EuroBasket 2022: who to watch and how to watch
The European Basketball Championship has returned after a five year break due to covid and the tournament is bigger and better than ever.
EuroBasket is back and bigger than ever! After a five year hiatus, the top international competition in Europe has returned and it’s packed full of the world’s biggest stars.
Spain vs. Bulgaria tipped off tourney on Thursday
Tip off to the tournament was Thursday morning E.T. when Spain defeated Bulgaria to officially commence the three-week tournament. The top teams on the continent will be squaring up as some of the best hoopers on planet earth will take the stage in this late summer International tournament.
European basketball has taken over the spotlight in the NBA. Since the last edition of EuroBasket in 2018, the MVP award has been dominated by two Europeans. Giannis Antetokounmpo won it in 2019 and 2020, while Nikola Jokic has been crowned the league’s Most Valuable Player for each of the last two years.
Giannis, the Antetokounmpo’s and the Greek National side are one of the favorites to win it all this year. Nikola Jokic and Serbia are looking to retake their dominance on the old content, and that have a squad full of studs including back-to-back Euroleague champion, and former MVP Vasilije Micic.
Doncic looking for a repeat
It’s not just the MVP’s that will showcase their talent over the next few weeks. Luka Doncic is suiting up for his national team, defending champions Slovenia. The three-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year is one of the headlines names in the tournament, and in the NBA. They won their first matchup against Eastern European giants Lithuania on Thursday.
The French national team has a ton of familiar faces from the NBA, mixed with some stars of the in the Euroleague. France won silver in the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, and are now looking to add hardware to their trophy case. Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier headline another one of the favorites to take home the title.
Lithuania has always been a power house in Europe, and Domantas Sabonis will try to get the national team to heights his dad Arvydas Sabonis took them as young nation that broke off from the USSR.
Spain is an aging team that is in the midst of a passing of the torch, but veteran Rudy Fernandez will try to carry the team on his shoulders after his club teammate Sergio Llull will miss the tournament with an abductor injury.
How and where to watch
The action is already underway from a handful of venues. The tournament will be scattered throughout the continent as Berlin and Cologne will be host cities in Germany, Milan, Italy will be another host city along with Prague in the Czech Republic and finally Tbilisi in Georgia.
It may be a bit of a reach to go and watch the games in Europe, but you can watch all the action on ESPN+ or EuroBasket’s streaming service Courtside 1891.