FIBA World Cup 2014 preview: Slovenia offers more than just Goran Dragic

Beyond the basketball super powers that reside atop FIBA’s world rankings, few teams count a bonafide NBA star among their ranks. One of the fortunate squads that can is a Slovenian team that features Suns point guard Goran Dragic.

Dragic emerged as a star during the 2013-14 NBA season, earning All-NBA consideration for the first time in his career. He was the catalyst behind a Phoenix Suns team that began the year picked to finish with a high-lottery pick and ended up winning 48 games.

While Dragic is clearly the face of Team Slovenia, he’s joined by capable running mates such as his younger brother Zoran Dragic, scoring guard Domen Lorbek, and three-point specialist Klemen Prepelic.

Team Slovenia qualified for the World Cup by finishing in the Top 6 at FIBA EuroBasket 2013. While much of that squad remains intact, Slovenia will be without the services of 30-year-old Erazem Lorbek, who will miss the tournament with the same chronic knee issue he dealt with while playing for FC Barcelona last season.

Goran Dragic: No member of Team Slovenia is as integral to its success as The Dragon. A third-team All-NBA selection last season, Dragic possesses tremendous court vision and creates easier shots for teammates. He’s also the team’s leading scorer (14.0 points per game internationally), capable of both stroking it from the outside as well as penetrating the lane.

Zoran Dragic: The younger, lengthier brother of NBA star and backcourt mate Goran, Zoran Dragic is less a scorer and more of a jack-of-all-trades type that rounds out Team Slovenia’s lineup. At 6-5, Dragic can take on bigger wings, allowing his point-guard brother to conserve energy on offense.

Domen Lorbek: Another member of a brother duo, Domen Lorbek is the closest Team Slovenia has to a second star. He’s the second option on offense and the best three-point shooter in the team’s starting lineup. Lorbek’s presence stretches the defense, opening up lanes for Goran Dragic to penetrate.

After the very cream of the crop, few teams in FIBA World Cup possess the quality of outside shooting present on Team Slovenia. Not only can starters Goran Dragic and Domen Lorbek knock down those shots with regularity, but Prepelic also brings knock-down three-point shooting off the bench.

Size will be Slovenia’s biggest issue. Even within the less vertically-driven standards of international basketball, Slovenia just doesn’t have enough length to keep better teams from bullying them on the boards. Only three of their healthy players measure above 6’9, and of those, only one plays significant minutes.

Saturday Aug. 30: Australia vs. Slovenia
Sunday Aug. 31: Slovenia vs. Mexico
Tuesday Sept. 2: Korea vs. Slovenia
Wednesday Sept. 3: Slovenia vs. Angola
Thursday Sept. 4: Lithuania vs. Slovenia