Eurobasket 2007 rosters

[Genjuro]

Spain:

PG:
- José Manuel Calderón*
- Sergio Rodríguez*
- Carlos Cabezas*
- Raül López
- Ricky Rubio

SG:
- Juan Carlos Navarro*
- Rudy Fernández*
- Berni Rodríguez*
- Fernando San Emeterio

SF:
- Carlos Jiménez*
- Alex Mumbru*
- Sergi Vidal

PF/C:
- Pau Gasol*
- Jorge Garbajosa*
- Felipe Reyes*
- Marc Gasol*
- Fran Vázquez
- Jordi Trías
- Iker Iturbe

*These guys were already in the World Championships. We shouldn't expect many changes, and actually the list could end up being identical if Garbajosa recovers on time for the Eurobasket.

PG: Calderón is a lock. Sergio very likely. Cabezas is possible. López is playing at a great level; still he somehow duplicates Sergio Rodríguez's role, and his injury history is concerning. Rubio as the third PG would make the most sense given that he provides something completely different from Calderón and Rodríguez, but he's too young and won't go. Also there's the likely possibility that only two PGs are called, particularly since the coach might want 5 inside players now that Garbajosa is injured. In that case it would be Calderón plus Sergio (the most likely) or Raül López.

SG: Navarro and Rudy Fernández are locks for the NT. Berni Rodríguez is likely, has played a very good season, he's a nice teammate and useful off the bench. San Emeterio has to be considered after his excellent campaign with Akasvayu Girona, but I think Pepu will opt to keep the group. Again, the coach might also opt for calling only two SGs.

SF: Jiménez and Mumbru are almost locks for the NT. Unless the coach wants to go small in the roster and sacrifizes Mumbru, there's little room for speculation here.

PF/C: Pau Gasol, Felipe Reyes and Marc Gasol are locks. Garbajosa will be too if he recovers on time. If he's healthy, still another inside player could be called just in case, with Vázquez or Trías as the most likely choices. If Garbajosa doesn't come back, Iturbe emerges as another possibility, as he has experience with the NT and he's a very solid three-point shooter from the PF position, somehow replicating Garbajosa's role. However, Pepu might prefer to revamp the team's style and just go with the best players at this point, again Trías and Vázquez.

[Billy]

The first nominations to the Swedish mens nationalteam:

PG Olivie Ilunga - 08 Stockholm HR
PG Mats Levin - Ignis Castelletto Ticino
PG Rudy Mbemba - Skyliners Frankfurt
PG Kenny Grant - Nantes
SG Mikael Lindquist - 08 Stockholm HR
SG Jim Nyström - Rhöndorf
SG Serkan Inan - Alpella
SG Henrik Carlsson - Sundsvall Dragons
SF Jonas Jerebko - Plannja
SF Olouma Nnamaka - Carrife Ferrara
F Jonathan Skjöldebrandt - Södertälje Kings
F Christian Maråker - CAI Zaragosa
F Brice Massamba - Warren Walker Prep
F Martin Ringström - Vichy
F Fredrik Jönzén - CB Huelva
F John Rosendahl - Plannja
F/C Joakim Blom - 08 Stockholm HR
F/C Joakim Kjellbom - Sundsvall Dragons

A brief look at the team tells me that we (as usual) lacks size underneath the basket. As John Pettersson-Rosendahl has declined an invite it is even more evident although I think his departure can be dealt with.
Maciej Lampe (F,C) would have been very usefull for Sweden, as would Damir Markota (F).
Im surprised to see that Tomas Massamba (g) has not been called up as he is a useful defender and a decent spot up shooter (besides being black and thereby, in my opinion, bringing Markoishvili one step closer to a KKK meeting) although we have quite a bit of depth in the back court.
Dimitris Charitopoulos (F) would have been a very nice addition with his height, size and tenacity.
Also, as this is a first gathering I would have liked to see Jeffery Taylor Jr (SG) and Sean Smith (F) as well as Jonathan Robinson (F, C)and Andreas Schreiber (C) called upon -just to get a first feel for what it will be like in the future.

