“Giannis came and made a gesture, came to me, and said exactly that (Their similarities due to their discrimination background). You know that we represent the country, I for Germany, he for Greece, who got his first medal as well for Greece, nothing but respect for him… We’re doing exactly the same thing [on the international level], but what he does in the NBA is a little bit on a different level,” Dennis Schroder said at the post-game press conference.

While making a comparison, the German player seized the opportunity to praise Giannis’ remarkable skills. The Greek star has solidified his status as one of the NBA‘s top foreign talents, capturing not just one championship but also earning two MVP awards. Dennis did not hesitate to acknowledge Antetokounmpo’s impressive achievements.

Their day-to-day lives in the NBA may not be similar, but at the international level, Dennis Schroder boasts a substantial advantage. With Germany, he claimed gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and 2025 EuroBasket, and he also secured a bronze at the 2022 EuroBasket. These achievements reflect his international legacy, a stark contrast to Giannis’ accomplishments with Greece, whose greatest success is the recent a bronze medal at the 2025 EuroBasket.

Dennis Schroder praises NBA legend after joining all-time EuroLeague list

After clinching the 2025 EuroLeague MVP award, Dennis Schroder earned his place among the elite, becoming only the third German to achieve this honor. He follows in the footsteps of Chris Welp (1993) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005), both legends with storied careers. Rather than focusing on his burgeoning legacy, the Kings star chose to acknowledge the national team’s success and credit a legendary figure for their achievements.

“Dirk is a guy who changed basketball for all the big guys. So, at the end of the day, I’m Dennis Schroder, and everybody got their own legacy… Dirk, what he’s been doing for the German national team and what he’s done in the NBA and in the national team made us come to the national team and represent our country,” Dennis Schroder said, as reported by BasketNews.

In the showdown between Slovenia and Belgium, Luka Doncic delivered a masterful performance that not only highlighted his statistical prowess but also secured his place in the EuroBasket‘s lore. The Lakers star dazzled with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, becoming just the fourth player to achieve a triple-double in tournament history, as announced by FIBA on its X profile.

With this feat, the Los Angeles Lakers star joins a select group that includes Mateusz Ponitka, Andrei Mandache, and Toni Kukoc. Doncic’s performance underscores his determination to consistently return to top form, as he eyes both an NBA championship with his franchise and a EuroBasket title, ending an eight-year drought for Slovenia.

How is Luka Doncic performing for Slovenia at EuroBasket 2025?

Following an impressive physical transformation, Luka Doncic has excelled for Slovenia at EuroBasket 2025. Over three games, the Lakers star has emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with an average of 33 points per game. His influence extends beyond scoring, as he also leads in assists with 9.7 per game. While not the leading rebounder, Doncic’s solid average of 7.3 rebounds per game highlights his well-rounded performance.

The most exciting news for Lakers fans is not just Luka Doncic’s offensive performance—it is his defensive contribution as well. Unlike in previous seasons, he has become one of Slovenia’s standout players on defense. Because of this, NBA fans are now eager to see if he can maintain that intensity in Los Angeles. If he manages to repeat it, it could potentially catapult him as a top contender for the MVP award.

Despite being one of the standout stars in the tournament, Luka Doncic’ team still has not locked in a spot in the Round of 16 at EuroBasket 2025, having secured victory in just one of its three games. Nevertheless, Slovenia remain hopeful as they approach their next opportunities to advance. They face Iceland on September 2, followed by a crucial matchup against Israel on September 4.

In an interview with Cosmote TV, Antetokounmpo discussed the possibility of representing the Greece National Team at the 2025 EuroBasket, set to take place this summer. “If I am healthy, I will be there,” he confirmed, expressing optimism about his team’s chances: “We will do our best.”

The 30-year-old power forward also expressed confidence in Greece’s ability to compete on the international stage. “Coach Vassilis Spanoulis will create a good team, and we will put in the effort,” he explained. “Coach pushed me to get out of my comfort zone, he was always keeping me alert and he affected the way I approach the game.”

As a leader for the Greek National Team, Giannis emphasized his commitment to continuous improvement. “My goal is to improve every year,” he said. Reflecting on past accomplishments, he recalled a key moment: “That’s how we beat Croatia with my mid-range shot,” referring to Greece’s 89-85 victory over Croatia in the first round of EuroBasket 2022.

Antetokounmpo’s commitment to Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a fixture for Greece in major international tournaments. He has represented his country in three FIBA World Cups, including the 2019 edition, where he made history as the first reigning NBA MVP to compete in the event. Additionally, he has participated in two EuroBasket tournaments and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Reflecting on his past EuroBasket experiences, Antetokounmpo shared his thoughts on Greece’s quarterfinal exit in 2022. “I thought we could have won a medal two years ago in EuroBasket, but we ran into Germany twice, which is a great team,” he said. Interestingly, Greece was again eliminated at the same stage of the tournament, facing the same opponents, in the 2024 Olympics.

A memorable Olympic moment for Giannis

Despite the team’s less-than-ideal results, Antetokounmpo holds a special place in his heart for his first Olympic experience. He was chosen as the flagbearer for the Greek National Team for the Paris 2024 Olympics, a distinction that he called a tremendous honor.

