2015 Greek Team

[Victorious]

I think Papapetrou, Agravanis and Jankovic will be invited too. After which they will be cut from the team. Katsikaris will only invite 13 candidates which can make the final team.

Katsikaris likes to have three centers on the team. Even last year, when Koufos, Sofo and Mavrokefalidis declined the invitation the Greek coach went for Kavadas and Vouyoukas. Perhaps this was due to the fact that there was a high risk that Kavadas or Vouyoukas would not be able to perform according to expectations.
But if Koufos, Bourousis and Sofo are going to be on the team it may be possible that Kaimakoglou's position can be compromised as well.
Papanikolaou and Perperoglou could play SF, while Printezis and Antekontoumpo could play PF. The Greek freak could really do some damage under the boards, while Perperoglou is a better shooter than Kaimakoglou. If Sofo doesn't come, then Kaimakoglou would be a better option because Greece needs some more toughness.
Also, last year Koufos declined after Spanoulis didn't come. So Spanoulis presence is crucial.

So for me, with a full roster, the guards are set. Only one player which is between brackets will be left out.

Papanikolaou, (Perperoglou)
Printezis, Antekontoumpo (Kaimakoglou)
Koufos, Bourousis, (Sofo) (Mavro)

[Adon]

So for me, with a full roster, the guards are set. Only one player which is between brackets will be left out.

Papanikolaou, (Perperoglou)
Printezis, Antekontoumpo (Kaimakoglou)
Koufos, Bourousis, (Sofo) (Mavro)

Perhaps you mean that two of them will be left out.

I agree that Antetokounbo should play at 4. Being at the perimeter and taking long shots (like he did last year) is a waste. For the European standards, his natural position is in the paint. In that case, Perperoglou becomes more necessary than Kaimakoglou, but I don't believe that Katsikaris is going to leave out of the team a healthy Kaimak.

[Victorious]

Perhaps you mean that two of them will be left out.

I agree that Antetokounbo should play at 4. Being at the perimeter and taking long shots (like he did last year) is a waste. For the European standards, his natural position is in the paint. In that case, Perperoglou becomes more necessary than Kaimakoglou, but I don't believe that Katsikaris is going to leave out of the team a healthy Kaimak.

Maybe he can go with two centers and have Printezis, Kaimakoglou and Antekontoumpo at PF. That's also an option, though somewhat unlikely. In any case, Perperoglou can be a great asset to the team on the SF position, while it's a waste to rely on Antetokoumpo shot at this stage of his career. I think he can function best as a four. That's where his future position will be either way. Papapetrou and Papanikolaou will cover the SF position for the next decade. But for now Perperoglou is in his prime and should play. He is just 30 and should get the opportunity to be part of the team for a couple of more years. The truth is that this team would be complete even without the Greek freak, but it is a certainty that he is going to play.

[Victorious]

Great news. Spanoulis confirmed he wants to be part of the Greek National Team this summer. He said he already spoke to coach Katsikaris and the conversation was positive.

http://www.gazzetta.gr/basketball/article/759097/spanoylis-xekoyrazomaste-kai-meta-ethniki-gtv

[Adon]

Spanoulis and Koufos are the most important additions to last year's team. They can lift the NT one level up. Koufos is not at the same level with Spanoulis of course but -given the weakness we have at centers- perhaps he is even more necessary than him.

[Svoura]

Hello from Athens, newbie here.
Nikos Pappas is out injured, but everyone else should be available. I do not think anyone counts on Sofo any more; I'll be surprised if he gets a call up. And Diamantidis has obviously retired from NT duty.
There usually are some last-second absentees, so let's wait and see.
The good news is, Spanoulis has commited to play. Here's how I believe the team will line up if there are no injuries:

Zisis, Calathes
Spanoulis, Sloukas
Papanikolaou, Antetokounmpo, Perperoglou
Kaimakoglou, Printezis
Bourousis, Koufos, Mavrokefalidis

...which is a seriously strong squad. Mantzaris is a definite contender for a guard spot if Katsikaris chooses to take 5 ball handlers (which I doubt). Papapetrou and Jankovic will round up the initial 16, together with a back-up big guy (probably Agravanis). I do not know what the passport situation witn Zach Auguste is, but I'd love to see him in there too.