Finally, I hope Jonathan Skjöldebrandt receives an invite and decides to represent Israel -its afterall the country who helped develope him to the player he is today.
I aslo have a strong suspicion that among the players who will be cut are Henrik Carlsson (his qualities can be replaced) and Serkan Inan (although his height at the SG position can be a nice change from what Mikael Lindqvist and Jim Nyström can offer.
Perhaps Jonas Jerebko will be cut as well (Sweden has a fair amount of players who can play the SF) but outside of Oluoma Nnamaka there is none with height enough to cover tall SGs. That will be an interesting decison on Flevarakis part.
I think Brice Massamba, although promising, is too inexperienced to make it as well.

On a personal sidenote, I find it nice to see that 7/18 players representing the Swedish NT has atleast one parent with a foreign passport -although I hope one in the selection decides to play for another country.

By the way, does anyone (Germans maybe) know when Christoffer Anrins doping ban will be lifted and perhaps even where he is playing/practicing at the moment?

[TB-Fan]

SG Serkan Inan - Alpella

http://www.tbl.org.tr/beko/oyuncu.asp?Kod=3255

doesn't look like a player with future.

[Trifilli]

Dimitris Charitopoulos (F) would have been a very nice addition with his height, size and tenacity.

Charitopoulos already played for Greece in a youth competition in 2002, so I guess that he's no option for Sweden.

By the way, does anyone (Germans maybe) know when Christoffer Anrins doping ban will be lifted and perhaps even where he is playing/practicing at the moment?

Anrin was only banned for 6 months (March 2006) and then continued his career with the Scottish Rocks, a club with close connections to the Giessen 46ers (Giessen just signed Rocks coach Thorsten Leibenath as their new headcoach - Leibenath already worked for the 46ers before, met Anrin there and brought him to the Rocks). I think that Anrin also had some sort of injury over there though and didn't play that much therefore.

[Buducnost PG]

Charitopoulos already played for Greece in a youth competition in 2002, so I guess that he's no option for Sweden.

If this was on a U16 EC then he still have the right to play for another country.

[Trifilli]

If this was on a U16 EC then he still have the right to play for another country.

It was the U20 EC in 2002, where he won the Gold with Greece (role player), together with players like Nikos Zisis and Vassilis Spanoulis.

[rikhardur]

No Portuguese preliminary roster yet, but this is the definitive team I think should go:

Guards: Miguel Minhava, Filipe da Silva, Diogo Carreira
Fowards: Nuno Marçal, João Gomes, Sérgio Ramos, Paulo Cunha, João Santos
Centres: Élvis Évora, Jorge Coelho, Francisco Jordão, Miguel Miranda

[PHILIPeurobasket]

Polish NT and his wide roster:

Wiktor Grudziński, Andrzej Pluta (Anwil Włocławek)
Dawid Witos (AZS Koszalin)
Mateusz Jarmakowicz (Benetton Treviso)
Bartosz Diduszko, Radosław Hyży, Marcin Stefański (Śląsk Wrocław)
Tomasz Kęsicki (Bipop - C Reggio Emilia)
Kordian Korytek (BK Prostejov)
Michał Ignerski (Caja San Fernando)
Krzysztof Szubarga (Sportino Inowrocław)
Maciej Lampe (Khimki Moskwa)
Łukasz Koszarek, Krzysztof Roszyk (BOT Turów Zgorzelec)
Szymon Szewczyk (Legea Scafati)
Robert Skibniewski (Polpak Świecie)
Kamil Pietras (Postojna)
Flipi Dylewicz, Jeff Nordgaard, Adam Wójcik (Prokom Trefl Sopot)
Marcin Gortat (Rheinenergie Kolonia)
Paweł Kikowski (Kotwica Kołobrzeg)
Cezary Trybański (Tulsa 66ers)
Bartosz Sarzało (Unia Tarnów)
Michał Chyliński (Unicaja Malaga)

Coach: Andrej Urlep

[Billy]

It was the U20 EC in 2002, where he won the Gold with Greece (role player), together with players like Nikos Zisis and Vassilis Spanoulis.

I did not know that, all I remember is that he took some part in a youth NT camp in Sweden when he was younger.

Given that, with the loss of Markota to Croatia, Lampe to Poland, Charitopoulos to Greece and that PG who blew out his knee to Turkey, Sweden has lost 4/5ths of the countrys potential future starting 5 to other countries.

I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

It does not taste well.

