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Trail Blazers

FIBA EuroBasket is making a triumphant comeback this week after five years away from competition. Per ESPN, that's the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34457762/eurobasket-2022-scores-schedules-teams-news-updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longest gap in the tournament since World War II</a>, so EuroBasket 2022 should turn out to be a remarkable celebration of basketball's growth across Europe.
A&nbsp;lot has changed in five years. Luka Doncic was the "chosen one" of European hoops in 2017 as an 18-year-old suiting up for Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo had just won Most Improved Player with the Milwaukee Bucks and earned his first NBA All-Star appearance, and Nikola Jokic had yet to clear 30 minutes per game in an NBA season.
Today, the three international stars are among the faces of basketball in the NBA and around the world, and the trio will compete in EuroBasket 2022. That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as the immese talent slated to participate. We've already gotten a peek of what the action could look like via the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers that have taken place over the past week.
EuroBasket features 24 teams in four groups, with action beginning on Thursday and culminating in a gold-medal showdown on Sept. 18. Here's a rundown of the must-see NBA players (as of last season), international stars and top prospects (under age 23) in each group.
(Note: If a player is listed as "questionable," it is because their playing status is uncertain. Not all EuroBasket rosters have been finalized, so several countries' teams may look slightly different. <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022/news/roster-tracker-fiba-eurobasket-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here is a full roster tracker</a>.)
GROUP A: SPAIN, TURKEY, MONTENEGRO, GEORGIA, BELGIUM, BULGARIA
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Alperen Sengun against Serbia: 17 PTS | 13 REB | 2 AST | 2 BLK | 61 TS% Spearheaded the Turkey comeback in the third quarter 🔥<a href="https://t.co/faBFt2SQLe">pic.twitter.com/faBFt2SQLe</a>
&mdash; Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/JTGatlin/status/1563966082322468869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Juan Hernangomez (Spain), Willy Hernangomez (Spain), Furkan Korkmaz (Turkey), Cedi Osman (Turkey), Goga Bitadze (Georgia), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Georgia)
Top International Players: Rudy Fernandez (Spain), Lorenzo Brown (Spain), Shane Larkin (Turkey), Bojan Dubljevic (Montenegro), Retin Obasohan (Belgium), Sasha Vezenkov (Bulgaria)
Notable Prospects: Usman Garuba (Spain), Vrenz Bleijenbergh (Belgium), Alperen Sengun (Turkey), Marko Simonovic (Montenegro)
Spain and Turkey might not have quite the Tier 1 star power of some other countries, but both squads are fun and deep. Fernandez and Brown are stalwarts who have starred on their respective European teams for years. Then for Turkey, Osman and Korkmaz are NBA rotation players boosted by an electric point guard in Larkin.
We'll hopefully get to see the pair of Houston Rockets sophomore talents as well. Sengun impressed with his flashes last season and has already created highlights with Turkey over the summer. Garuba was quieter as a rookie, but has experience on a large Spanish stage with his time playing for Real Madrid.&nbsp;
GROUP B: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, FRANCE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, LITHUANIA, SLOVENIA
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Luka Doncic drops 25 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST in win over Estonian National team 🔥😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/4khnb7BEr3">pic.twitter.com/4khnb7BEr3</a>
&mdash; MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/1562897679155204098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players: Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Evan Fournier (France), Rudy Gobert (France), Timoth&eacute; Luwawu-Cabarrot (France), Daniel Theis (Germany), Dennis Schr&ouml;der (Germany), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Ignas Brazdeikis (Lithuania), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Goran Dragic (Slovenia), Vlatko Cancar (Slovenia)
Top International Players:&nbsp;Dzanan Musa (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Elie Okobo (France), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Thomas Huertel (France), Vincent Poirier (France)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Th&eacute;o Maledon (France), Franz Wagner (Germany), Rokas Jokubaitis (Lithuania), Ziga Samar (Slovenia)
