Greece men's national basketball team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Greece

FIBA ranking	14 (1 March 2024)
Joined FIBA	1932 (co-founders)
FIBA zone	FIBA Europe
National federation	Hellenic Basketball Federation
Coach	Vassilis Spanoulis
Nickname(s)	Επίσημη Αγαπημένη (Official Beloved)
Olympic Games
Appearances	5
Medals	None
FIBA World Cup
Appearances	9
Medals	Silver: (2006)
EuroBasket
Appearances	29
Medals	Gold: (1987, 2005) Silver: (1989) Bronze: (1949, 2009, 2025)
Home Away
First international
Turkey 49–12 Greece  (Istanbul, Turkey; 24 June 1936)
Biggest win
Greece 123–49 Canada  (Athens, Greece; 17 August 2010)
Biggest defeat
Czechoslovakia 116–71 Greece  (Moscow, Soviet Union; 10 June 1965)
Medal record FIBA World Cup Silver 2006 Japan EuroBasket Gold 1987 Athens Gold 2005 Serbia and Montenegro Silver 1989 Yugoslavia Bronze 1949 Egypt Bronze 2009 Poland Bronze 2025 Latvia Stanković Cup Gold 2006 China Mediterranean Games Gold 1979 Split Team Silver 1991 Athens Team Silver 2001 Tunis Team Silver 2005 Almeria Team Silver 2009 Pescara Team Bronze 1955 Barcelona Team Bronze 1971 Izmir Team Bronze 1987 Latakia Team Balkan Championship Gold 1979 Athens Gold 1986 Sofia Silver 1963 Athens Silver 1969 Thessaloniki Silver 1972 Sarajevo Silver 1983 Titov Vrbas Bronze 1964 Bucharest Bronze 1966 Sofia Bronze 1967 Skopje Bronze 1974 Thessaloniki Bronze 1976 Burgas Bronze 1977 Skopje Bronze 1980 Cluj-Napoca Bronze 1981 Sofia Bronze 1984 Athens Bronze 1985 Bucharest

The Greece men's national basketball team (also known as Εθνική Ομάδα Καλαθοσφαίρισης Ελλάδος) represents Greece in exciting international basketball games. The Hellenic Basketball Federation manages the team. Greece is currently ranked 13th in the world by FIBA.

This team has played in the FIBA World Cup nine times. Their best performance was in 2006, when they finished second. They even beat the strong United States team 101–95 in the semi-final that year!

Greece has also competed in the EuroBasket 29 times. They won the championship twice, in 1987 and 2005. They also earned one silver medal in 1989 and three bronze medals in 1949, 2009, and 2025. Some memorable wins include beating the Soviet Union in the 1987 final and Germany in the 2005 final.

The team has also played in the Olympic Games five times. Their best finish was fifth place in 1996, 2004, and 2008. Greece is special because they are the only national team to have beaten the United States during coach Mike Krzyzewski's time (2005–2016) in a major competition.

The History of Greek Basketball

Basketball has a long history in Greece. The country was one of the eight founding members of FIBA in 1932. For many years, the national team was not among the top teams. However, they became very strong in the mid-1980s.

Early Games and First Achievements

Greece was supposed to play in the first EuroBasket 1935 but could not travel. Their first international game was in EuroBasket 1949 in Cairo, Egypt. Even though it was their first time, they won a bronze medal, finishing third!

After this, Greece played in EuroBasket 1951 and reached the semi-finals. They also made their first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games in 1952. After that, they did not play in many big tournaments for a while.

In the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, Greece often played in EuroBasket tournaments. They did not qualify for the Olympics or World Cup during this time. However, they won two regional gold medals. They won the 1979 Mediterranean Games and the 1979 Balkan Championship, both times beating Yugoslavia.

Becoming European Champions

The team's history changed in the mid-1980s. Great players like Nikos Galis, Panagiotis Giannakis, Panagiotis Fasoulas, and Fanis Christodoulou led the way. They first qualified for the 1986 FIBA World Cup, which was a big step.

The next year, Greece hosted EuroBasket 1987. With a strong team, they beat favorites like Italy and Yugoslavia. In the final, they faced the powerful Soviet Union. In front of 17,000 cheering fans in Athens, Greece won the gold medal 103–101! Nikos Galis scored an amazing 40 points. This was Greece's first major international title in any sport. Basketball quickly became super popular across the country.

