By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Greek Basketball Federation announced the 22 players that will participate in the training camp of the national team for the 2023 World Cup. As expected, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is included on the list while star guards Nick Calathes and Kostas Sloukas are absent.
The 22-man roster that coach Dimitris Itoudis compiled is as follows:
Kostas Papanikolaou, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Giannoulis Larentzakis, Ioannis Papapetrou, Dimitris Agravanis, George Papagiannis, Michalis Lountzis, Dinos Mitoglou, Lefteris Bochorides, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Dimitris Moraitis, Nikos Chougkaz, George Tsalmpoyris, Vassilis Toliopoulos, Dimitris Flionis, Manos Chatzidakis, Lefteris Mantzoukas, Thomas Walkup and Vangelis Zougris.
Calathes and Sloukas, two longtime members of the Greek national team, opted to skip the World Cup this summer for resting reasons. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s participation is still uncertain after the player underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier in the summer.
Fenerbahce guard Tyler Dorsey is also out following a personal decision of the player. American-born Olympiacos guard Thomas Walkup, who received Greek citizenship in April, is replacing him and is expected to make the final cut for the World Cup.
Greece will begin practices next Monday. The team will begin its preparation games vs. Slovenia in Ljubljana (2/8) and then Athens (4/8), where a special ceremony will be held in honor of Greek legend Nick Galis.
The last games of Greece before the World Cup will take place in Dubai in 18/8 and 19/8 against Team USA and Germany.
Greece will be playing in Group C of the World Cup, facing USA, Jordan and New Zealand. The two top teams will advance to the next round.