Turkey have announced a veteran preliminary squad of 20 players as they prepare for Eurobasket in September, while Spain have announced their 12-man roster with notable absentees.
For Turkey’s coach Bogdan Tanjevic, it seems to be a last roll-of-the-dice as the strong list of veterans named are near enough certainties to make their international tournament swansongs if they don’t qualify for next year’s Basketball World Cup. Players such as Hedo Turkoglu, Omer Asik, Ersan Ilyasova, Oguz Savaş and Sinan Güler are named but possibly for the final time.
34-year-old point guard Kerem Tunceri is not included in the line-up for the first time in 12 years. The veteran team-leader made his debut at Eurobasket 1999.
Despite the lack of youth that could make it to Slovenia in September, coach Tanjevic has put out an impressive roster that should make it out of the first round of Eurobasket, where they have been housed in the seaside town of Koper with Finland, Greece, Italy, Russia and Sweden.
Turkey: Dogus Balbay, Birkan Batuk, Sinan Güler, Kerem Gönlüm, Semih Erden, Izzet Türkyilmaz, Dusan Cantekin, Serhat Cetin, Cemal Nalga, Melih Mahmutoglu, Ilkan Karaman, Oguz Savaş, Ömer Onan, Baris Ermis, Emir Preldzic, Ender Arslan, Ömer Asik, Ersan Ilyasova, Hidayet Türkoglu, Mükremin Deniz Kilicli.
Spain strong; despite missing names.
Pau Gasol and Serge Ibaka are the expected absentees from the Spanish squad as they look to defend their Eurobasket crown for an unprecedented third tournament in a row.
NBA guards Jose Calderon and Ricky Rubio are included in the squad with the latter admitting that Spain might not be the favourites this summer.
“Perhaps we are not as favourites as in the past because of the absences, but the players who will be there will aspire to gold,” Rubio explained.
“There are now some key pieces missing [from the national team], but we have to stay loyal to our mentality and seek first place.”
Rubio will play in his first international tournament since winning Eurobasket in 2011. Despite the win, Rubio was heavily criticized for his performance in Lithuania, and with the NBA pre-season starting just after Spain’s triumph, many were wondering if the ex-Joventut Badalona and Barcelona star was up to the task. He proved them all wrong by coming within a whisker of winning the Rookie of the Year award. A torn ACL ended Rubio’s season in Minnesota and he was forced to sit out the London Olympics, last year.
Another name added in the 12-man squad is the current NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol, though he isn’t 100 percent certain on what he will do this summer.
Juan Carlos Navarro, the current Eurobasket MVP isn’t included in the team, after he pulled out to have surgery. And despite rumours that he was in the team, Nikola Mirotic is also not in the line-up.
Spain: Jose Calderon (Detroit Pistons), Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves), Sergio Llull (Real Madrid), Sergio Rodríguez (Real Madrid), Rudy Fernandez (Real Madrid), Alex Mumbru (Bilbao Basket), Fernando San Emeterio (Laboral Kutxa), Víctor Claver (Portland TrailBlazers), Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies), German Gabriel (Bilbao Basket), Xavi Rey (Gran Canaria 2014) and Pablo Aguilar (Valencia Basket). Reserves: Xavi Rabaseda (FC Barcelona), Nacho Martin (Blancos de Rueda) and Alberto Corbacho (Blusens Monbus).