I have seen a thread about different countries potential youth talents but with this track record I will abstain from writing down the youth talent in Sweden -atleast until after this summer when they have represented Sweden and the likelihood of them representing the country in the future is far greater.

And we have a big one, maybe (probably?) one of the biggest in Europe.

Anrin was only banned for 6 months (March 2006) and then continued his career with the Scottish Rocks, a club with close connections to the Giessen 46ers (Giessen just signed Rocks coach Thorsten Leibenath as their new headcoach - Leibenath already worked for the 46ers before, met Anrin there and brought him to the Rocks). I think that Anrin also had some sort of injury over there though and didn't play that much therefore.

Thanks for the info, do you have any idea what kind of injury it was and if he is cleared to play in the BBL again (more harsh punishments in the BBL?).
What would you say are the odds of seeing him suiting up for Giessen again?

Too bad he is so one dimensional, he was a pretty gifted player before going to Providence.

[Buducnost PG]

Given that, with the loss of Markota to Croatia, Lampe to Poland, Charitopoulos to Greece and that PG who blew out his knee to Turkey, Sweden has lost 4/5ths of the countrys potential future starting 5 to other countries.

Why do you say that Sweden has lost these players? Do you realy expected that Markota or Lampe would play for Sweden? Markota (then Omerhodzic) went to Croatia with 14 again and learn the main stuff there. He is also not born in Sweden.

[Billy]

Why do you say that Sweden has lost these players? Do you realy expected that Markota or Lampe would play for Sweden? Markota (then Omerhodzic) went to Croatia with 14 again and learn the main stuff there. He is also not born in Sweden.

I would have liked them to play for the country that taught them to play basketball.

Lampe had, as far as I know, never taken part in an organized practice in his entire friggin life before commiting to the Polish youth NT.

Never.

They both, along with that PG who was supposed to play for Turkey, played for the same local youth team in Stockholm.
I wonder what the odds are of local neighbourhood team in Sweden -ever- to amass that much talent again.

And yes, I definitely think that a NT should be a reflection of a countrys ability to develope talent. Not claim them by some ancestral roots whatever that may be.

He is also not born in Sweden.

Point being?

[rikhardur]

The Portuguese preliminary roster has been revealed (in brackets the number of caps):

G - Filipe da Silva - CAB Madeira (48)
G - Miguel Minhava - Benfica (17)
G - João Figueiredo - Lusitânia (0)
G - Mário Fernandes - Balneario de Archena (0)
G - Paulo Simão - Belenenses (99)
F - Paulo Cunha - FC Porto (45)
F - Sérgio Ramos - Palma Aqua Mágica (78)
F - Carlos Andrade - Benfica (32)
F - João Gomes - Barreirense (8)
F - João Santos - Valladolid (53)
F - Nuno Marçal - FC Porto (65)
C - Francisco Jordão - Petro de Luanda (58)
C - Miguel Miranda - Ovarense (37)
C - Élvis Évora - Ovarense (78)
C - Jorge Coelho - FC Porto (39)
C - Nuno Cortez - Ovarense (5)

Coach: Valentyn Melnychuk

[Trifilli]

I did not know that, all I remember is that he took some part in a youth NT camp in Sweden when he was younger.

Do you know when he played in Sweden (because I actually didn't know until you told me in another thread)? From what I know he was born in Alexandria (northern Greece) and played there for the local team Alexandria Imathias from 1996 - 2001. Then he played one season for GS Siatistas (northern Greece as well), until he joined Aris in 2002. So I guess that he must've played in Sweden before 1996, I wouldn't really call that a loss for Sweden, as he must've left Sweden again as 12/13 year old the latest, I wouldn't be surprised if most people over there didn't even knew about this kid any more. Greece didn't call him up until he was 19 and already playing for Aris, so there would've been enough time for Sweden to call him up before - my guess is that he was just too young when he left Sweden and nobody remembered him (like I said, I don't know when he left Sweden). Or did he take part in a swedish youth Camp at a later time?

Thanks for the info, do you have any idea what kind of injury it was and if he is cleared to play in the BBL again (more harsh punishments in the BBL?).
What would you say are the odds of seeing him suiting up for Giessen again?

Too bad he is so one dimensional, he was a pretty gifted player before going to Providence.