Yeah, this group is absolutely loaded. Five of the six rosters could potentially boast multiple players with 2021-22 NBA experience. Slovenia, led by Doncic and Dragic, is considered a favorite to win EuroBasket. But France has a loaded roster (though no Victor Wembanyama), too. They'll be worth checking out additonally because Okobo has been balling in Europe since leaving the NBA.
New York Knicks fans might want to circle Lithuania as the team to watch. They'll receive a nostalgia injection in the forms of Brazdeikis and Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and they'll get a glimpse of the future with Jokubaitis, the team's 2021 draft-and-stash guard. Franz Wagner is one of the best young talents in EuroBasket too, making Germany a team to monitor.
GROUP C: CROATIA, ESTONIA, GREAT BRITAIN, GREECE, ITALY, UKRAINE
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Giannis Antetokounmpo <a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Giannis_An34</a> dropped 26pts 7rebs in the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fibawc</a> Qualifiers win for Greece. Watch all the games of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> Qualifiers on Courtside 1891 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/t7JNIYvGgG">pic.twitter.com/t7JNIYvGgG</a>
&mdash; Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) <a href="https://twitter.com/swishcultures_/status/1564222344067010561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia), Dario Saric (Croatia), Ivica Zubac (Croatia),&nbsp;Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tyler Dorsey (Greece), Simone Fontecchio (Italy), Alex Len (Ukraine), Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine)
Top International Players: Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Sacha Killeya-Jones (Great Britain, questionable),&nbsp;Nick Calathes (Greece), Georgios Papagiannis (Greece, questionable), Kostas Papanikalou (Greece), Kostas Sloukas (Greece, questionable), Nicolo Melli (Italy)
Notable Prospects:&nbsp;Karlo Matkovic (Croatia), Roko Prkacin (Croatia),&nbsp;Issuf Sanon (Ukraine), Nico Mannion (Italy)
Three of the Antetokounbros (the above two, plus Kostas, who is questionable at this time) could assemble for their home country. Greece also has a handful of international stars who might play; their roster has yet to be finalized. Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points in a World Cup Qualifiers loss against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, so it's safe to say he's firing on all cylinders.
Croatia, however, might be my pick for most intriguing team in the tournament. They have a trio of NBA players, plus a former top-five pick in Mario Hezonja. Prkacin has been on NBA Draft radars for several years now, and Matkovic just went No. 52 overall in the 2022 Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans. This is a fun mix of talent at different stages and platforms.
GROUP D: CZECH REPUBLIC, FINLAND, ISRAEL, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SERBIA
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They call him the MVP for a reason 🃏 Deadly in so many ways, Nikola Jokic was in top form for Serbia during World Cup Qualifying 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForSrbija?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForSrbija</a> 🇷🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1ZqvDPLQsi">pic.twitter.com/1ZqvDPLQsi</a>
&mdash; FIBA (@FIBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1564286832510226436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Top NBA Players:&nbsp;Vit Krejci (Czech Republic), Tomas Satoransky (Czech Republic, questionable), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Nemanja Bjelica (Serbia, questionable),&nbsp;
Top International Players: Jan Vesely (Czech Republic), Vasilije Micic (Serbia, questionable), Nikola Milutinov (Serbia)
Notable Prospects: Deni Avdija (Israel), Yam Madar (Israel), Balsa Koprivica (Serbia, questionable)
Nikola Jokic instantly makes Serbia a frontrunner for the gold, but the nation could have several veterans backing him up in a potential deep run. Micic in particular should be on NBA fans' radars as a player who could immediately come over and produce in the league. The 28-year-old guard won two EuroLeague titles and was named MVP in 2021. Oklahoma City currently owns his draft rights, though he was mentioned frequently in offseason trade rumors.&nbsp;
Israel has a pair of notable young talents leading the way. Deni Avdija took a legitimate step forward in his second year with the Washington Wizards. Madar, meanwhile, has been playing overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect selected by the Boston Celtics in 2020.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic lead a stellar group of competitors in EuroBasket 2022.

