FIBA World Cup 2014 preview: Greece enters new era behind young roster

An up-and-coming Greek team looks to turn the page over to a new era with a strong showing at the FIBA World Cup.

Aug 29, 2014, 1:00 PM UTC

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sport

The past few years haven't been kind to Greece, which finished 11th in the 2013 Eurobasket after failing to even qualify for the London Olympics a year prior. Entering the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, the team is hoping to regain some of its past luster led by a big new addition: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Back in 2006, Greece was the runner-up at the FIBA World Championship, but success has been elusive for the relatively small European country since. A lack of high-profile NBA players has hurt the team as other countries make major strides, but that could be changing soon. The emergence of Antetokounmpo, among other young players, is reason for optimism in an increasingly competitive international field.

Without the elite talent that other teams boast, Greece probably won’t be able to repeat that impressive finish from eight years ago, but the team could emerge from group play with a couple tough wins. After an 11th place finish at the 2010 World Championship, they’ll aim to finish much higher this year.

How they got here

Officials at FIBA awarded Greece one of the tournament’s four wild card spots, along with Brazil, Turkey and Finland. None of these teams earned their way into the World Cup through the traditional channels, and as a result they needed the good graces of the organizing committee to be invited.

As mentioned earlier, Greece’s miserable performance at the 2013 Eurobasket was a major step back for the program, which has typically ranked among the best in the world. That reputation, along with young players like Antetokounmpo, likely explains why FIBA felt compelled to offer the country a bid.

Key players

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Giannis Antetokounmpo: He may not even be a starter for Greece at the beginning of the tournament, but Antetokounmpo is expected to carry a major load for the team. His length and versatility make him a strong fit for a number of roles, and it’ll be interesting to see how the team ultimately uses him.

Kostas Sloukas: Without longtime point guard Vassilis Spanoulis, Greece will turn to its next generation at the position, led by Sloukas. A star at Olympiacos, the 24-year-old has been a mainstay on the country's youth national teams and is considered one of its top rising stars. This will be Sloukas' first appearance with the varsity national team on a major stage.

Georgios Printezis: A teammate of Sloukas’ at Olympicos, Printezis is one of the veterans on the Greek national team. The 2012 Greek League MVP and a member of the national team that won bronze at 2009 Eurobasket, he projects as the power forward for Greece in the tournament.

Kostas Papanikolaou: NBA fans will likely become more familiar with Papanikolaou soon after the 24-year-old signed with the Houston Rockets earlier this month. A talented small forward who's been a fixture for Greece since he was a teenager, Papanikolaou is making the NBA jump after starring for Barcelona last season. Back in Spain for the World Cup, he's hoping to make a name for himself around the world.

Nick Calathes: The Memphis Grizzlies guard tried to leave the team this offseason to return to Greece, where he would've received a major raise, but he's back in NBA next season given his contractual obligations. In the meantime, Calathes will be a core part of Greece's backcourt as it looks to turn over to a new era after the departure of Spanoulis.

Medal chances

Given the ugly performance at Eurobasket last year and the developing nature of the current roster, Greece should probably be considered a longshot to actually earn a medal at the World Cup. There are simply too many other, better teams that will be able to overwhelm the young Greeks with size and skill.

There’s always the possibility that we underestimate these young guys and they come together and do something special, but more likely, a trip into the quarterfinals would be considered a legitimate accomplishment for the team. At this point, the goal for Greece is to keep building, potentially for the Olympics in 2016.