Dates EuroBasket 2025: from August 27 to September 14, tournament spread between Riga, Katowice, Tampere, and Limassol. Jokic, Doncic, Antetokounmpo, and a rejuvenated France promise a dense, open, and electric tournament. Who will impose their law in a format with no margin, where every possession counts? Between established favorites and ambitious outsiders, the 2025 edition promises to reveal the European hierarchies.
EuroBasket 2025: a top-tier lineup
From August 27 to September 14, 2025, EuroBasket is shared between Riga, Katowice, Tampere, and Limassol. Exceptional lineup: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Franz Wagner, Alperen Şengün, Kristaps Porziņģis, Lauri Markkanen. Spain is restarting a cycle. Additionally, Serbia advances as a favorite. Furthermore, Greece, Germany, Slovenia, and France are vying for the podium. Tight schedule, short format, no weak moments.
References: EuroBasket 2025; FIBA.
France, less flashy, more compact
Deprived of several stars (Victor Wembanyama, Evan Fournier, Mathias Lessort), the Blues are reinventing themselves. Guerschon Yabusele (29 years old), captain, frames the youth and embodies responsibility on both sides of the court. Frédéric Fauthoux has locked in a simple grammar: defensive density, shared responsibilities, short and sharp attacks.
Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1 of the 2024 Draft) is given an entry role. A lanky forward, active on passing lanes, he must space the game and punish in series. Around him, Isaïa Cordinier, Bilal Coulibaly, Théo Maledon, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Élie Okobo form a mobile perimeter. In Group D, EuroBasket 2025 Group D: France-Slovenia conditions the path; the 1st place would open up a more breathable bracket in the round of 16.
Bios: Guerschon Yabusele, Zaccharie Risacher, French Team.
The keys to a FIBA tournament
The FIBA game is not the NBA: spacing is shorter, help arrives faster, contact is more tolerated. The offense must multiply cuts and angle screens. Then, it must vary high post/low post entries. Finally, it is essential to take care of inbounds after timeouts. Foul management becomes central: in a tight tournament, an interior player troubled early changes the balance of a team.
Depth will make the difference. Benches capable of aligning 8-9 useful contributors widen the gap upon resumption. Finally, defensive transition remains the boundary between ambition and disillusionment: against Giannis, a second lost often equals two points.
Matches and hierarchies on edge
From the group stage, the balance wavers: Serbia-Turkey in Riga, Finland driven by the fever of Tampere, Latvia under siege, France-Slovenia as a revealer. The focus will be less on demonstration than on mastery of the ordinary: secured defensive rebound, contained turnovers, execution after timeout. It is often there that the future champion is found.
The headliners, short version
Nikola Jokic (Serbia) 30 years old, triple MVP. Conductor pivot of the Denver Nuggets, he transforms each possession into a geometry equation. In FIBA, where help arrives early, his one-handed pass and step-back shot are antidotes. Surrounded by Bogdan Bogdanovic and Vasilije Micić, he offers Serbia a rare performance floor. Bio: Jokic.
Luka Doncic (Slovenia) 26 years old, slimmed silhouette, intact sense of tempo. Master of the pick-and-roll, he punishes every help with a hidden pass or step-back. With a less deep group, his influence must be total to relive the thrill of 2017. The danger is constant as soon as he dribbles. Bio: Doncic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) Double MVP (2019, 2020), threat in transition, deterrent at the rim. If the outside shot aligns and the rebound is secured, Greece can aim for the final night. His energy puts pressure on referees and opponents from the first to the last quarter. Bio: Antetokounmpo.
Franz Wagner (Germany) 24 years old, cold reading, long first step. He attacks the close-out, finishes with both hands, defends three positions. Alongside Dennis Schröder, he gives Germany, world champion 2023, a high-end balance. Serious candidate for the final four. Bio: Wagner.
Alperen Şengün (Turkey). 23 years old, creator pivot. Back to the basket, feints, diagonal vision: the comparison with Jokic is no longer an easy compliment. If Turkish guards ensure accuracy, Turkey can shake up the hierarchies in Riga. Bio: Şengün.
Kristaps Porziņģis (Latvia). 2.18 m, long-range shot, deterrent block. At home, he changes the geometry of the court: the pick-and-pop opens the axis, rim protection calms his team. If health holds, Riga can dream. Bio: Porziņģis.
Lauri Markkanen (Finland). Calm-looking scorer, he lights up in series and cleans the defensive rebound. In the national team, his volume rises even more: the Finnish Pride is in full swing in Tampere. Declared candidate for the top scorer title. Bio: Markkanen.
Guerschon Yabusele (France). Captain, emotional and technical relay. Corner shot, short-roll play, defense on the opposing power forward: his versatility reassures. His tournament will tell how far France can go without several totems. Bio: Yabusele.
Dennis Schröder (Germany). Tournament leader par excellence: speed, tight pick-and-roll, sense of the moment. MVP of the 2023 World Cup, he closes games and holds the defense for 28-30 real minutes. Bio: Schröder.
Willy Hernangómez (Spain). Interior anchor point, sure hands, touch near the rim. In a transitioning Spain, he stabilizes the half-court game and guarantees clean points. Bio: W. Hernangómez.
Jordan Loyd (Poland). Naturalization validated, closer profile. Euroleague scorer, he loves crunch time and enhances screen setters. For a Poland at home in Katowice, he is a differentiator. Bio: Loyd.
Deni Avdija (Israel). Long-striding forward, accurate pass, right-hand finish. Coming off a full season: in FIBA, his wingspan weighs on passing lanes. Israel aims for the round of 16 with him as the spearhead. Bio: Avdija.
Jonas Valančiūnas (Lithuania). Hard screens, protective rebound, right-hand hook. On tight nights, he sets the offense, draws fouls, and imposes the tempo. Lithuania thus maintains a foundation. Bio: Valančiūnas.
Simone Fontecchio (Italy). Sharp forward, off-ball movement, shot off the screen. If he strings together 3-pointers, Italy gains a degree of incandescence. His composure often makes the difference. Bio: Fontecchio.
Zaccharie Risacher (France). 19 years old, length and discipline. Capable of igniting a quarter with two steals and a corner shot, he must tame the senior tempo. A foundational tournament awaits him. Bio: Risacher.
What EuroBasket 2025 promises
A title to conquer, not to defend. Serbia appears a notch ahead, Germany, Greece, Spain, Slovenia follow closely. France, Latvia, and Turkey hold the fuse for the upset. The champion will be the one who masters the ordinary before taming the extraordinary: one night Luka, another Jokic, then the Giannis whirlwind. 2025 promises this and more.