FIBA EuroBasket 2022: Top teams, players and prospects to watch

NBA players don't choose the pressure that comes with being a top draft pick.&nbsp;
For many, the increased spotlight and expectation to turn a franchise around can be overwhelming. In a league where fit carries so much weight and the "bust" label gets thrown around recklessly, some young athletes simply need more time and a better supporting environment to work their way to professional success.
Cam Payne was all-but finished as an NBA player, then roared back with the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 playoffs and now has a firm place on a contending team's roster. Stanley Johnson had bounced around the league before showing his merit with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.&nbsp;
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For the following three players, their NBA future is murky. But they've shown enough at their recent stops to make them worthy of another look from the league. If they can channel some promise into production, they could make for the next great comeback story.
NOAH VONLEH
Noah Vonleh, the No. 9 overall pick from the 2014 NBA Draft, is getting his next shot with the Boston Celtics. The Massachusetts native has earned a training camp tryout for a team with open roster spots and a need for big man depth. If Vonleh is going to beat out Luke Kornet, Mfiondu Kabengele and Bruno Caboclo for a spot in the rotation, he'll have to prove he can take his success in the Chinese Basketball Association back to the NBA.
The 26-year-old averaged 15.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game with the Shanghai Sharks last season &mdash; his first year overseas. He hit 38.0% of his threes on 4 attempts per game, which is a combination of volume and efficiency Vonleh rarely showed in the United States. The CBA three-point line is a bit shorter, but Vonleh knocking down shots in this context is nonetheless a positive.
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Vonleh had to create more for himself with Shanghai than he likely will need to in Boston. He hit 40% of his catch-and-shoot threes, shot 46.7% on pick-and-pop plays and made 71.4% of his attempts on cuts, per InStat Scouting. He's a capable passer out of post-ups with some solid touch around the basket and a nose for rebounds.&nbsp;
The desired version in Boston is a Vonleh who can come off the bench and be a threat from behind the arc while attacking closeouts and threatening defenses with his passing and short-range scoring. At the same time, Vonleh has to clear a defensive bar to work in the Celtics' switch-heavy scheme. We'll see if he can accomplish it all, but the requisite flashes are worth giving him a shot.
KRIS DUNN
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I will always, always, always go to bat for Kris Dunn earning a spot in the league. He's become kind of a journeyman and I think that's wild. He brings so much as a passer (like below) but also as a finisher and defender <a href="https://t.co/pMER13WRjf">pic.twitter.com/pMER13WRjf</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1510267135691563011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

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There's got to be a situation where Kris Dunn fits as a specialist piece. The 2016 No. 5 pick played for his fourth NBA team, last season, appearing in just 14 contests with the Portland Trail Blazers. Dunn hasn't picked up a contract or training camp invite for next season, and I just don't understand how he can fall through the entire league with some of his high-level skills.
Dunn is one of the better guard defenders in basketball. He creates steals and transition chances with his length and strong frame. He contains drives and rebounds surprisingly well for his position. Dunn has moments of inconsistency and fouls a lot, but I believe he'd be a tier below an All-Defense-caliber player if he received rotation minutes.
And then, the offense... Yeah, he's a non-threat as a shooter right now and a bit of a wild card as a creator. But Dunn's court vision is extraordinary and he can create space for himself and others with his handle and passing. This is not a Matisse Thybulle-esque situation where Dunn is an offensive impediment. He has enough positive moments worth buying into.
I foresee Dunn as a defensive playmaker who can at least set the table and keep pace high during his rotation playing time. Maybe there are too many valleys to warrant steady minutes. But he absolutely warrants a look off of his defense alone, with offensive upside still untapped.
GEORGIOS PAPAGIANNIS
Papagiannis played a mere 39 games in less than two seasons with the Sacramento Kings and Trail Blazers before leaving the NBA entirely in 2018. He was a stunning selection at No. 13 overall in 2016, and simply wasn't ready for the highest level of basketball at the time.
Now 25 years old, Papagiannis is changing the trajectory of his career. He made the All-EuroLeague Second Team this past season with Panathinaikos in Greece, and averaged 10.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in EuroLeague play. He shot 64.6% from the field and showed all the tools of a low-usage, high-impact center in the EuroLeague and Greek Basketball League.
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Papagiannis has impressive mobility for his 7-foot-1 frame. He often played in drop coverage or at the level of the screen, and was able to stick with most quicker guards on their drives. Even when he was caught out of position, like in the first highlight, he recovered well and used his length to swat shots. Papagiannis' sense of timing with his contests is pretty remarkable.
The elite shooting clip came from a heavy diet of roll-man and cutting shot attempts in the paint. Papagiannis was one of the more physically dominant bigs in his competitions last season. I think he would be hard-pressed to find that same dominance against bigger, faster and stronger NBA defenders. However, he definitely has the rhythm of rolling down pat, and he's developing a floater that could help him against rim-protecting bigs.
We don't know what Papagiannis' prospects are of making it back to the U.S., or if the Greek center even wants to leave his home country and longtime team. But he's certainly more polished than he was as a young prospect and fits as a plus defensive player who can maximize limited offensive responsibilites. Above all, it's just good to see Papagiannis thriving as a pro when the NBA gauntlet can often be demoralizing.

Ethan Fuller spotlights Kris Dunn, Noah Vonleh and Georgios Papagiannis as ex-lottery picks who could fight back into the NBA.