The ‘new blood’ in the calls of Vassilis Spanoulis, the look to the future and the proof that everyone will have their chance

OR pre-selection of the National team for the matches against Great Britain for the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers was announced by the EECincluding several new – and young – faces.

Vassilis Spanoulis knew that – with the exception of Giannoulis Larentzakis, Naz Mitrou-Long and Dimitris Moraitis – he would not have, at least in the first game against the British, another player from Olympiakos and Panathinaikos AKTOR. But while planning the team, he showed in practice that he is looking further than the next two games. First, here is the National team’s Depth Chart:

• PG: Vassilis Toliopoulos, Dimitris Moraitis, Vassilis Mouratos, Stelios Poulianitis, Yannis Karakostas
• SG: Giannoulis Larentzakis, Michalis Lountzis, Naz Mitrou-Long
• SF: Homeris Netzipoglou, Neoklis Avdalas
• PF: Nikos Hougaz, Yiannis Kouseloglou, Lefteris Mantzoukas
• C: Vangelis Zougris, Giorgos Tanoulis, Antonis Karagiannidis

7 of the 16 players called by coach Spanoulis are under 23 years old. The reason for Neoklis Avdala (born in 2006), Vangelis Zougris, Yiannis Karakostas (born in 2004), Lefteris Mantzoukas (born in 2003) and Omiros Netzipoglou, Giorgos Tanoulis and Antonis Karagiannidis (born in 2002), while there are all two more (Dimitris Moraitis – 1999 and Nikos Hougaz – 2000, who has an excellent season with Andorra in Spain) who are up to 25 years old.

The “bronze” Youth, the hopes for the future and the proof that everyone is given a chance

The “tomorrow” of Greek basketball is a topic that has been on the table for a long time. The players who carried the sport and the National team in the last 10-15 years (Yiannis Antetokounmpo, Kostas Papanikolaou, Nick Kalathis, Kostas Sloukas) will gradually retire. The National Team needs new blood.

The National Youth Team’s two consecutive bronze medals at the 2023 and 2024 EuroBasket U20 under the guidance of Kostas Papadopoulos provided a glimmer of light. Not by chance, three members of these two teams, Lefteris Mantzoukas (on loan from Panathinaikos AKTOR in Marousi), Vangelis Zougris (who is getting regular participation time from Giorgos Limniatis in Peristeri) and Yiannis Karakostas (who is gradually establishing himself in Marousi) are three names that stand out.

Of course, Karakostas is a story in itself. The reason is that – unlike the Mandzoukas and, to a lesser extent, the Zougris who were known from an early age – he had to have a torrid season last year in the Elite League with Papagou, earn his move to Maroussi and impress with Youth National Team in the summer, now reaching the National Team pre-selection.

At the same time, there is of course the 18-year-old Neokles Avdalas (on loan from Panathinaikos AKTOR in Peristeri, who is flourishing under the instructions of Giorgos Limniatis) who catches the eye, while there is also Giorgos Tanoulis (on loan from Olympiakos in Maroussi). But a look at the calls shows that it is some details that make the difference. Details such as the call of Antonis Karagiannidis.

The 22-year-old, 2.02-meter-tall Prometheus forward/center didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. At first reading, however, he does not have the brilliance of the other young players who have been called up and have shown their credentials in the minor Nationals. On the contrary, he worked hard since last year and this year he established himself in the Patras team. This season, he averaged 5 points and 8.5 rebounds in 22 minutes of participation in the Stoiximan GBL and 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 19 minutes of participation in the Basketball Champions League.

It is possible that many people have not noticed what Karagiannidis is doing this year. He doesn’t know that he is the 4th rebounder of the Stoiximan GBL and one of the best talls on the defensive side, with the ability to support a defense with changes from 1 to 5. But Vassilis Spanoulis noticed. And he invited him to the draft, sending the message he wants: If a player plays well, then he will get his chance.

The National team of windows is always an interesting story. There are players who emerged from these games (Larentzakis and Athenaiou in the past, Toliopoulos more recently) and leveled up. And, it is possible, in the future there will be a corresponding conversation about one of these children who were invited by Vassilis Spanoulis for the matches against Great Britain. They will surely take their chance. The latest calls prove it.