – and giving little back – and European stars getting advantage of the global basketball brand of the league, the Eurobasket has by default a reach that transcends the European borders.
Αnd star-power aside, Eurobasket, arguably the hardest FIBA competition due to the general competition level of the teams compared to the Olympics and even to the World Cup, should be that big of a deal.