Why You Should be Excited for Eurobasket 2022
Why You Should be Excited for Eurobasket 2022
Image Source: FreeImages
Table of Contents
Why You Should be Excited for Eurobasket 2022
Basketball is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe. The continent produced some of the greatest players in the history of the sport, including NBA legends like Drazen Petrovic and Toni Kuko^^as. In recent years, European basketball showed its potential once again when EuroBasket 2021 exceeded all expectations and sold out within 48 hours after tickets went on sale.
With that amazing reaction from fans, it’s not surprising that the European Basketball Federation (EBC) announced recently a second edition of EuroBasket 2021 in Blue Lagoon Arena in Iceland. After a successful first edition, it’s now time to look forward to EuroBasket 2022 with anticipation. Here is why you should be excited for Eurobasket 2022 as well!
A Bigger, Bolder and Better EuroBasket 2021
EuroBasket 2021 was a huge success for the European basketball community, with fans traveling from all over Europe to support their national teams. The tournament was held at Laugardalsvöllur Arena in Reykjavik, Iceland from August 8 to August 19, 2021.
After a successful first edition, it’s now time to look forward to EuroBasket 2022 with anticipation. With that in mind, the EBC hopes to make this EuroBasket even bigger and bolder. The EBC is expecting a total of up to 3,000 players and staff, 10,000 volunteers and 250,000 spectators during the 16-day tournament. Preliminary plans are that the host country will be changed this time around.
The Wave of Young European Talent
EuroBasket 2021 was a great opportunity to see some of the best and brightest young European talent compete on the international stage. The host nation, Iceland, showcased some incredibly talented players and even managed to advance to the quarterfinals.
Additionally, some of the best young players in Europe were selected for the World Select Team, including Luka Doncic, who was named MVP of the tournament, and Trae Young. The majority of the players who participated in EuroBasket 2021 are under 25 years of age, which means they will be even better when EuroBasket 2022 rolls around. Some of the top young players to look for are France’s J-Terrence Jones, Norway’s E.J. Jefferson, and Lithuania’s K. Jonas Valanciunas.
A New Format and New Host City
EuroBasket 2021 was the first time the tournament was held outside of the Iberian Peninsula, and it was a big success. Now, it’s time to take things one step further by changing the format of the tournament. The new format includes 16 teams in the group stage, up from 12 teams in 2021.
Who is Going to win Eurobasket 2022?
After the group stage, a 16-team knockout stage follows. The host city for EuroBasket 2022 is still undecided, but the EBC has said that it wishes to place the tournament in a city with a large football stadium and a city that is easily accessible by plane. The host city’s fans are also expected to travel to the tournament in large numbers. The city of host will be decided after 2021’s EuroBasket.
Top 3 Teams to Watch Out For
EuroBasket 2021 featured a wide range of talent, from veterans like Pau Gasol of Spain and Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia to rising stars like Kristaps’ brother Janis Porzingis and J-Terrence Jones. These three teams are sure to be the ones to watch out for in 2022. Spain: With Pau Gasol and Serge Ibaka back for another tournament, Spain has the potential to be one of the top teams in EuroBasket 2022.
The squad also includes Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Nikola Mirotic, and the Gasol brothers, so there are a lot of talented players on this roster.
Netherlands: The Dutch squad was an extremely exciting team to watch at EuroBasket 2021, with the likes of Doncic, Zoek, and Havertz spearheading the team. The Netherlands has a promising group of young talent that should make them one of the top teams at EuroBasket 2022.
Eurobasket 2022: Top 5 Teams to Keep an Eye On
France: The French squad has a lot of experience, with veterans like J-Terrence Jones and Nicolas Batum leading the way. France also has a lot of promising young talent, including the aforementioned Jones and Jefferson, as well as Frank Ntilikina.
Conclusion
EuroBasket 2021 exceeded all expectations, selling out within 48 hours after tickets went on sale. It’s not surprising that the EBC announced a second edition of EuroBasket 2021 in Blue Lagoon Arena in Iceland. The new format allows for more teams to be part of the tournament while the new host city will be decided after 2021’s EuroBasket. The tournament will feature a ton of young talent, including J-Terrence Jones and Frank Ntilikina. There is also a new format and new host city. With all of these changes in store for EuroBasket 2022, it’s sure to be an exciting tournament to watch.