In the middle of the table in the last FIBA forecastswith a list full of important absences, after a preparation in which more effective and has been closed with five losses in six games, with two 19 -year -old pure bases, with problems in the generation of play, with little capacity to manufacture their own shots, with an obvious physical deficit with respect to many selections, against rivals that look mega stars of the NBA … There are plenty of reasons to think that this time not, that the selection will not go too far in this Eurobasket that starts this Wednesdayalthough she will premiere a day later.
There is only one reason to believe and it seems more an act of faith than anything else: and we talk about Spain. That team turned into the pattern of the impossible. A Judas Tadeo in basketball version. So many times they have told the selection in recent years that he was not going to get it, that there was no possibility … she won her, conquered A gold in the Eurobasket of 2015 that already had a lot of epic. The 2022 is considered one of the greatest epics in the history of continental basketball. And now, in 2025 …
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Yes, it sounds like chimera. It does not seem realistic to think about a fifth continental inks for Close the glorious was by Sergio Scariolo, who says goodbye to the bench of the National Team after the championship To set up to Real Madrid. “We will try to do it well for us and also for Sergio. Being able to live his last tournament is a luck,” says Xabi López-Aróstegui.
We will have to check if, as in the past, The technician's preset tricks and that eternal competitive genre of the players They allow Spain to contradict the forecasts and rub shoulders with the elite. The round of 16 seeks the minimum enforceable. Lengthen up to 12 the streak of consecutive European semifinals would already be a capital action.
New era on the track and then on the bench
When the tournament will start a new era on the bench. In the template it has already begun. Sergio Llull's international withdrawal leaves the team without the last member of the 2009 Eurobasket champion team, the first one who won the Spanish Federation in what was the premiere of Scariolo. Three five years later, the weight in the costume and on the track they take it now The Hernangómez brotherswho share captaincy, and Saints Alfamathe only NBA player of a team that a few years ago was truffled with them.
They were the times of Ñba, when Spain went to the championships with gold in mind and high forecasts. It is tenth in the last forecast made by FIBA. And it seems reasonable that there is a good handful of selections ahead. The Serbia of Nikola Jokic, a unanimous favorite: a beastial potential, a group that is known by memory and a 7-0 in the preparation, including posidates to other applicants.
The Serbian basketball selection poses in the official photo session of the Eurobasket.
The world champion German atlex Mmbrú. Rocking German machinery well greased with Franz Wagner and Dennis Schroder. Renovated and always muscular France that threatens despite being an orphan of Victor Wembanyama, Vincent Poirier, Rudy Gobert, Mathias Lessort, Evan Fournier…
Those are considered the three main podium candidates. Behind, selections that have a star whose presence multiplies their options. This is the case of Giannis Antetokounmpo Greece, rival of Spain on the last day of the first phase, the Slovenia of a Luka Doncic that arrives at the best physical moment of his career and La Finlandia de un Lauri Markkanen that mutates when he plays for his country. Without international championship next summer beyond FIBA windows, many NBAs have not wanted to lose the Eurobasket.
Without average: a hell or a 3-0 start
The ball gets into play this Wednesday in Riga (Latvia), which will host the final phase of the Eurobasket, and Tampere (Finland)where groups A and B are disputed, respectively. For Spain, the tournament begins this Thursday against Georgia (14.00 Spanish time). Given the selection calendar, an already transcendental meeting. The second appointment is before Bosnia and Herzegovina, who arrives without Dzanan Musaand the third in front of the weak host Cyprus. There is no middle term: Losing one of them can turn the group into hell and stand with 3-0 would invite dreaming of the leadership Waiting for duels with Italy and Greecein which the first places would be decided.
After, The crosswalk would be with Group D, where France, Slovenia, Poland, Israel, Belgium and Iceland are. The leadership would allow, in principle and if logic prevails, avoid the first two and Spain circulated along a better paved road at the crossings. They are still cabal, like those that place Spain so far from the head. In the impossible tournament, it is time to fight again to destroy all the omens and predictions.
