By George Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The new challenging EuroLeague format leaves little time for rest to the players during the season. However, for some, the situation is slightly worse, as they have to play for their national teams instead of recharging for the new season in summer.
Eurohoops has examined the rosters of all EuroLeague teams, in regards to how many of each team’s players will participate to EuroBasket. Our list also includes preselection choices that might not stick with the national teams until the end.
Eurobasket players: 8
Countries: Turkey, Serbia, Italy, Greece
Bobby Dixon, Sinan Guler, Melih Mahmutoglou, Baris Hersek, Marko Guduric, Nikola Kalinic, Gigi Datome, Nicolo Melli and Kostas Sloukas are the 9 players of the reigning EuroLeague champions currently occupied with Eurobasket. (Update: Nikola Kalinic was ultimately cut from Serbia due to injury).
Eurobasket players: 8
Countries: Russia, France, Spain
The core of the Russian NT features lots of CSKA Moscow stars, meaning that the team will have to start working out without many players.
Mikhail Kulagin, Vitaly Fridzon, Nikita Kurbanov, Andrey Vorontsevich, Semen Antonov, Leo Westermann, Nando De Colo and Sergio Rodriguez are preselected by their respective NTs.
Eurobasket players: 7
Countries: Greece, Latvia, France
Just like CSKA, Olympiacos will start without eight players, as Vangelis Mantzaris, Kostas Papanikolaou, Ioannis Papapetrou, George Printezis, Giorgos Bogris, Dimitris Agravanis, Janis Strelnieks, Kim Tillie are all preparing for EuroBasket. (Update: Kim Tillie was the last cut of the French NT)
Barcelona
Eurobasket players: 6
Countries: Spain, France, Finland, Montenegro
Sito Alonso will have to wait until EuroBasket is over so that he can reconstruct Barcelona for the new season, as 6 players are NT bound. These are Juan Carlos Navarro, Pierre Oriola, Thomas Heurtel, Kevin Seraphin, Petteri Koponen, Tyrese Rice.