In EuroBasket 1989, Greece showed they were still a top team. They beat the Soviet Union again in the semi-finals. They reached the final but lost to Yugoslavia, earning a silver medal. This was their third medal in EuroBasket history.

Strong Performances, Close Calls

The 1990s were a successful time for the team. They played in almost all major international tournaments. They usually finished in the top six, often placing fourth. They also played in the 1996 Olympics, finishing fifth.

At the 1990 FIBA World Cup, they finished sixth. In both the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, Greece finished fourth. In 1998, the tournament was in Athens. The team hoped to reach the final but lost a close semi-final game.

In the EuroBasket tournaments of the 1990s, Greece often finished fourth, just missing out on medals. They hosted the EuroBasket 1995 but could not repeat their 1987 win.

From 1999 to 2002, the team had a tough period. They finished last in EuroBasket 1999 and did not qualify for the 2000 Olympics.

Winning Gold and Silver Again

Greece started to get strong again at EuroBasket 2003, finishing fifth. The 2004 Olympic Games were held in Athens. Many hoped Greece would win a medal, but they lost a close game to Argentina in the quarter-finals, finishing fifth.

At EuroBasket 2005, Greece was a strong contender. They reached the semi-finals and faced France. With only one minute left, France was leading by seven points. But Greece made an incredible comeback! Dimitris Diamantidis scored a three-pointer with three seconds left, winning the game 67–66. In the final, in front of 20,000 Greek fans, they beat Germany 78–62 to win their second EuroBasket gold medal!

The next year, Greece won the 2006 Stanković Cup. At the 2006 FIBA World Cup, they were determined to win a medal. They reached the semi-finals undefeated. In a huge upset, Greece beat the United States 101–95. They made it to the final but lost to Spain, earning a silver medal. Fans celebrated their historic win over the USA and their first World Cup medal.

At EuroBasket 2007, Greece reached the semi-finals but lost to Spain. They finished fourth after losing the bronze medal game. In the 2008 Olympics, they again finished fifth after a close loss to Argentina.

In EuroBasket 2009, with many young players, Greece surprised everyone. After losing to Spain in the semi-finals, they won the bronze medal game against Slovenia with a thrilling 57–56 victory. This was their first bronze medal in 60 years!

Recent Years and New Challenges

Before the 2010 FIBA World Cup, Greece played very well in friendly matches. However, they faced challenges in the World Cup itself. They lost to Turkey and Russia in the group stage. They then lost to Spain in a close game in the Round of 16, finishing 11th. After this, Dimitris Diamantidis retired from the national team.

For EuroBasket 2011, many key players were absent. Coach Ilias Zouros built a new team with young talent. They reached the quarter-finals, losing to France. They finished sixth, which helped them qualify for the 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. However, they narrowly lost to Nigeria and did not qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

At EuroBasket 2013, despite strong friendly game performances, injuries affected the team. They failed to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2001. However, they were chosen as a wild card for the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

With a new coach, Fotios Katsikaris, and missing more key players, Greece still finished first in their group at the 2014 World Cup. They were one of only three undefeated teams in the group stage. However, they lost to Serbia in the Round of 16, finishing ninth.

At EuroBasket 2015, Greece again finished first in their group, undefeated. They beat Belgium in the Round of 16 but lost to Spain in the quarter-finals. They finished fifth, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. They did not qualify for the 2016 Olympics, missing out for the second time in a row.

In EuroBasket 2017, Greece won against Iceland and Poland to reach the knockout rounds. They had a great win against Lithuania in the Round of 16. However, they lost a tough game to Russia in the quarter-finals, finishing eighth.

Greece participated in the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, their first Olympic appearance in sixteen years. They were eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals, finishing eighth overall.

Team Honours and Awards

Medals Won by Greece

Individual Player Awards

• FIBA World Cup Top Scorer
  • Nikos Galis – 1986
• FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team
  • Thodoris Papaloukas – 2006
• EuroBasket MVP
  • Nikos Galis – 1987
• EuroBasket Top Scorer
  • Georgios Kolokythas – 1967, 1969
  • Nikos Galis – 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo – 2022
• EuroBasket All-Tournament Team
  • Nikos Galis – 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991
  • Panagiotis Fasoulas – 1987
  • Fanis Christodoulou – 1993, 1995
  • Dimitris Diamantidis – 2005
  • Thodoris Papaloukas – 2005
  • Vassilis Spanoulis – 2009
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo – 2022, 2025

Team's Competitive Journey

Greece has a rich history in major basketball tournaments.

