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Finland Shocks Serbia; Lithuania Also Reaches EuroBasket Quarterfinals

September 6th, 2025 at 5:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Finland pulled off one of the biggest international upsets in recent years, surprising Serbia on Saturday in a EuroBasket elimination game, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen led the way for the Finnish team with 29 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in the 92-86 victory.

“Unreal,” Markkanen said. “Great performance by the team. We needed every single one of them tonight — everybody in the stands, the staff, the players. Big credit to them. We’re not done yet, but we’re gonna enjoy this. Obviously, that’s a heck of a team we just beat, and now we move forward.”

Led by perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and with six other current and former NBA players on its roster, Serbia was considered among the favorites for the EuroBasket title when the tournament began. However, its prospects took a major hit when Bogdan Bogdanovic suffered a ruptured hamstring muscle last week that forced him out of the competition.

Serbia cruised to victories in its first four games behind dominant performances from Jokic. However, they dropped to second in Group A after Wednesday’s loss to Turkey and didn’t respond well in the knockout round.

Jokic delivered 33 points and eight rebounds on Saturday, but Serbia didn’t offer much other scoring punch outside of Nikola Jovic‘s 20 points. Despite his many career accomplishments, Jokic has never medaled at EuroBasket.

Up next for Finland will be the winner of Sunday’s game between France and Georgia.

Lithuania also advanced to the quarterfinals on Saturday with an 88-79 victory over Latvia, joining Turkey and Germany, who won earlier in the day.

With Rokas Jokubaitis sidelined by a serious knee injury, Arnas Velicka starred for the Lithuanians with 21 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, while Azoulas Tubelis contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds and Deividas Sirvydis added 18 points.

Latvia was eliminated despite a stellar performance from Hawks big man Kristaps Porzingis, who finished with 34 points and 19 rebounds before fouling out late in the game. Porzingis told reporters that he has mostly recovered from the illness that sapped his strength last season with Boston, according to BasketNews.

“It’s true that there were still some days when I wasn’t feeling perfect, and I’m still working my way back to having my gas tank full,” he said. “But as the tournament went on, I started to feel really good physically, and I knew I could push my body, I could push myself to go. Today was an example of that. It’s just up from now. Overall, a great summer with my Latvian teammates, being back home, enjoying time with family. And yeah, I would have liked to finish on a more beautiful note.”

Lithuania’s quarterfinals opponent will be the winner of Sunday’s Greece-Israel matchup.

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Knicks Draft-And-Stash Prospect Jokubaitis Suffers Major Knee Injury

September 2nd, 2025 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

Lithuanian point guard Rokas Jokubaitis will miss the rest of the EuroBasket tournament and a significant portion of the 2025/26 season after sustaining a significant left knee injury during Monday’s victory over Finland, according to an announcement from Bayern Munich, his EuroLeague team.

The press release issued by Bayern Munich refers to it as a “severe ligament injury” for Jokubaitis, who will undergo surgery and will be out for at least the next six months. While Bayern’s announcement doesn’t provide specific details on the diagnosis, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com hears that Jokubaitis’ ACL and meniscus are affected.

“Injuries are unfortunately part of sports, but this one is, of course, devastating for Rokas,” Bayern sports director Dragan Tarlac said in a statement. “We have enjoyed watching Rokas so much at EuroBasket – he has been outstanding and has led his team as a true leader. But we have no doubt that with his spirit and fighting mentality, he will come back stronger from this. We’re waiting for him and will now support him in every possible way so that he can return to the court next year.”

Jokubaitis’ injury occurred during the fourth quarter of Monday’s game. He was driving to the basket when his left leg buckled awkwardly, causing him to fall to the floor (Twitter video link). He immediately checked himself out of the game and limped to the bench, where he was treated by the team’s training staff.

Jokubaitis, the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, was sent to the Knicks in a draft-night deal along with Miles McBride, but has yet to sign his first NBA contract. The 24-year-old has remained overseas in recent years, first with FC Barcelona and then last season with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He officially signed a three-year contract with Bayern Munich last month; the Knicks continue to hold his NBA rights.

Although his fourth game was cut short, Jokubaitis put up excellent numbers for Lithuania at EuroBasket, averaging a team-high 17.3 points, 8.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in just 24.2 minutes per contest. He shot from 49.1% from the field, including 55.6% from beyond the three-point line.

Lithuania went 3-1 in those four games and has clinched a spot in the round of 16.