[Victorious]

Welcome Svoura. Nice to have you on the forum.
I actually think that Katsikaris will go with 5 guards. Especially since all of them are very high quality guards. Not to mention that last year Katsikaris included Vassiliadis as a fifth guard because of Spanoulis' absence. Mantzaris is especially important because he is also a good defender. Though your line up is interesting.

[Svoura]

Welcome Svoura. Nice to have you on the forum.
I actually think that Katsikaris will go with 5 guards. Especially since all of them are very high quality guards. Not to mention that last year Katsikaris included Vassiliadis as a fifth guard because of Spanoulis' absence. Mantzaris is especially important because he is also a good defender. Though your line up is interesting.

Katsikaris only included 4 ballhandlers last year, and he rarely played Mantzaris. He used a 3-guard rotation with Zisis, Calathes, Sloukas. And none of them was a legitimate 32-mpg player like Spanoulis will be this year. I do not think there are minutes available for a fifth guard, especially with such a strong core quartet.
Fotis will probably save one spot for another big guy, or select a role player like sharpshooter Vassiliadis as his 12th man.

[Italian Pride]

Spanoulis-Koufous could be the best couple of play-pivot;deep team,a lot of experienced players,four or five elite european players!

In my opinion this roster is the best after France,expecially if Marc Gasol won't join national team!

[Victorious]

Katsikaris only included 4 ballhandlers last year, and he rarely played Mantzaris. He used a 3-guard rotation with Zisis, Calathes, Sloukas. And none of them was a legitimate 32-mpg player like Spanoulis will be this year. I do not think there are minutes available for a fifth guard, especially with such a strong core quartet.
Fotis will probably save one spot for another big guy, or select a role player like sharpshooter Vassiliadis as his 12th man.

Doubt he will go for Vassiliadis over Mantzaris. The latter can shoot as good as the former, while he is also a better defender. Mantzaris didn't play that much last year because he wasn't good enough. Though this year he made tremendous progress. So naturally, Spanoulis will substitute Vassiliadis.

Spanoulis-Koufous could be the best couple of play-pivot;deep team,a lot of experienced players,four or five elite european players!

In my opinion this roster is the best after France,expecially if Marc Gasol won't join national team!

Roster wise perhaps. But we have to see how players will glue in the tournament.

[Svoura]

Personally, I look forward to the Spanoulis-Antetokounmpo axis.
Giannis will make a lot of noise even with Calathes/Sloukas passing him the ball back door.

[Adon]

Personally, I look forward to the Spanoulis-Antetokounmpo axis.
Giannis will make a lot of noise even with Calathes/Sloukas passing him the ball back door.

I hope that Giannis will have a different and more important role this year. The guy has unique abilities and I don't feel that Katsikaris managed to exploit his potential last year. As we have already seen, this NT tries to play a much faster game than its predecessors and Giannis is (could be) the fastest power forward in Eurobasket 2015. Not only he can run like a sprinter but he can move the ball like a good guard. Under the basket, I expect that he will take a lot of alley-oops and follow up dunks, as long as he doesn't grub along away of the paint.
Btw welcome to the forum Svoura

[Oly_fan]

If Koufos does join the team, then we should go with Bourousis and him at the 5. Without Perperoglou, we're risking not having any spacing. I remember last year Antetokounmpo and Papanikolaou making 1 3p shot in all the tournament, that's why we need Kaimakoglou and Perperoglou. We can play with 2 pfs for a while if needed, no harm.

About 10 of the 12 players will be good to excellent passers. This will be the team's strength. Last year we played really well if you exclude the Serbia game (in which they were excellent, even their less important players like Kalinic), this year we should be better.

[Victorious]

I came across this artice. And it would seem that Antetokoumpo was asked by Katsikaris to be ready for a role on the PF position.

As I stated before, it makes perfect sense. Papanikolaou and Perperoglou are solid SF's and they have worked together successfully at Olympiacos.

In this line of thought the question remains whether Katsikaris will go for Kaimakoglou or a fifth guard like Mantzaris.

[Khalid80]

If only Papagiannis was a few years older and more developed I think this Greek NT would be a truly formidable one (especially since it's not certain yet whether Koufos will join the NT or not)...