The 2025 EuroBasket is approaching, and all participating teams have officially announced their 12-man rosters today.
At the last EuroBasket, Spain’s men’s team climbed to the top of Europe for the fourth time in history, once again enjoying the thrill of standing above all rivals. But three years later, Spain has long since exited the core circle of European basketball power. From the continuously updated power rankings over the past month, Serbia, Germany, and France are seen as the three biggest title contenders this year.
Among them, Serbia stands out as the clear frontrunner.
The reasons Serbia is so highly regarded are many, but above all, it’s because they have the best basketball player on the planet right now—Nikola Jokic.
Last season in the NBA, although Jokic couldn’t lead the Nuggets to another championship, with the team lacking depth—especially on the bench—he elevated his game to an even higher level. His scoring, rebounding, and playmaking numbers were maxed out, and he even developed an astonishing shooting accuracy. It’s fair to say Jokic is at the peak of his career, and this elite form translates seamlessly to international competition.
In fact, at last year’s Paris Olympics, Serbia came close to achieving their championship dream. In the semifinals, they once held a big lead over Team USA, throwing the Americans into despair. But the combined surge of Durant, Curry, and LeBron shattered Serbia’s golden hopes.
This summer, Serbia returns with renewed determination. Judging from their roster and their seriousness toward the competition, their hunger for the EuroBasket title has never been stronger.
Serbia’s 12-man roster not only features Jokic, but also includes NBA players Bogdan Bogdanovic (Clippers), Nikola Jovic (Heat), and Tristan Vukcevic (Wizards, two-way contract). In the backcourt, Vasilije Micic returned to Europe this summer after two seasons in the NBA. Of course, Serbia’s roster decisions weren’t based solely on NBA résumés. Perhaps due to chemistry and locker room dynamics, they ultimately left out Thunder prospect Nikola Topic, with reports suggesting he had an incident where he walked off without high-fiving teammates.
From their warm-up games, Serbia has shown terrifying dominance, winning all seven matches. Looking at the group draw, Serbia is in Group A, where only Turkey poses a real challenge. The relatively easy schedule will help them build momentum step by step.
On paper, Germany looks like Serbia’s toughest rival for the title. In recent years, the two teams have been in direct clashes:
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At the 2023 FIBA World Cup final, Germany beat Serbia to win their first-ever world title.
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A year later, at the Paris Olympic bronze medal game, Serbia—led by Jokic—took revenge, keeping Germany off the podium.
This year’s German roster is once again led by Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder. Unfortunately, Moritz Wagner is out due to injury, and center Isaiah Hartenstein opted to sit out for rest after playing in the NBA Finals. As a result, Germany’s roster depth is weaker compared to Serbia’s.
France is another strong contender. This year’s French team will be without core player Victor Wembanyama and veteran Nicolas Batum. Instead, their 12-man squad is filled with youth. It includes last year’s top draft picks Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, as well as young forward Bilal Coulibaly. Strong, energetic Guerschon Yabusele has been named team captain.
In terms of big-game experience, this new French team is somewhat lacking. But in their warm-up games, they went 5–0. The chemistry, coordination, and role distribution looked excellent—encouraging signs heading into EuroBasket.
Beyond the top three, Luka Dončić’s Slovenia and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece naturally draw attention. However, judging by their warm-up results, both NBA superstars are struggling with the burden of carrying their teams alone.
Slovenia played seven warm-up games but managed only one win. Dončić slimmed down this summer and looks fitter than ever, but the results didn’t match the effort. With the Dragic brothers and other veterans gone, Slovenia lacks reliable support. Even with Luka’s brilliance, it’s difficult for him to lift the team on his own. Based on the warm-up sample, this Slovenia side looks even weaker than they did at the World Cup two years ago.
Greece’s warm-up record was 6–3. Giannis didn’t play every game, but in their final key match against France, he went all-out. Sadly, despite his efforts, Greece lost by 15 points. Giannis was often isolated in one-on-one situations, drawing 14 free throws, but the team as a whole appeared lifeless. Worse, reports surfaced of Giannis slapping a teammate during training—an ugly incident that casts a shadow over Greece’s EuroBasket campaign.
Of course, EuroBasket has always been a stage for dark horses. For example, Lauri Markkanen’s Finland went undefeated in their warm-up games. Lithuania, a traditional powerhouse, went 6–1. Turkey, led by Alperen Şengün, is also ranked higher than Greece in the power rankings. While most eyes are fixed on Serbia, France, and Germany, these teams are quietly sharpening their ambitions—ready to shock the continent when the tournament begins.
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