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28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025

August 27th, 2025 at 7:07am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.

However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.

The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.

At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.

By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.

Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:

Group A

Czechia (Czech Republic)

  • Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
  • Former NBA players: None

Estonia

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: Henri Drell

Latvia

Portugal

  • Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
  • Former NBA players: None

Serbia

Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Turkey

Group B

Finland

Germany

Great Britain

Lithuania

Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.

Montenegro

Sweden

  • Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
  • Former NBA players: None

Group C

Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
  • Former NBA players: None

Cyprus

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

Georgia

Greece

Italy

Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Spain

Group D

Belgium

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

France

France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Iceland

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

Israel

  • Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
  • Former NBA players: None

Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Poland

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd

Slovenia

  • Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
  • Former NBA players: None
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Atlantic Notes: Simons, Jokubaitis, Sixers TV Schedule

August 12th, 2025 at 9:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have been seeking out a trade partner for Anfernee Simons but haven’t had any success, Grant Afseth reports for FastbreakJournal.com.

The cost-cutting club shed Jrue Holiday and his three-year contract in exchange for Simons this offseason. Simons has averaged 19.9 points and 4.5 assists per game with a .436/.381/.901 shooting line over the past four seasons for Portland.

Simons has an expiring $27.7MM contract and there’s been speculation since the trade was made that Boston might flip him. Last week, the Celtics traded Georges Niang to Utah and are now operating about $4MM above the first tax apron and $12MM above the luxury tax line. Dealing Simons could help them move out of the apron and take another step toward escaping the tax entirely.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Draft-and-stash player Rokas Jokubaitis, whose rights are owned by the Knicks, has joined Bayern Munich on a three-year deal, according to a Bayern press release. Jokubaitis, a second-round pick in 2021, has seven years of EuroLeague experience. He played last season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaging 12.6 points per game in the EuroLeague, after three years with FC Barcelona. “Rokas is still so young, one of Europe’s biggest talents, yet he has already established himself as one of the leading point guards in the EuroLeague,” Bayern Munich’s sporting director Dragan Tarlac said.
  • For the first time in four seasons, the Sixers were excluded from the league’s annual Christmas slate. They also don’t have a national TV game during opening week or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That comes as no surprise, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. They wound up tanking due to injuries last season and won only 24 games. While they lucked out in the lottery and selected VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers need Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey to stay relatively healthy. Alarm bells went off when George underwent knee surgery last month. He will be reevaluated prior to training camp.
  • In case you missed it, the Nets are taking a hard-line approach with restricted free agent Cam Thomas. Get the details here.
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International Notes: Micic, Westbrook, Jokubaitis, Valanciunas, Theis

June 16th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Hapoel Tel Aviv general manager George Hinas tells Vuk-Milos Petrovic of Basketball Sphere that his team remains in contention to sign Vasilije Micic, but he dismissed speculation about Russell Westbrook. While Micic is still under contract with the Suns, they’re expected to decline their $8.1MM team option for next season, making him a free agent by the end of the month. Several European clubs have expressed interest in adding the 31-year-old point guard, and Hinas rejected reports that Micic has ruled out Tel Aviv because of war concerns.

“He’s a great player, a EuroLeague legend, and one of the best ever,” Hinas said. “We spoke with him in late March and early April. We didn’t reach an agreement then, but we stayed in touch with him and his agent. What the Spanish media reported — that he rejected us because of the war — isn’t true. We continued talking. … Nothing is concrete yet. He’s one of the players we’re interested in, but so are other clubs. That’s how the offseason works — he talks to many clubs, and we talk to many players. His case is not closed. Not at all.”

Hinas called rumors about a potential deal with Westbrook “100% fake news.” Westbrook turned down his player option with the Nuggets for next season, but he’s expected to get another NBA opportunity.

“There were numbers mentioned — $50 million per year — which is crazy,” Hinas added. “I get that Hapoel Tel Aviv draws attention because we’re spending money. I counted 37 players who were linked with us. It’s good we’ll have three rosters, because when you have 37 players, it makes things easier (laughs). To be serious — it’s not true. There was no interest, and no one approached him.”

