Greatest Eurobasket teams for each country.

[usagre2]

Not counting defunct Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, here are my best teams for each country that has won a Eurobasket medal in the last 30 years.

Spain 2011

I also considered '09 and '15 champs but I think '11 had its best players probably at their best. Arguably the first or second best non USA team of all time in my opinion.

Serbia 1995

'97 and '01 champs got consideration but like '11 Spain in the argument for best European team of all time.
Dominated in '95-'96 against excellent competition with only loss coming to USA in '96 Olympics in a good game for 30 minutes.

France 2013

I took them since they won it all but one can argue 2011 team that ran into Spanish juggernaut or 2015 team that also got eliminated by Spain were stronger.

Croatia 1995

Loaded team that won bronze in the best Eurobasket field of all time. No other real competition.

Greece 1989

I took this edition over the championship teams of '87 and '05 in a very tough call. Can't go wrong with any of the three but '89 was better than '87 because Galis was still Galis and Fasoulas and Christodoulou were a little older and closer to their prime. Also semifinal defeat of defending Olympic champion Soviet Union at just about full strength is extremely impressive more so than '87 team home court accomplishments. Also hard to penalize them for getting beat by Yugoslavia one of the handful of greatest European teams of all time on their home court. That Yugoslavia team was on a mission to destroy everyone in that tournament and capture a gold medal for the first time in a major event in almost a decade.

Turkey. 2001

Runner up with no other competition.

Germany 2005

I'll take this runner up over the '93 champion because of prime Dirk and the fact that the '93 field was weak.

Italy 1999

1997 also considered but I'll go with the Champ.

Russia. 2007

2011 also considered but I'll go with the Champ.

Lithuania 1995

My toughest call since the '03 champion was deeper but I'll take the top heavy runner up who could have easily won its tournament.

 

[madmax2]

I pretty much agree with all of your picks apart from the Lithuania one - the '03 team simply played a flawless offensive basketball and was filled with deadly shooters all still being in their prime at that time (Jasikevicius, Siskauskas, Macijauskas, Stomberbas). One could easily argue that '04 team which beat US squad and should have realistically won Olympic gold too if not for the disastrous semi against Italy was even better, since it had all those same players but with just more experience under their belt.

 

[usagre2]

I pretty much agree with all of your picks apart from the Lithuania one - the '03 team simply played a flawless offensive basketball and was filled with deadly shooters all still being in their prime at that time (Jasikevicius, Siskauskas, Macijauskas, Stomberbas). One could easily argue that '04 team which beat US squad and should have realistically won Olympic gold too if not for the disastrous semi against Italy was even better, since it had all those same players but with just more experience under their belt.

You're probably right but I just couldn't not pick a team with the two greatest Lithuanians of all time.

 

[Srle2]

For Serbia teams from 2001 and 2001 are on pair with the great mid 90's teams . That team in 2001 was so dominant I don't think they played close game at the tournament.

 

[Modis2]

I pretty much agree with all of your picks apart from the Lithuania one - the '03 team simply played a flawless offensive basketball and was filled with deadly shooters all still being in their prime at that time (Jasikevicius, Siskauskas, Macijauskas, Stomberbas). One could easily argue that '04 team which beat US squad and should have realistically won Olympic gold too if not for the disastrous semi against Italy was even better, since it had all those same players but with just more experience under their belt.

I'd choose 2003 Lithuanian team is well. From 2003 onwards up until 2007 there was endless of upcoming talent and in my opinion this generation played in a stronger international basketball era to.

 

[Alvertis42]

Croatia is such a shame that lost Drazen in 1993... Would have been one of the best teams ever. Can't disagree with your Greece choice, either.
I also agree with the others on the 2003 Lithuania.

