FIBA EuroBasket 2025 tiers: Can anybody match Serbia?

FIBA EuroBasket 2025 gets underway Wednesday, as 24 nations kick off group play across host cities in Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia. Click here to view the schedule and results.

Nikola Jokic and Serbia are the favorites to win EuroBasket 2025, although several other continental powers are expected to challenge the Balkan basketball giants. Here's a look at how we view the various teams:

Undisputed favorites

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1995, 1997, 2001)
• Current NBA players: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards)

Serbia, which competed as Yugoslavia in its three gold-medal victories, enters EuroBasket as the bookmakers' favorite, thanks to a star-studded roster led by three-time NBA MVP Jokic and international competition buzzsaw Bogdanovic. Svetislav Pesic's side is the top-seeded team and will look to be one of four to advance from a relatively easy Group A, which includes Latvia and Turkiye.

Fun fact: A tearful Jokic sprayed himself and his horse, Demon Dell'Est, with champagne after winning a harness race this summer in Subotica, Serbia.

Legit contenders

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1993)
• Current NBA players: Franz Wagner (Magic), Dennis Schroder (Kings), Tristan Da Silva (Magic)

Germany has been on a roll lately, following up a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2022 with gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Olympics. Die Mannschaft will be the class of Group B, with Wagner and Schroder expected to lead the way, though it's a shame Real Madrid sharpshooter David Kramer will miss out due to injury.

Fun fact: Schroder's first athletic pursuit before basketball was skateboarding. Proof is in the pudding: This is a remarkably steezy kickflip.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (2013)
• Current NBA players: Bilal Coulibaly (Wizards), Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Guerschon Yabusele (Knicks)

France bulldozed its way through qualifiers and summer exhibitions undefeated, though Les Bleus enter EuroBasket without key pieces. Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, and Mathias Lessort were ruled out before the tournament, and now 7-footer Vincent Poirier - the country's most experienced player - is sidelined, leaving the frontcourt thin. This is Yabusele's team now.

Fun fact: The first basketball game in Europe took place in Paris in 1893 on a court modeled after the one where James Naismith first invented the sport.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (2009, 2011, 2015, 2022)
• Current NBA players: Santi Aldama (Grizzlies)

Based on a rich pedigree highlighted by seven podium finishes in the last seven EuroBaskets, including a gold medal in 2022, Spain earns this tier on reputation alone. However, the once-mighty La Roja are trending in the wrong direction following back-to-back losses to a shorthanded France and a shock defeat against their neighbors, Portugal, in Malaga, a result that will be hard to forget.

Fun fact: Forward Juancho Hernangomez played fictional Spanish street-baller Bo Cruz in Adam Sandler's 2022 film "Hustle."

On the fringes

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1935)
• Current NBA players: Kristaps Porzingis (Hawks)

Latvia might be the most entertaining team at EuroBasket if its summer tuneups are any indication. The squad plays at a fast pace, scores a lot, and now has a healthy Porzingis again. Despite earning an automatic berth for hosting Group A and the entire knockout round in Riga, Latvia went a perfect six for six in qualifiers. Under no circumstances should this team be taken lightly.

Fun fact: In 1510, Riga unveiled the world's first decorated Christmas tree, but Estonia disputes the claim. They meet in a Group B clash on Aug. 29.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1937, 1939, 2003)
• Current NBA players: Jonas Valanciunas (Nuggets)

Valanciunas is again the main man for Lithuania, with Domantas Sabonis and Matas Buzelis set to miss out. After three podiums between 2003 and 2015, Lithuania slumped to a 15th-place finish in 2022. However, there's reason to believe this could be its year following convincing victories in August over Slovenia, Latvia, Georgia, and Turkiye.

Fun fact: A cash-strapped Lithuania wore Grateful Dead-themed tie-dyed apparel at the 1992 Olympics, inspired by a donation from the jam band.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (2017)
• Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)

Contrary to what Nico Harrison might think, any team with Doncic stands a chance, and the Slovenian icon appears to be showing no signs of injury after picking up a knee contusion in a mid-August contest against Latvia. The 2017 winners will also take confidence from a fortuitous Group D draw where, on paper, France amounts to the only elite opponent.

Fun fact: For the first time since 2005 (a run of 12 straight major tourneys), Slovenia's roster will not feature a Dragic (brothers Goran and Zoran).

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1987, 2005)
• Current NBA players: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)

Antetokounmpo missed Greece's first four friendlies in August due to an insurance issue, and the islanders went 2-2 over that span. While it's hardly a fair sample size, all it took was the first nine minutes of his return against Latvia to remind us just how dangerous Greece is with the two-time NBA MVP on the team. A 16-year absence from the podium could be nearing its end.

