When it comes to basketball on the international stage, Greece is represented by the men’s national team. They answer to the Hellenic Basketball Federation, the country’s supreme basketball body.
At the moment, Greece is ranked ninth in the world according to the FIBA rankings. Greece has made eight FIBA World Cup appearances, with their greatest showing being in 2006.
when they finished as runner-up after defeating the United States 101-95 in the tournament’s semi-final. Greece competed in the EuroBasket event 28 times, winning twice and claiming silver in 1989 and bronze in 2001. (1949, 2009).
They won their first championship in 1987 by beating the Soviet Union 103-101 in the final in Athens, and they won their second championship in 2005 by beating Germany 78-62.
Who is on the Greece Olympic Basketball Team?
Despite the fact that Greek national Giannis Antetokounmpo has recently won his first NBA title with his long-term NBA home Milwaukee Bucks. The Greek national basketball team has been eliminated from contention for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Finals.
At the same time as the NBA Finals were going down in Phoenix between the Bucks and the Suns. A Greek team without Giannis participated in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Canada’s Victoria Memorial Arena.
After splitting their two matches in the preliminary round, Greece ultimately lost in the finals. As a result of the Czech Republic’s 97-72 victory, spearheaded by 2014 NBA draftee Patrik Auda, Greece failed to qualify for the Finals for the third consecutive Olympic tournament.
Taking a Look at the Greek Olympic Basketball Team and Their Absence from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
If Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo had been available to play in the Olympic qualifications, Greece would have very certainly made it to the Tokyo Games.
Thanasis was said to be looking forward to representing his country in the Tokyo Olympics, while Giannis shone in the NBA Finals.
Both were unavailable for the Tokyo Olympics, leaving Kostas Antetokounmpo as Greece’s lone NBA player.
A majority of the lineup (12 players) were from the Greek division, but international stars like Konstantinos Mitoglou (AJX Olimpia Milano). Nick Calathes (FC Barcelona), and Kostas Sloukas (Olympiacos BC) were also included.
Conclusion
Greece’s basketball team fell 91-97 to Canada on Tuesday in the opening game of the FIBA Olympic qualifier. They must now beat China in order to make it to Tokyo.
When Andrew Wiggins hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:44 left in the third quarter, giving Canada a 67-65 lead.
It was the first time they had led since the first quarter of the game in Victoria, British Columbia. Once Canada took the lead, they never let it go.