There’s more overseas news to pass along:

  • Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis could be considering a departure from Hapoel Tel Aviv due to international tensions, Petrovic adds in a separate story. Fenerbahce is reportedly interested in the 24-year-old guard, who may seek an early termination to his current contract.
  • Speaking at his annual camp in Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas said he expects to remain with the Kings this season after being acquired from Washington in February, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I can make my own plans, but what the Kings decide is what matters most,” he said. “Right now, I’m planning to stay. I haven’t heard anything about being traded or moved. Until there is such information, all my focus is on Sacramento.” Valanciunas also confirmed that he will participate in this summer’s EuroBasket tournament.
  • Daniel Theis, who started the season with New Orleans before being traded and waived in February, will miss the rest of the French League Finals with Monaco due to knee issues, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando.
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Knicks Notes: Odds, Jokubaitis, Backup Center

July 28th, 2024 at 1:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Oddsmakers have given the Knicks their highest projected win total since the 1993/94 preseason, according to Dylan Svoboda of The New York Post. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, New York’s projected over/under line is set at 53.5 victories. In ’93/94, they were projected to win 56 games. They racked up 57 victories and advanced all the way to the Finals.

Only once in the 21st century have the Knicks previously been projected to win 50 or more games in a season, in 2012/13. They won 54 contests that year and fell in the second round of the postseason.

Last year’s Knicks surpassed preseason expectations, thanks in large part to an All-NBA Second Team turn from point guard Jalen Brunson and a third All-Star season from power forward Julius Randle, plus a utilitarian, switchable rotation around that dynamic duo.

Among preseason over/unders, New York trails only the reigning champion Celtics, whose line is listed at 58.5, wins and the Thunder, who are at 56.5 wins. Boston and Oklahoma City were the top seeds in their respective conferences last season.

There’s more out of New York:

  • Draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis played in the Las Vegas Summer League for New York this month for the second time since being drafted by the team in 2021. When it became apparent that there was no roster space available for him, the 6’4″ guard inked a three-season deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a deal which includes an NBA out every year until August 1, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link).
  • With former Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein departing for the Thunder this summer, Mitchell Robinson projects to return to the starting lineup for New York, which doesn’t have an obvious No. 2 option at the five. According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the team doesn’t necessarily need to address that issue by finding a permanent solution this offseason. Re-signing free agent big man Precious Achiuwa, who can play small-ball center, could be a short-term fix and the Knicks could revisit the trade market during the season, Katz writes.
  • In case you missed it, former Pistons assistant coach Mark Bryant is joining head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s staff.
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International Notes: Vezenkov, Anderson, Gillespie, Brazdeikis, Jokubaitis, Moneke

July 25th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

Sasha Vezenkov is thrilled to be back in Europe, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net writes. He signed a five-year contract with Olympiacos after getting waived by the Raptors.

“The goal is to reach the top. With a few words and a lot of work. I am happy to be back with all of you, to rejoin my old teammates and the new players,” Vezenkov said in a press conference.

The Greek team is equally as excited to have Vezenkov back in the fold. “Vezenkov is the best player in Europe. He went to the NBA as the best player in Europe. He has won and will continue winning championships with Olympiacos for the next five years,” team co-owner Panagiotis Angelopoulos said.

Vezenkov was so eager to return that he reportedly gave up his entire $6,658,536 NBA salary for 2024/25 in a buyout agreement with Toronto. According to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, the forward’s new deal with Olympiacos is worth 18.5 million Euros across five years, post-taxes.

We have more international news:

  • Former NBA wing Justin Anderson has joined FC Barcelona on a one-year deal, Sportando relays. Anderson played last season for Valencia Basket. Anderson appeared in 242 NBA games after being a 2015 first-round pick, most recently with Cleveland and Indiana during the 2021/22 season.
  • Freddie Gillespie has signed a one-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc tweets. The American forward last played for KK Crvena Zvesda. He appeared in 29 games for Toronto and Orlando from 2020-22.
  • Forward Ignas Brazdeikis is returning to Zalgiris Kaunas, according to a press release. The University of Michigan product appeared in 64 NBA games, mostly with Orlando, from 2019-22.
  • Rokas Jokubaitis has officially signed his three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to a team press release. His former team, Barcelona, announced this week that it has officially parted ways with him. Jokubaitis played for the Knicks during the Summer League and his NBA rights continue to be held by New York.
  • After a report surfaced this week claiming that he had agreed to sign with Partisan Belgrade, former  NBA big man Chima Moneke declared on his social media account (Twitter link) that he is committed to playing for Baskonia next season. “I genuinely don’t know who is making up all these rumors but they’re getting tiring. I’m a Baskonia player and I’m really excited for this season,” he wrote. Moneke appeared in two games with Sacramento in 2022/23.
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International Notes: Jokubaitis, Hall, Harper

July 23rd, 2024 at 6:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rokas Jokubaitis has a clear path to sign with Maccabi Tel Aviv now that his former team, Barcelona, has announced that it has officially parted ways with him.