FIBA World Cup Appearances

Greece has participated in the World Cup 9 times. Their best result was a silver medal in 2006.

Olympic Games Appearances

The team has played in the Olympic Games 5 times. Their highest finish was 5th place on three occasions.

EuroBasket Appearances

Greece has competed in the EuroBasket 29 times. They have won two gold medals (1987, 2005), one silver medal (1989), and three bronze medals (1949, 2009, 2025).

Recent Game Results

Here are some of the recent games played by the Greek national team.

Games in 2024

Great Britain  v  Greece

21 November 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Great Britain	73–72	Greece	London, England
19:30 (UTC±0)	Scoring by quarter: 16–26, 17–15, 18–10, 22–21
	Pts: Olaseni 16 Rebs: Hesson, Olaseni 8 Asts: Ellis 8	Boxscore	Pts: Toliopoulos 14 Rebs: Zougris 8 Asts: Mouratos, Toliopoulos 3	Arena: Copper Box Arena Attendance: 4,860 Referees: Antonio Conde (ESP), Mihkel Männiste (EST), Valentin Oliot (FRA)

Greece  v  Great Britain

24 November 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Greece	77–67	Great Britain	Thessaloniki, Greece
18:30 (UTC+2)	Scoring by quarter: 17–15, 23–17, 17–18, 20–17
	Pts: Kalaitzakis, Papanikolaou 14 Rebs: Papanikolaou 10 Asts: Papanikolaou 7	Boxscore	Pts: Hesson 14 Rebs: Akin 7 Asts: Ellis 4	Arena: P.A.O.K. Sports Arena Attendance: 8,200 Referees: Manuel Mazzoni (ITA), Ventsislav Velikov (BUL), Siniša Prpa (SRB)

Games in 2025

Czech Republic  v  Greece

21 February 2025 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Czech Republic	89–930(OT)	Greece	Pardubice, Czech Republic
18:00 (UTC+1)	Scoring by quarter: 13–27, 27–10, 14–23, 23–17, Overtime: 12–16
	Pts: Balvín 19 Rebs: Balvín 8 Asts: Sehnal 9	Boxscore	Pts: Toliopoulos 26 Rebs: Papagiannis 9 Asts: Papagiannis 4	Arena: Enteria arena Attendance: 6,117 Referees: Paulo Marques (POR), Gvidas Gedvilas (LTU), Fernando Calatrava (ESP)

Greece  v  Netherlands

24 February 2025 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Greece	63–53	Netherlands	Patras, Greece
21:30 (UTC+2)	Scoring by quarter: 18–18, 16–5, 14–16, 15–14
	Pts: Larentzakis 14 Rebs: Zougris 9 Asts: Kalaitzakis 4	Boxscore	Pts: Kraag 14 Rebs: Kraag 8 Asts: Van der Vuurst 7	Arena: Dimitris Tofalos Arena Attendance: 4,050 Referees: Manuel Mazzoni (ITA), Ventsislav Velikov (BUL), Siniša Prpa (SRB)

Greece  v  Belgium

6 August 2025 Friendly	Greece	74–60	Belgium	Athens, Greece
20:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 21–18, 15–10, 16–21, 22–11
	Pts: Mitoglou 18 Rebs: three players 3 Asts: three players 5	Boxscore	Pts: Vanwijn 19 Rebs: Vanwijn 7 Asts: Mwema, Vanwijn 4	Arena: O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall Attendance: 8,000 Referees: Ilias Karpanos (GRE), Ioannis Tiganis (GRE), Georgios Martinakos (GRE)

Greece  v  Serbia

9 August 2025 ECOMMBX Cup 2025	Greece	66–76	Serbia	Limassol, Cyprus
20:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 8–17, 13–12, 19–21
	Pts: Mitoglou 18 Rebs: Papanikolaou 6 Asts: T. Antetokounmpo 5	Boxscore	Pts: Jokić 23 Rebs: Jokić 19 Asts: Jokić 4	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 3,000 Referees: Ofer Manheim (ISR), Petar Pesic (SRB), Ioannis Tsimpouris (GRE)

