By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The most successful European team of the 21st century earned another gold medal in the Eurobasket, proving their supremacy in the last 15 years. What are the top-5 countries in medals during that time?
Spain is by far the best European team having claimed a total of 10 medals since 2001, without taking into account the silver medal in the 1999 Eurobasket, at the end of the previous century.
The generation of Jimenez, De La Fuente, Herreros and Angulo quickly passed on the torch to Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jorge Garbajosa, Jose Calderon, Felipe Reyes, who secured their empire with the help of younger Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez.
Spain was on the podium in all Eurobasket tournaments since 1999, with the exception of 2005 when they finished fourth. Apart from all that, they earned a gold medal in Mundobasket and two silver medals in the Olympic Games, being by far the best team after USA.
Here is the list with Spain’s medals in the last years
2001 Eurobasket Bronze
2003 Eurobasket Silver
2006 Mundobasket Gold
2007 Eurobasket Silver
2008 Olympic Games Silver
2009 Eurobasket Gold
2011 Eurobasket Gold
2012 Olympic Games Silver
2013 Eurobasket Bronze
2015 Eurobasket Gold
What teams have come close to this number of medals?
Lithuania and France have claimed six medals since 2000. This year’s runners-up added in the last 15 years four medals in Eurobasket, one bronze in the Olympic Games (2000) and one bronze in the 2010 Mundobasket. The Blues have also earned four medals in Eurobasket, one silver in the Olympic Games (2000) and one bronze in the 2014 Mundobasket.
Then, Yugoslavia has won four medals, the gold in the 2001 Eurobasket and in the 2002 Mundobasket, the silver in the 2009 Eurobasket and in the 2014 Mundobasket.
Finally, Greece added in the last 15 years a gold medal in the 2005 Eurobasket, a silver in the 2006 Mundobasket and a bronze in the 2009 Eurobasket.