 

[Mindozas6]

Lithuania 1999 was a bit of a mix of 1995 and 2003. I mean Sabas + one of the best European players of that time Karnisovas + one of the best bigs in Europe Einikis + rising Jasikevicius + Zalgiris players who just won EL including Stombergas, E.Zukauskas, M.Zukauskas, who all played important role in 2003 too. That team had it all to win Eurobasket, after a tough start, we got better and better, played amazing, on our road beat the upcoming champs Italy easily, but then 1/4 vs Spain happened.. what, how, why it's hard to explain even now. Sabas fouled-out in just 15mins or so, none could stop Herreros, majority of players looked shadow of themselves, probably psychological issues hit us, don't know, but it was surely the chances wasted by one of the most talented teams we ever had. Atleast we didn't collapse and made it to Sydney Olympics

 

[softice2]

Yugoslavia 1989 **RIP** Totally dominate whole tournament
Drazen Petrovic
Dino Radja
Vlade Divac
Toni Kukoc
Zarko Paspalie
Jure Zdovc
Stoiko Vrancovic
No reason to say more names

 

[usagre2]

Yugoslavia 1989 **RIP** Totally dominate whole tournament
Drazen Petrovic
Dino Radja
Vlade Divac
Toni Kukoc
Zarko Paspalie
Jure Zdovc
Stoiko Vrancovic
No reason to say more names

Just two more, Danilovic and Cutura. For the most part they played nine guys in that tournament.

 

[raph2]

France 2003 team was probably the best in our history. Young underachievers, but the best (Sonko - Moiso - Abdul-Wahad - Parker - Foirest - Diaw - F. Pietrus - Digbeu - Foirest - Julian - Turiaf +rp's)

 

[Srle2]

Croatia is such a shame that lost Drazen in 1993... Would have been one of the best teams ever. Can't disagree with your Greece choice, either.
I also agree with the others on the 2003 Lithuania.

They are lucky Serbia was under UN sanction at that time , they would have played zero finals if we were around in 1992

 

[raph2]

Luck had nothing to do with this

 

[Mindozas6]

They are lucky Serbia was under UN sanction at that time , they would have played zero finals if we were around in 1992

Weren't Croatian players the main force of Yugoslavian team back in 1989/1990/1991? Closest years to 1992 Olympics. I mean Drazen, Kukoc, Radja of course here. Besides them there were Komazec, Perasovic, who weren't playin' the last roles in Yugo team. Maybe I forgot someone else. Of course Serbia, as always, had big pool of talent, but really wouldn't go thus far as sayin' that Croatia wouldn't be in a single final during these days Actually, I'd probably favor little bit Croats with Drazen

 

[usagre2]

Weren't Croatian players the main force of Yugoslavian team back in 1989/1990/1991? Closest years to 1992 Olympics. I mean Drazen, Kukoc, Radja of course here. Besides them there were Komazec, Perasovic, who weren't playin' the last roles in Yugo team. Maybe I forgot someone else. Of course Serbia, as always, had big pool of talent, but really wouldn't go thus far as sayin' that Croatia wouldn't be in a single final during these days Actually, I'd probably favor little bit Croats with Drazen

I agree. It's close but I would favor Croatia '92 over a potential Serbia '92 team.
I like Petrovic, Kukoc, Radja (at the top of their games) , Vrankovic, Komazec, and Perasovic over Djordjevic, Danilovic, Vlade, Zarko, Savic and a very young Bodiroga. If it was a 7 game series I would take Croatia in 6 or 7.

 

[miloje2]

They are lucky Serbia was under UN sanction at that time , they would have played zero finals if we were around in 1992

yeah right

 

[Terrorizer2]