Greece  v  Israel

10 August 2025 ECOMMBX Cup 2025	Greece	58–75	Israel	Limassol, Cyprus
20:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 18–19, 8–17, 9–19
	Pts: Dorsey 14 Rebs: Chougkaz 5 Asts: K. Antetokounmpo 5	Boxscore	Pts: Avdija, Sorkin 16 Rebs: Ginat 16 Asts: Ginat, Carrington 5	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 1,500 Referees: Sinisa Prpa (SRB), Ilias Kounellis (GRE), Ioannis Tsimpouris (GRE)

Greece  v  Montenegro

14 August 2025 Friendly	Greece	69–61	Montenegro	Thessaloniki, Greece
19:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 15–19, 17–16, 13–16, 24–10
	Pts: Mitoglou 20 Rebs: Mitoglou 9 Asts: Sloukas 5	Boxscore	Pts: Vučević 13 Rebs: Vučević 7 Asts: Allman Jr. 5	Arena: P.A.O.K. Sports Arena Attendance: 9,000 Referees: Stylianos Simeonidis (GRE), Vasileios Pitsilkas (GRE), Ioannis Mpakalis (GRE)

Greece  v  Latvia

20 August 2025 2025 Acropolis Tournament	Greece	104–86	Latvia	Athens, Greece
20:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 30–17, 31–28, 21–21, 22–20
	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 25 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo10 Asts: Sloukas 10	Boxscore	Pts: Lomažs 17 Rebs: Lomažs 5 Asts: Zoriks 7	Arena: Telekom Center Athens Attendance: 9,500 Referees: Georgios Poursanidis (GRE), Nikolaos Tziopanos (GRE), Nontas Christinakis (GRE)

Italy  v  Greece

22 August 2025 2025 Acropolis Tournament	Italy	74–76	Greece	Athens, Greece
20:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 20–16, 20–14, 12–27, 22–19
	Pts: Fontecchio 18 Rebs: Melli 7 Asts: Pajola 7	Boxscore	Pts: Dorsey 14 Rebs: K. Antetokounmpo 6 Asts: Dorsey, Katsivelis 4	Arena: Telekom Center Athens Attendance: 13,500 Referees: Ioannis Tsimpouris (GRE), Ioannis Agrafiotis (GRE), Sotirios Teftikis (GRE)

Greece  v  France

24 August 2025 Friendly	Greece	77–92	France	Athens, Greece
20:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 20–17, 29–26, 12–28, 16–21
	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 20 Rebs: Mitoglou, Papanikolaou 3 Asts: G. Antetokounmpo, Mitoglou 3	Boxscore	Pts: Maledon 16 Rebs: three players 5 Asts: Maledon 5	Arena: Telekom Center Athens Referees: Tsaroucha Vasiliki (GRE), Pitsilikas Vasileios (GRE), Marinakis Megaklis-Konstaninos (GRE)

Greece  v  Italy

28 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Greece	75–66	Italy	Limassol, Cyprus
21:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 22–12, 14–20, 20–13, 19–21
	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 31 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 7 Asts: Sloukas 4	Boxscore	Pts: Melli 15 Rebs: Melli 7 Asts: Melli 5	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 7,000 Referees: Jorge Vázquez (PUR), Gvidas Gedvilas (LTU), Péter Praksch (HUN)

Cyprus  v  Greece

30 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Cyprus	69–96	Greece	Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 13–22, 18–21, 16–26, 22–27
	Pts: Simitzis 16 Rebs: Willis 8 Asts: Stylianou, Tigkas 4	Boxscore	Pts: Dorsey, Mitoglou 18 Rebs: Samodurov 8 Asts: Kalaitzakis, Katsivelis 5	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 7,349 Referees: Paulo Marques (POR), Siniša Prpa (SRB), Carsten Straube (GER)

Georgia  v  Greece

31 August 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Georgia	53–94	Greece	Limassol, Cyprus
15:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 13–22, 16–24, 12–23, 12–25
	Pts: Mamukelashvili 14 Rebs: Shermadini 7 Asts: Baldwin 5	Boxscore	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 27 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 8 Asts: Sloukas 6	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 7,290 Referees: Jorge Vázquez (PUR), Mārtiņš Kozlovskis (LAT), Ventsislav Velikov (BUL)

Greece  v  Bosnia and Herzegovina

2 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Greece	77–80	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Limassol, Cyprus
15:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 25–19, 13–25, 14–17, 25–19
	Pts: Sloukas 15 Rebs: Papanikolaou 7 Asts: Sloukas 8	Boxscore	Pts: Nurkić, Roberson 18 Rebs: Nurkić 10 Asts: Gegić 4	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 7,432 Referees: Mārtiņš Kozlovskis (LAT), Ventsislav Velikov (BUL), Paulo Marques (POR)