“What are the chances for a kid, born in Sepolia, to Nigerian parents who were illegal immigrants to be the first person to open the ceremony? 0.000001% maybe?” he pondered. He then shared a touching personal memory from that day: “I swear to you that I didn’t know my mother was there, somehow she managed to get down to the river bank and she made a sound that I can hear from everywhere and suddenly I saw her. I was like, ‘Hi mom!’”

In an interview with Le Progres, Jean-Pierre Hunckler, president of the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), confirmed that Wembanyama had committed to representing France at EuroBasket 2025. The tournament is scheduled to take place from August 27 to September 14 across Latvia, Cyprus, Finland, and Poland.

“He assured me that, barring any physical issues, he will be there for EuroBasket 2025,” Hunckler said, emphasizing that the only potential obstacle would be an unforeseen injury or other uncontrollable circumstance. Absent that, Wembanyama will be a key figure in the tournament.

The FFBB president further praised Wembanyama’s dedication to French basketball, acknowledging the star’s sense of responsibility and commitment, even amid the rigorous demands of an NBA season. “The luck we have is that he is a young man with a good head and who thinks about French basketball and its development,” Hunckler added.

Wembanyama’s dedication to France

Victor’s confirmation to the French Federation comes a few months after he first addressed his intentions publicly. In late 2024, Wembanyama, like other NBA stars such as Luka Doncic, expressed his desire to participate in EuroBasket 2025.

“It’s clearly my goal to play for the French team every summer,” Wemby said in an interview with L’Equipe. “There’s always time to play for the French team… You just have to sacrifice a bit of your physical preparation for the season after.”

Wembanyama’s international track record

Should Wembanyama remain healthy and follow through on his commitment to EuroBasket 2025, it will mark his second major international tournament appearance. He missed EuroBasket 2022 due to injury and opted out of the 2023 FIBA World Cup to focus on his NBA rookie season with the Spurs.

His first major international tournament came during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he played a pivotal role in leading France to the final. Although the team fell to the United States, Wembanyama’s contributions were undeniable, as he averaged 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across six games en route to the silver medal.

In an interview with Sport24.gr after the NBA Cup Final, Antetokounmpo expressed his eagerness to compete in the EuroBasket 2025. “I’m excited and hope to be healthy to compete. I really want to be there,” he shared.

The European tournament is scheduled to take place from August 27 to September 14 across four host nations: Latvia, Cyprus, Finland, and Poland. While those host countries and a few others have already qualified, Greece has yet to secure its spot. They currently lead Group F with three wins and one loss, leaving them one step away from qualification. Their fate could be determined in February when they face the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

The Bucks star tempered expectations, though, recognizing the time still remaining before the tournament. “EuroBasket is still far off… so I don’t want to say much,” he explained. “I want to focus on actions, not words. Let’s get healthy, regroup, and then do something great… I’m a guy who speaks on the court.”

High hopes for Greece

Despite his caution, Antetokounmpo conveyed his belief in the Greek national team’s potential. “We have an incredible group, all winners. We know what we need to do – now let’s go do it on the court,” he said confidently.

Reflecting on Greece’s recent performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in the quarterfinals, Antetokounmpo emphasized the team’s determination. “We gave more than 100%. Nobody expected us to even be there,” he recalled. ”We faced a great team full of NBA players with no weaknesses. We could’ve played smarter, maybe committed a few more transition fouls, and the outcome might’ve been different.”

NBA stars eye EuroBasket 2025

Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t the only NBA star eager to compete in EuroBasket 2025. San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama recently announced his intention to represent France, following Luka Doncic’s lead, who expressed his desire to play for Slovenia.

As the tournament approaches and qualifiers continue, more NBA players are likely to declare their participation, promising to elevate the competition’s level. With the potential presence of stars like Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, and Doncic, EuroBasket 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent history.

The European basketball tournament started with 33 listed NBA Players for sixteen different countries. However, as the group stage ended, the list was shorten. Then, as the tournament progressed, the list came down to an eight-player list who are right now playing for three different countries.

In fact, Poland are the only team who don’t have any NBA players. All of their 12-man roster includes players from all over Europe. However, right now there aren’t Polish players in the best league in the world.

Which NBA players are still playing at the 2022 Eurobasket?

As surprising as its sounds, the only team who still is fighting for the Eurobasket title, but don’t have any NBA players in it, arePoland. In fact, the Polish teamwho’s composed by a 12-man roster, eliminatedLuka Doncic, and the Slovenian team. In fact, Slovenia had two other NBA players in their roster. These players are Goran Dragic of the Chicago Bulls, and Vlatko Cancar of the Denver Nuggets.

As for the other three teams, France are stack with NBA players in their roster. France have four NBA players includingRudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Theo Maledon of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Evan Fournier of the New York Knicks, and Timothe Luwaku-Cabarrot of the Atlanta Hawks.

Spain are in the semifinals with NBA players, too. In fact, the Hernangomez brothers Willy and Juancho are in the Spaniard team. Willy is playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, and Juancho belongs to the Denver Nuggets.

Last, Germany are in the semifinals with two NBA Players. At least one who has a team, which is the 21-year-old Franz Wagner, who plays for the Orlando Magic. And, Dennis Schroderis listed as a Houston Rockets player. However, he currently doesn’t have a team to return after this competition.