Weird no one even mentioned Russian team from the 90s. We haven't win neither Eurobasket nor World Championship back then but we were often extremely close. Among Eurobasket ones I'll go with the 97 team (almost the same team eliminated USA and lost just two points against similarly mighty Yugoslavia in WC finals in 1998). Karasyov, Babkov, Kudelin, Fetisov, Panov, Mikhailov, Kisurin - all in their prime. Plus some help from Pashutin bros and Vitalik Nosov. It was a great team though it only finished third. The team from 1993 (silver medals in both Eurobasket, where we dramatically, in a famous Russian choking manner, lost against hosts Germany, and WC-1994) is close but I like 97 more. The third among these is 2011 version. 2007, a champion one, was much, much weaker, as strange as it may sound. But in 2007 we realized whichever potential we had to the fullest, playing very confidently all tournament long, and this is a feat many more talented and much more deep Russian national teams couldn't achieve (back in the 90s we were may be the ultimate underachiever of European basketball - I mean, so many podium finishes but not even one title). Yet 2011 was just great: maybe, our deepest team in quite a period, no one, not even Kirilenko played 30+ minutes in this team and it was full of quality - Kirilenko, Mozgov, Fridzon, Khryapa, Monya, Vorontsevich, Bykov, young and not as retarded and egoistical as he is now Shved... And this team played a good basketball - both defensive-oriented and very much assist-focused, with great ball movement and varied offensive schemes. It's very disheartening that after London Olympics (third place was a disappointment since we have it all to win against Spain and play US in Olympic finals... but Russian choking made it impossible once again) the team was destroyed 'from above'. All the shit in federation, CSKA crooks running wild, and in a blink of an eye we went from a European powerhouse to the Europe's laughing stock. The saddest thing is that youth basketball also took a deep blow during these years and now, with all the recent humiliations at the youth level (like U-20 team relegated to Division B and being unable to return for two years in a row), we are reaping what Vatutin&Ivanov&Kuschenko gang sow in those dark years of Russian basketball.

Later I'll write what I think were the best teams in 1990s - 2010s from the non-Russian NTs. From the top of my head some mid-00s Spanish squad and early 00s (pre-Parker) French ones are very worthy of mention. Late 90s - early 00s Yugoslavia also. Greece 05 with some stretch.

 

[Srle2]

yeah right

Yeah right, Serbia had a better depth and all around better teams , star power was on our side, you had only three true European stars on that roster in 1992 in Drazen, Kukoc and Radja, while Serbia had Divac, Bodiroga, Danilovic ,Savic, Rebraca,Paspalj,Tomasevic, Obradovic , we had our stars in and out missing tournaments , playing with the injuries in the 90's and we were still winning championships , our teams form 2001 and 2002 would easily take out your 1992 team, Croatia and Germany were so lucky to have those brief successes in the 90's .

 

[CoachZ2]

Yeah right, Serbia had a better depth and all around better teams , star power was on our side, you had only three true European stars on that roster in 1992 in Drazen, Kukoc and Radja, while Serbia had Divac, Bodiroga, Danilovic ,Savic, Rebraca,Paspalj,Tomasevic, Obradovic , we had our stars in and out missing tournaments , playing with the injuries in the 90's and we were still winning championships , our teams form 2001 and 2002 would easily take out your 1992 team, Croatia and Germany were so lucky to have those brief successes in the 90's .

You are not realistic. The question was not about a decade but rather a specific team. Like 1992 Croatia vs 1992 Serbia. It would've been a crazy game I would love to see. At that time Bodiroga was a kid, Rebraca, Tomasevic kids as well, Obradovic as well. It would've been a duel of Prime Drazen (28), Prime Radja (25), Prime Kukoc (24), Prime Vrankovic (28) vs Prime Djordjevic (25), Upcoming Danilovic (22), Prime Divac (24), Prime Paspalj (26), Prime Savic (26). Everybody else was role players.

Only a few years later that Croatia team was not a real challenge for us, since they lost Drazen, Radja started getting injured and Bulls turned Kukoc into a stretch 4 So yeah in 1995 or any later years, this was not an issue. BUT in 1992, that would've been a crazy, crazy game. So much firepower on both sides. I think our roster was a bit more team oriented for sure, but they had a scoring edge for sure. Defensively it's a toss up.

Coaching wise, I think we would've had an advantage there.

A nice clash of different philosophies. We would'be had more team oriented game, they would've had a more of a brute scoring presence