Spain  v  Greece

4 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Group stage	Spain	86–90	Greece	Limassol, Cyprus
21:30 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 15–19, 28–18, 23–22
	Pts: Pradilla 14 Rebs: Aldama 8 Asts: De Larrea 6	Boxscore	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 25 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 14 Asts: G. Antetokounmpo 9	Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center Attendance: 7,709 Referees: Jorge Vázquez (PUR), Mārtiņš Kozlovskis (LAT), Péter Praksch (HUN)

Greece  v  Israel

7 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Round of 16	Greece	84–79	Israel	Riga, Latvia
21:45 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 28–22, 22–19, 17–18, 17–20
	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 37 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 10 Asts: Papanikolaou 4	Boxscore	Pts: Avdija 23 Rebs: Sorkin 6 Asts: Madar, Timor 5	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 2,157 Referees: Yohan Rosso (FRA), Takaki Kato (JPN), Luis Castillo (ESP)

Lithuania  v  Greece

9 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Quarter-finals	Lithuania	76–87	Greece	Riga, Latvia
21:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 19–24, 19–20, 14–20, 24–23
	Pts: Valančiūnas 24 Rebs: Valančiūnas 15 Asts: Velička 7	Boxscore	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 29 Rebs: Papanikolaou 7 Asts: Sloukas 4	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 10,487 Referees: Matthew Kallio (CAN), Antonio Conde (ESP), Martin Vulić (CRO)

Greece  v  Turkey

12 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Semi-finals	Greece	68–94	Turkey	Riga, Latvia
21:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 16–26, 15–23, 20–23, 17–22
	Pts: Sloukas 15 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 12 Asts: G. Antetokounmpo 5	Boxscore	Pts: Osmani 28 Rebs: Şengün 12 Asts: Hazer, Şengün 6	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 10,500 Referees: Matthew Kallio (CAN), Ademir Zurapović (BIH), Jorge Vázquez (PUR)

Greece  v  Finland

14 September 2025 EuroBasket 2025 – Third place game	Greece	92–89	Finland	Riga, Latvia
17:00 (UTC+3)	Scoring by quarter: 24–15, 24–19, 21–22, 23–33
	Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 30 Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 17 Asts: G. Antetokounmpo, Papanikolaou 6	Boxscore	Pts: Markkanen 19 Rebs: Markkanen 10 Asts: Jantunen 7	Arena: Xiaomi Arena Attendance: 11,000 Referees: Jorge Vázquez (PUR), Antonio Conde (ESP), Julio Anaya (PAN)

The Greek National Team

Current Roster for EuroBasket 2025

Here are the players who were part of the team for the EuroBasket 2025. EuroBasket 2025 squads

Team Depth Chart

This chart shows the main players for each position.

Retired Jersey Numbers

Some players were so important that their jersey numbers were retired. This means no one else on the team will wear that number again.

Legendary Players of Greece Basketball

Here are some of the most famous players who have represented Greece.

Team Captains Through the Years

The team captain is a very important leader on the court.

Kit Suppliers

The team has had different brands make their uniforms over the years.

Images for kids

• 

  Greece national basketball team of 1987 logo

• 

  Greece won the silver medal at the 2006 FIBA World Cup after their memorable 101–95 win against USA.

• 

  Vassilis Spanoulis

• 

  Thodoris Papaloukas

• 

  Greek basketball legend Panagiotis Giannakis is the only person to have won the EuroBasket both as a player (EuroBasket 1987) and as a head coach (EuroBasket 2005). He also led Greece to the final of the 2006 FIBA World Cup.

• 

  Georgios Printezis

• 

  Nick Calathes

• 

  Antonis Fotsis

• 

  Dimitris Diamantidis

• 

  Nikos Zisis

• 

  Ioannis Bourousis

• 

  Stratos Perperoglou

• 

  Kostas Kaimakoglou

See also

In Spanish: Selección de baloncesto de Grecia para niños

• Sport in Greece
• Greece men's national under-26 basketball team
• Greece men's national under-20 basketball team
• Greece men's national under-19 basketball team
• Greece men's national under-18 basketball team
• Greece men's national under-17 basketball team
• Greece men's national under-16 basketball team
• Greece women's national basketball team