Ayrton Oneill
The Slovenian men's national basketball team has enjoyed several successes on the international stage. They won the EuroBasket championship in 2017, beating Serbia in the final. This was their greatest achievement at the tournament, where they won nine games in a row to become European champions. They also qualified for the men's basketball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics, marking their first Olympic appearance. At the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Slovenia won their group and went on to finish fourth overall.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| EuroBasket 2017 | Winners |
| EuroBasket 2022 | Qualified |
| 2020 Summer Olympics | Qualified |
| 2021 Olympic Games, Tokyo | First appearance |
| 2024 Olympic Games | Qualified |
| FIBA World Ranking (as of Feb 2025) | 11th |
| Key Player | Luka Dončić |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Slovenia's 2020 Summer Olympics qualification
The Slovenia men's national basketball team qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo by winning the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Kaunas, Lithuania. This marked the nation's debut in the sport since the breakup of the SFR Yugoslavia.
Slovenia's qualification for the 2020 Olympics was particularly notable as it was their first Olympic appearance in the sport. The team was led by Luka Dončić, who scored a triple-double in the final game against Lithuania, securing Slovenia's spot in the Olympic tournament.
The 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments involved 23 national teams across four basketball tournaments, with the top teams earning a place in the 2020 Summer Olympics basketball tournament. The draw for the Olympic qualifiers took place at The House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, on November 27, 2019. FIBA did not publish any standings, but both teams that reached the final round qualified, with the winner playing Group A's runner-up.
Slovenia's road to qualification began in Group B, where they defeated Poland and Angola to advance to the final round. There, they defeated Venezuela 98-70 to set up a final against Lithuania. In the final, Slovenia prevailed 96-85, with Luka Dončić's outstanding performance of 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists leading the way.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics itself, the Slovenian men's basketball team finished in fourth place. They won their quarter-final against Germany 94-70 but then lost a close semi-final to France, 90-89. In the bronze medal game, Slovenia fell to Australia 107-93. Despite falling just short of a medal, the team's fourth-place finish was an impressive achievement, and Luka Dončić was selected to the All-Star Team of the tournament.
Rebels' Basketball Triumph: Ole Miss' Victory
You may want to see also
Explore related products
EuroBasket 2017 win
The Slovenian men's national basketball team won the EuroBasket 2017 tournament, defeating Serbia 93-85 in the final and claiming their first-ever EuroBasket championship title. The final game took place on 17 September 2017 in the Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the 40th edition of the EuroBasket championship, organised by FIBA Europe and held between 31 August and 17 September 2017.
Slovenia's road to the final included a semi-final victory over Spain, which secured their first-ever appearance in a EuroBasket final. In the final, they faced Serbia, the European runner-up from 2009, who had defeated Russia in their semi-final. The Slovenian team, led by captain Goran Dragić, put on a strong scoring performance in the first half, a trend they maintained throughout the tournament. Serbia mounted a comeback in the third and fourth quarters, briefly equalising the score at 82-82. However, Slovenia responded with a decisive 10-0 run to clinch the gold medal and the championship.
This victory marked the pinnacle of Slovenia's achievements in international basketball up to that point. They had previously participated in every EuroBasket tournament since gaining independence in 1991 and had consistently reached the knockout stages since 2005. The 2017 tournament was a particularly successful campaign, as they won all nine of their games en route to becoming European champions.
The 2017 EuroBasket championship was co-hosted by four countries during the group stage: Turkey, Finland, Israel, and Romania. The knockout phase, including the semi-finals and final, was played exclusively in Istanbul, Turkey. The tournament followed a similar format to the previous edition, with each of the four hosts paired with a partner federation for commercial and marketing purposes, resulting in specific group allocations.
Buffalo's Basketball Triumph: A Memorable Victory
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Slovenia's Olympic debut in 2021
Slovenia made its Olympic debut in men's basketball at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021. The Slovenian men's national basketball team qualified for the Olympics after winning the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Kaunas. In the final round, Slovenia defeated Venezuela 98-70, and in the final, they defeated Lithuania 96-85. Led by Luka Dončić, Slovenia made its first Olympic appearance.