Fun fact: Greece's win at EuroBasket 1987 was the country's first-ever major international title. Ask your Portuguese neighbour how UEFA Euro 2004 went.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Gold (1983, 1999)
• Current NBA players: Simone Fontecchio (Heat), Saliou Niang (Cavs)

If we're basing this tournament on aesthetics alone, Italy takes the cake for these jerseys. The Azzurri are also in red-hot form, winning four straight in August, all by double digits, including a 16-point victory over Latvia. This squad is on the rise, with Fontecchio, Niang, Momo Diouf, and Gabriele Procida all in their 20s. Time to send Danilo Gallinari out with a bang.

Fun fact: Gallinari was one of five basketball players portrayed as sushi created in their likeness by a Japanese restaurant in Milan in 2016.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Silver (2001)
• Current NBA players: Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Adem Bona (76ers)

Sengun leads a team featuring familiar names like Furkan Korkmaz, Cedi Osman, Shane Larkin, Omer Yurtseven, and Bona. Turkiye has participated in every EuroBasket since 1991, but it's only made it past the quarterfinals once during that span. It also lost to Italy and Iceland in the final two qualifiers. Still, there's enough star power on the roster to go on a run.

Fun fact: Guard Sehmus Hazer is from Batman, a province in southeast Turkiye. It has no affiliation with the Caped Crusader of the same name.

Party spoilers

• Best EuroBasket finish: 13th (2013, 2017)
• Current NBA players: Nikola Vucevic (Bulls)

Montenegro will compete in its third straight EuroBasket and fifth in the last six editions, but this one could have a special feel to it as national hero Vucevic prepares to retire from international competition. This summer, Montenegro held Greece to 69 points and dropped 102 on Bosnia and Herzegovina, hinting that some solid two-way play could be enough to progress beyond the Round of 16.

Fun fact: Vucevic played at USC alongside Percy Miller, son of famous New Orleans rapper and entrepreneur Master P. Make 'em say ugh, na nah na nah.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 6th (1967)
• Current NBA players: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)

Home teams have generally fared well at EuroBasket, and Finland will hope that trend continues as it hosts Group B in Tampere - a group that includes Germany, Lithuania, and three squads that enter the tournament with major question marks. The Wolf Pack are led by Utah Jazz star Markkanen, who posted 48- and 42-point performances in August tuneup wins over Belgium and Poland. It's giving dark-horse vibes.

Fun fact: Tampere is famous for Mustamakkara, a pork sausage made with pig's blood, crushed rye, and flour, which is eaten with lingonberry jam. Yum.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 11th (2011)
• Current NBA players: Goga Bitadze (Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Raptors)

Magic big Bitadze, Toronto Raptors newcomer Mamukelashvili, and long-serving international Tornike Shengalia lead Georgia into its sixth EuroBasket tournament. The appearance will be Shengalia's fourth in the competition after he missed the 2013 and 2022 tourneys due to injury. Georgia went 3-3 in qualifiers, including a pair of wins over Finland.

Fun fact: Guard Kamar Baldwin obtained Georgian citizenship in 2024. The ex-Butler standout was born in the Atlanta suburb of Winder. This guy loves Georgia.

• Best EuroBasket finish: Silver (1979)
• Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Blazers), Ben Saraf (Nets)

Israel has just one medal to show for its 30 previous EuroBasket attempts. Still, a tidy 5-1 record in qualifiers paired with the emergence of Avdija and a reliable supporting cast could signal an uptick in fortune. Former Boston Celtics draft pick Yam Madar, Seton Hall product Khadeen Carrington, and Brooklyn Nets newcomer Saraf should also play prominent roles.

Fun fact: Khadeen's father, Reynold Carrington, was a former professional footballer and has 41 international caps for Trinidad & Tobago.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 8th (1993)
• Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)

Bosnia and Herzegovina have only reached the top eight at EuroBasket once - in their first appearance in 1993. Nurkic remains the heart and soul of this team, having been the core piece of the side that earned two wins in group-stage play in 2022 but narrowly missed the knockout stage due to losing the head-to-head tiebreaker to Lithuania.

Fun fact: Nurkic had a peculiar intro to life in the U.S. upon his first visit for the 2014 draft. "My very first day, some guy asked me if I wanted drugs."

