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So Eurobasket is already in your mind? The Czech team is changing a lot and obviously they will rely on you a lot. "It will be something new again. I'm looking forward to this challenge. It's good to be with the guys we play with on the national team. It's been rebuilt a little bit, we have a new coach and Tomas Satoransky will be there at the same time, who helped me as a mentor when I went to the NBA. Actually, all the coaches in Atlanta were happy that I'll be playing in Eurobasket, that I'm counted on. They believe that it will move me on again if I have a more important role. And I already know that some coaches will come to Riga to see me."
Donatas Urbonas: Top teams to miss the FIBA World Cup 2023: 🇦🇷 Argentina (No. 4 in FIBA ranking) 🇨🇿 Czech Republic (12) 🇵🇱 Poland (14) 🇹🇷 Turkey (16) 🇳🇬 Nigeria (19) 🇹🇳 Tunisia (22) 🇭🇷 Croatia (23)
The Canadians, after a brutal 2019 World Cup that went so poorly they couldn’t qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, hosted the last qualifying opportunity for the 2021 Games last June. Andrew Wiggins (more on him in a minute), Powell, Joseph, Barrett, Dort, and Alexander-Walker were all on the team, but they still lost to the Czech Republic and failed to make it to Tokyo. “People would say to us, ‘Well, how are they gonna beat you? You got a few NBA guys and all that stuff,’” Nurse said. “(The Czechs) have been together like 10 years, they had, had their entire team back from the 2019 World Cup, which finished fifth, and I mean, like, they’re really good and they played together forever.”
Charles Barkley on Victor Wembanyama: 'He looks like he's great, but you really can't tell until he gets to the NBA'
Chuck doubts the French unicorn's potential to dominate the NBA since day one, as Michael Jordan or LeBron James did. "Everybody wants this kid and he looks like he's great, but you really can't tell until he gets to the NBA," Barkley said on Inside the NBA, co-hosted by him, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. Barkley continued his rant after Kenny praised Wembanyama for shooting and dribbling abilities. "I don't agree with all that, I think it's going to be a huge adjustment. The physicality... I think it's more physical than him playing against the Czech Republic," Barkley referred to the last FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers game where Wembanyama led France with an impressive stat line of 22 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 6 blocks, and 34 EFF.
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"I don't know the answer to that," Barkley responded and then talked about the number of players who were compared to Michael Jordan and did not live up to it. "He is the next this, he is the next that. Like, how many people did Michael Jordan kill? We've been for the last 40 years like, 'Well, he is the next Michael Jordan.' And we never had another one. We killed like Howard Miner, Roy Marble, like all these guys. "I want to see the kid [Wembanyama] play, I hope he is great. I can't sit now here just because he is killing people over in the Czech Republic that he is going to come over here and dominate. I just don't believe," Barkley emphasized.
The Czech national team head coach, Ronen Ginzburg, agrees that Giannis Antetokounmpo and the company, whom he lost against tonight, are the front-runners to bring the trophy home. "I think they really have a good chance for that. For sure, they have weaknesses but I think they are a top candidate to take the EuroBasket," Ginzburg spoke at the post-game conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes in second time to lead Greece win
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 23 out of his game-high 27 points in the second half while grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out five assists as Greece survived a tough Czech Republic team 94 – 88 to advance to the 2022 EuroBasket quarterfinals.
Donatas Urbonas: Czech Rep. coach Ronen Ginzburg on FIBA 2019 Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. FIBA 2022 Giannis. "His shot is still so so. But he is an amazing player. Giannis is stronger and is sharing the ball more."
EuroBasket: Tomas Satoransky dished out 17 assists against Greece, the most by any player in a #EuroBasket game since FIBA started collecting this data, back in 1995.
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Dionysis Aravantinos: Lauri Markkanen in Finland's 98-88 win over the Czech Republic: 34 points, 9/20 FG, 13/14 FT, 10 rebounds , 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 34 efficiency, 34 minutes
Containing Nikola Jokic was an impossible challenge for the Czech Republic. Serbia strolled to the win, 81-68, doubling up in EuroBasket’s Group D Saturday. Tallying 11 points, the Joker dominated the first period.
The back-to-back NBA MVP and Denver Nuggets superstar wrapped up his efforts with 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 25 minutes. Anadolu Efes‘ Micic chipped in 13 points and six assists.
The Czech Republic and Tomas Satoransky will wait until the last second, hoping that the leader of the Czech national team will be able to play in Eurobasket 2022 in front of his home crowd. As Michal Sob, the national team manager said to the local press: “It’s a matter still in question. However, rehabilitation is going in the right direction”.
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