Jokubaitis played for the Knicks during the Summer League and is reportedly in “advanced talks” with the Israeli team. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link), Maccabi is very likely Jokubaitis’ destination.

The Lithuanian point guard spent the past three years with Barcelona, where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last season.

Jokubaitis appeared in five games for New York in Las Vegas, averaging 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19.1 minutes per contest.

We have more international news:

  • Former NBA forward Donta Hall has signed a two-year deal with Spain’s Baskonia, according to a press release from the club. The American big man most recently played for Monaco. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.4 minutes over 38 games in EuroLeague action last season. Hall has made 22 NBA regular season appearances with Detroit, Brooklyn and Orlando.
  • Former NBA point guard Jared Harper has signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem, according to a team press release. Harper, who went undrafted in 2019 and made a total of 16 appearances for the Suns, Knicks and Pelicans, has played for Valencia in the EuroLeague for the past two years. In 53 EuroLeague appearances, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in 17 minutes per game.
  • In case you missed it, Mavericks second-round pick Melvin Ajinca will play for France’s ASVEL Basket next season.
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Rokas Jokubaitis In “Advanced Talks” With Maccabi Tel Aviv

July 22nd, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Rokas Jokubaitis, who played for the Knicks during Summer League, is in “advanced talks” with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando.

The Lithuanian point guard has spent the past three years with Barcelona, where he averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last season. Barcelona recently declined to exercise an option on his contract, making him a free agent.

Jokubaitis appeared in five games for New York in Las Vegas, averaging 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 19.1 minutes per night. He shot 57.1% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 71.4% from the foul line as the Knicks posted a 3-2 Summer League record.

The 23-year-old was selected by Oklahoma City with the 34th pick in 2021 and was traded to New York on draft night. The Knicks will retain his NBA draft rights no matter where he plays this season.

Jokubaitis is also a member of the Lithuanian national team, which lost to Puerto Rico in the finals of a pre-Olympic qualifier earlier this month.

If he signs with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Jokubaitis will join former NBA guard Jordan Loyd, who played 12 games for Toronto during the 2018/19 season. According to Maggi, the team is also hoping to sign Daryl Macon, who had brief NBA stops with Dallas and Miami.

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New York Notes: Jokubaitis, Randle, Wilson, DSJ, Walker, Howard

July 17th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rokas Jokubaitis has been a Summer League standout, but the Knicks don’t seem to have a roster spot for another guard, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Jokubaitis turned in an impressive performance on Wednesday, making all seven of his shots from the field while finishing with 16 points, five assists, two steals and a block in a narrow win over Sacramento.

A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Jokubaitis is under contract with Barcelona, but Popper notes that it might be tough for him to get playing time there in a backcourt that features Ricky Rubio and Juan Nunez. He may have the option to join Zalgiris in his native Lithuania, according to Popper, or the Knicks could send his draft rights to another NBA team as part of a trade.

There’s more on the New York City teams:

  • Julius Randle‘s recovery from shoulder surgery is going “incredibly well” and he’s looking forward to being part of the Knicks‘ revamped roster following the trade for Mikal Bridges, Ian Begley of SNY states in a mailbag column. On August 3, Randle will become eligible for an extension of up to four years and $181.5MM, but Begley hears that negotiations on a new deal “aren’t at the forefront” for either Randle or the team.
  • Jalen Wilson looks like a veteran in his second Summer League experience, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 2023 second-round pick has been a team leader for the Nets, scoring 27 points and finishing plus-19 in Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Knicks. “It’s fresh as a rookie; you don’t know really what to expect. But now this is my second year coming back,” Wilson said. “It’s just fun. You get to see things, get to experience having a chance to win it. That’s the thing that drives a guy, especially when it’s our second time doing it.”
  • Dennis Smith Jr. has been cheering for the Nets in Las Vegas, but sources tell Collin Helwig of NetsDaily that the free agent guard is considered “very unlikely” to be back in Brooklyn. Lonnie Walker is also expected to move onto another team, Hellwig adds.
  • Juwan Howard talks to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com about why he decided to join the Nets‘ coaching staff.
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