It could be worse

• Best EuroBasket finish: Silver (1963)
• Current NBA players: None

After a surprise fourth-place finish at EuroBasket 2022, Igor Milicic's well-organized Poland squad will host Group D play in Katowice. Mateusz Ponitka, who showcased his versatility by averaging 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 2022, will be the leading man for The Eagles, with San Antonio Spurs guard Jeremy Sochan sidelined by a calf injury.

Fun fact: Former Polish international and ex-NBA veteran Marcin Gortat's father, Janusz, won bronze medals in boxing at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 7th (2015)
• Current NBA players: None

Czechia has faced challenges in replicating the basketball successes of pre-dissolution Czechoslovakia. This time, star player and former sixth overall pick Jan Vesely is out. Czechia also shares a group with Serbia, Latvia, and Turkiye, meaning a fourth-place finish and a narrow escape are the goals, especially after a dire summer blemished by a double-digit defeat to lowly Great Britain.

Fun fact: Czechia topped the world in annual per capita beer consumption for the 30th consecutive year, with the average person throwing back 118.5 litres.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 4th (1947)
• Current NBA players: None

NBAers Toumani Camara and Ajay Mitchell won't be competing for their homeland at EuroBasket 2025, and with former Alabama All-SEC first-team selection Retin Obasohan missing out due to injury, Belgium's expectations are tempered. The side performed decently in the qualifiers, beating Spain once and losing by a five-point margin in two defeats against Latvia.

Fun fact: Iconic indigo comic heroes "The Smurfs" are from Belgium. Also, Belgian street vendors claim to have invented fries in 1680. Take that, France.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 5th (1937, 1939)
• Current NBA players: None

Estonia finds itself in a challenging Group A alongside Serbia, Latvia, and Turkiye, so progressing to the Round of 16 will be a tough task. But it's all part of the process for a nation hosting the next EuroBasket in 2029. Center Maik-Kalev Kotsar is Estonia's most reliable standout after averaging 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in qualifiers.

Fun fact: Estonia was the first country to offer online voting in elections, and its capital, Tallinn, is home to the world's oldest pharmacy (1422).

• Best EuroBasket finish: 12th (1969, 1983)
• Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)

Following a 12-year hiatus, Sweden returns to the continent's premier basketball showcase. Miami Heat shooting guard Larsson is the focal point of a team with realistic expectations following a 3-3 record in qualifiers that included an overtime win over Macedonia and a shock one-point victory over a makeshift Germany side in Stockholm.

Fun fact: Former Arizona Wildcats star and current Miami Heat assistant Miles Simon was the first Swedish-born player to be drafted into the NBA.

Just happy to be here

• Best EuroBasket finish: 13th (2009, 2011, 2013)
• Current NBA players:

A collection of some of England's, Scotland's, and Wales' best players will fly the Union Jack into the continental competition in hopes of bettering a last-place finish at EuroBasket 2022. Great Britain has yet to advance past the group stage in its five previous appearances. London-born former Iowa Hawkeye center Gabe Olaseni is the team's marquee player and defensive anchor.

Fun fact: Current Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch coached Great Britain from 2006-13. Not sure how fun that is, but it's certainly a fact.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 24th (2015, 2017)
• Current NBA players: None

Iceland is hoping the third time is the charm, as the postage stamp Nordic nation prepares for a third EuroBasket foray. It qualified by virtue of beating Turkiye 83-71 to claim second place in Group B ahead of Turkiye and Hungary. Nicknamed "Strakarnir okkar" (Our Boys), Iceland went 0-and-5 in its two previous EuroBasket tournaments.

Fun fact: Because of its unique climate, Iceland is one of the few places on Earth that doesn't have mosquitoes. The country also has 32 active volcanoes.

• Best EuroBasket finish: 9th (2007)
• Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)

After failing to qualify for the last four continental tournaments, Portugal secured a spot at EuroBasket 2025 by finishing third in a four-team qualifying group, behind Israel and Slovenia and ahead of Ukraine. Celtics center Queta is both the first Portuguese player selected in the NBA draft and the first to play in the league.

Fun fact: Portugal's all-time leading scorer at EuroBasket, Joao Santos, earned his Master of Science and now works in IT, per his LinkedIn profile.

• Best EuroBasket finish: None
• Current NBA players: None

Cyprus, the third-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, will make its EuroBasket debut as the tournament's lowest-ranked team. The country received an automatic berth as a co-host after Limassol was selected to hold group-stage games. Despite the guaranteed entry, Cyprus still participated in qualifiers, losing its two fixtures in 2025 by a combined 83 points.

Fun fact: Cyprus was the first nation to include the shape of its country on its flag. The island is also reportedly home to more cats than people. Meow.