Share This Article
Plenty of stars are set to play at the upcoming EuroBasket 2022, but a few big names are still missing.
EuroBasket 2022 is just around the corner. Some of the NBA’s top stars will be competing on European courts over the next two and a half weeks.
However, several players will miss out. Either through injury, as they have decided to miss the national team games this summer, or even in one case because they have been told they are not fit enough. There will be a tone of action to cover their absence in an ideal world. They will also be part of the party; some of them are still trying to resist, like the Czech Republic’s Tomas Satoransky. But there will be no EuroBasket 2022 for the next ten players.
Danilo Gallinari – Italy
One of the two most disappointing absences. Gallinari missed a chance to play for Italy. Not only in his home country but also in his hometown of Milan. In addition, due to injuries, “Galo” will miss the fourth EuroBasket in his career after 2007, 2013, and 2017. His message after the news is clear about his disappointment. The entire nation was betting on him to have a tournament to remember.
Bogdan Bogdanovic – Serbia
The only good thing about Bogdanovic’s absence is that it is already considered old news. Plus, Serbia remains a contender for a medal even without him. Still, Bogdanovic was the leader of his national team back in 2017, when nobody believed Serbia would make it. Eventually, he led his team to silverware. Given the circumstances, if Bogdanovic were on the court, no one would have dared to believe that the “Eagles” would lose the gold.
Toko Shengelia – Georgia
Practically identical case as Gallinari. The leader of Georgia lost the chance to play EuroBasket in front of his fans. “From the day it was announced that EuroBasket will be held in my house, there is probably not a single day that I haven’t thought about this event. My every move has been directed towards ensuring that I am ready to participate in these games and live up to your expectations. But in sports, along with many other good times, these moments happen quite often.” What else can you add to this message?
Sergio Lull – Spain
Lull missed the start of Spain’s training camp due to injury. Therefore, it didn’t turn heads when it was announced that he was finally out of EuroBasket. Still, in this version of Spain’s squad, having a veteran leader like Lull would be crucial. But because he is 34, the only question at this point is whether he will be healthy enough to finish his illustrious career with the national team at next year’s World Cup or the Paris Olympics.
Ricky Rubio – Spain
Missing out on Lull is a big blow. However, not having Ricky Rubio at this point is a bigger blow for Spain. Rubio led Spain to gold at the 2019 FIBA โโWorld Cup. Moreover, he is the de facto leader of the Spanish national team. He will continue to make the team for the foreseeable future, as he is only 31 years old and still has some good tournaments. Of course, he’s been out since last December. So, everyone was betting that he wouldn’t be able to play at EuroBasket 2022.
Nikola Vucevic – Montenegro
One of the world’s top centers took a break from national team competitions this year. In a way, it makes sense. Vucevic has played for Montenegro in 2011, EuroBasket 2013, EuroBasket 2017, and FIBA โโWorld Cup 2019. He was on the team’s initial extended roster, so many expected him to suit up again. National team. That wasn’t the case this summer, but his time off is well-deserved given his continued presence on the national team. Plus, Montenegro only qualified for EuroBasket after Russia was banned from the competition due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Paolo Banchero – Italy
The hope for a great future in Italian basketball, the first pick of the 2022 NBA draft, and a player who will give us a lot in the future. That’s the outlook, at least according to most Italian basketball observers. Banchero is eligible to play for Italy and is expected to do so, and EuroBasket 2022 could be his golden opportunity. It didn’t end that way, and the fact that he was the top pick in the draft didn’t help the Italian FA’s case of having him this summer.
Mo Wagner – Germany
Another player who missed EuroBasket 2022 due to injury, Wagner, is the future of the German national team and his brother. Playing at home, especially in Berlin, where he was born and raised, is devastating. The only silver lining is that he is only 25 years old, so he has plenty of tournaments ahead of him. As for the Germans, they still have a strong frontline and are preparing for the worst-case scenario of losing not only Mo Wagner but also Daniel Theis to injury.
Victor Vembaniyama – France
The world’s greatest NBA prospect has decided to skip this tournament with the blessing of the doctors of the French Federation. Like Banchero, he is just getting started, so he has many more FIBA tournaments to come. In addition, the French national team has an excellent front line, so even if he was, the question is whether he would be needed this summer or get significant minutes on the court. Yet everyone was dying to see him compete at this level.
Milos Teodosic – Serbia
Milos Teodosic, the captain of the Serbian national team, an artist on the court, and the ultimate bohemian. If you love basketball, you can’t help but love it. A unique player who left his mark on the Serbian national team under the late great Duda Ivkovic was injured by Svetislav Pesic, who justified his decision. Still, it was a shock, and it remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old Teodosic will get another chance to compete for the national team, which has won three silver medals at EuroBasket (2009), FIBA โโWorld Cup (2014), and the Olympics (2016).