By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With the call-ups made by head coach Vassilis Spanoulis for the training camp squad expected to be revealed on Tuesday, Giorgos Papagiannis and Nikos Rogkavopoulos are widely projected as out for the EuroBasket 2025.
Papagiannis, 28, has suited up for his country over several offseasons, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He also played in the preceding Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus, following earlier commitments in the FIBA World Cup in 2019 and 2023, EuroBasket in 2017 and 2022.
Rogkavopoulos, 24, was capped in the FIBA World Cup 2023 and also made his way to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2021 in Victoria. Additional international experience stems from the Qualifiers of the FIBA World Cup 2023 and EuroBasket 2025.
The senior national team of Greece will also miss 36-year-old Nick Calathes, who was already considered doubtful for the upcoming international tournament due to lingering knee issues.
With Thomas Walkup also out, Tyler Dorsey is projected to cover the single naturalized slot on the roster. Additional selections by Spanoulis are likely to include Giannis Antetokounmpo, with the NBA superstar of the Milwaukee Bucks heading to more action in the five position since Papagiannis is now removed from the summer plans.
In the preliminary round of the EuroBasket, Greece will compete in Limassol, facing Italy, Cyprus, Georgia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Spain from August 28 to September 4. The top four seeds of Group D and of the remaining three groups will switch from pool play to single-elimination contests, with the knockout stage taking over between September 6 and 14 in Riga.