I think it was some kind of knee injury, but don't quote me on that. He's cleared to play in the BBL since one year already (the BBL doping ban was a 6 months ban) and depending on his physical status (injury?) the chance that he might come back to Giessen should be there (despite the fact that he never was more than a role player there), given that his coach at the Scottish Rocks - Thorsten Leibenath - now coaches the 46ers.

[Billy]

Do you know when he played in Sweden (because I actually didn't know until you told me in another thread)? From what I know he was born in Alexandria (northern Greece) and played there for the local team Alexandria Imathias from 1996 - 2001. Then he played one season for GS Siatistas (northern Greece as well), until he joined Aris in 2002.

He was actually on the Malbas active roster the last season they had a license to partake (barely) in the Swedish Basketball league and that was the season of 2003-2004. I could be wrong here but Im 99% certain I am not.

He could have been on loan though, I remember he disappeared from it after Christmas of that season.
There is a strong case for some sort of co-operation betweeen Aris and MalBas of sorts as Costas Baltatzis (sp?) held (holds?) a position in MalBas.

So I guess that he must've played in Sweden before 1996, I wouldn't really call that a loss for Sweden, as he must've left Sweden again as 12/13 year old the latest, I wouldn't be surprised if most people over there didn't even knew about this kid any more. Greece didn't call him up until he was 19 and already playing for Aris, so there would've been enough time for Sweden to call him up before - my guess is that he was just too young when he left Sweden and nobody remembered him (like I said, I don't know when he left Sweden). Or did he take part in a swedish youth Camp at a later time?

He was called upon for the tryouts of the all regional team (first step towards a youth NT) the year he turned 15 so that must have been in -98 and he was definitely playing in Sweden for MalBas at that time (they only call players living in that region).


The fact that he has, if I am not completely out with the fairies, been traveling like a madman between Sweden/Malmö and Greece makes no sense unless he still has family in Sweden. Is one of his parents Swedish or what was the reason he lived in Sweden otherwise (I know it was not for the climate)?

I think it was some kind of knee injury, but don't quote me on that. He's cleared to play in the BBL since one year already (the BBL doping ban was a 6 months ban) and depending on his physical status (injury?) the chance that he might come back to Giessen should be there (despite the fact that he never was more than a role player there), given that his coach at the Scottish Rocks - Thorsten Leibenath - now coaches the 46ers.

Thanks for the info, with risk of going even further OT, I´d like to link to the thread I have started at the German page.

reason for editing: fixed a quotation and added the part with Costas Baltatzis

[Trifilli]

He was actually on the Malbas active roster the last season they had a license to partake (barely) in the Swedish Basketball league and that was the season of 2003-2004. I could be wrong here but Im 99% certain I am not.

He could have been on loan though, I remember he disappeared from it after Christmas of that season.
There is a strong case for some sort of co-operation betweeen Aris and MalBas of sorts as Costas Baltatzis (sp?) held (holds?) a position in MalBas.

Well, he definately was on Aris pro team roster during the 2003-2004 season (as in 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006) and also played some games for them. He didn't play much during that season, but I also found him as DNP on statsheets a few times, so that doesn't leave much time where he could've been loaned to Malbas, maybe the first few games, I don't know.

He was called upon for the tryouts of the all regional team (first step towards a youth NT) the year he turned 15 so that must have been in -98 and he was definitely playing in Sweden for MalBas at that time (they only call players living in that region).


The fact that he has, if I am not completely out with the fairies, been traveling like a madman between Sweden/Malmö and Greece makes no sense unless he still has family in Sweden. Is one of his parents Swedish or what was the reason he lived in Sweden otherwise (I know it was not for the climate)?

I don't have an idea what connection he has to Sweden, until you mentioned it I had no idea that there even was one. Sadly I couldn't find out anything more about this. All I know is that he was born in Alexandria/Greece and is said to have played for Alexandrias local team from 1996 to 2001 (when he is said to have moved to the local team from Siatista for one year, before joining Aris). Maybe he has family connections to Sweden and also spent some time there (summer holidays are pretty long in Greece and he might've played in Sweden during that time?)? I really have no other explanation than that, otherwise my information is wrong.
All I know for a fact is that he played for Aris since 2002 (until this seasonm when he moved to PAOK) and won the U20 EC Gold with Greece in the very same year.