In its first Olympic game ever, Slovenia faced Argentina in the men's preliminary round Group C basketball match. Dončić, a 22-year-old Olympic rookie, scored 48 points, fuelling Slovenia to a 118-100 victory. Dončić's 48 points were tied for the second-highest total in men's basketball history. He scored 31 points in the first half, putting him on pace to break the Games' scoring record of 55 points set by Brazilian Hall of Famer Oscar Schmidt in 1988. However, with Slovenia's huge lead in the second half, he chose not to pursue the record, stating, "I don't care about records. We got a win, and that's what we came here for."
Dončić's performance in his Olympic debut received high praise from many, including Argentina's head coach Sergio Hernandez, who said, "He is the best player in the world, including the NBA... If there was any doubt in my mind, there is no doubt anymore. He is the best player in the world." Manu Ginobili, an Argentine idol, also tweeted his admiration for Dončić, calling him "a beast" and praising his "tremendous mastery of the game." Luis Scola, a Slovenia forward, echoed similar sentiments, stating, "He was too good... I mean, he was unbelievable."
Slovenia's success in its inaugural Olympic appearance can be attributed to the talented Luka Dončić, who had already demonstrated his skills in the NBA, winning Rookie of the Year honors and becoming the first NBA player to average 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in his first postseason series. With Dončić leading the way, Slovenia's men's national basketball team made a strong start to their first Olympic campaign and continued to impress throughout the tournament.
Barkley's Legacy: Championship Dreams and Reality
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Slovenia's 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament
The Slovenia men's national basketball team has been managed by 12 head coaches since 1992. The team has competed in every EuroBasket since the country's independence in 1991 and has reached the knockout stage at every championship since 2005. Their greatest achievement was at EuroBasket 2017, where they won all nine games and became European champions.
Slovenia qualified for the men's basketball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics after winning the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Kaunas. They defeated Venezuela 98-70 in the final round and then beat Lithuania 96-85 in the final, led by Luka Dončić, who scored a triple-double. This sent Slovenia to their first Olympic appearance.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Slovenia finished fourth. They won their quarter-final against Germany 94-70 but then lost a dramatic semi-final against France by one point (90-89). In the bronze medal game, they lost to Australia 107-93. Dončić was selected for the All-Star Team of the tournament.
Slovenia failed to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics after losing to Greece in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament final. The game, which took place on 6 July 2024, ended 96-68 to Greece, with Thomas Walkup leading the scoring with 19 points. Luka Dončić scored 21 points for Slovenia in a losing effort. Greece's victory meant they qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
CSU Basketball's Triumph: A Memorable Victory
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Slovenia's basketball team roster
The Slovenia men's national basketball team represents the country in international basketball competitions and is managed by the Basketball Federation of Slovenia. The team has competed in every EuroBasket since Slovenia's independence in 1991 and has reached the knockout stage at every championship since 2005.
Their greatest achievement was at EuroBasket 2017, where they won all nine games and became European champions. They defeated the 2013 winners France and the 2015 winners Spain, respectively. Goran Dragić, who scored 35 points in the final against Serbia, was named the tournament's most valuable player.
The roster for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament included the following players:
- Roman Horvat
- Marko Tušek
- Jaka Daneu
- Darko Mirt
- Primoz Bačar
- Jure Zdovc
- Boštjan Leban
- Teoman Alibegović
- Boris Gorenc
- Marijan Kraljević
- Slavko Kotnik
- Žarko Durisić
- Matjaž Tovornik
- Walter Jeklin
- Goran Jagodnik
- Radoslav Nesterović
- Aleš Kunc
- Jure Zdovc
- Marko Tušek
- Teoman Alibegović
- Marko Milič
- Boris Gorenc
- Ivica Jurković
Luka Dončić, who led Slovenia to its first Olympic appearance in 2020, is the star of the Slovenian team. In the 2020 Summer Olympics qualifying tournament, Dončić scored 31 points, had 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in the final against Lithuania, resulting in a 96-85 victory.
Hoosiers Triumph: Indiana Basketball Claims Victory
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, the Slovenian men's national basketball team lost the bronze medal game to Australia, 107-93, and finished fourth in the tournament.
Yes, the Slovenian men's national basketball team won the 2017 EuroBasket tournament, where they won all nine games and became European champions.
Some notable players on the Slovenian men's national basketball team include Luka Dončić, Goran Dragić, Vlatko Cancar, Zoran Dragic, Klemen Prepelic, and Mike Tobey.
