Luka Doncic and Slovenia will try to secure a spot for the Paris Games in one of the four upcoming qualifying tournaments.
Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are about to get one last chance to reach the Finals. Paris Olympic GamesThe same goes for Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vucevic. And Rudy Fernandez is about to get his chance to make history.
The final four spots in the 12-team Olympic men’s basketball field for the Paris Games begin to be determined Tuesday, with the start of qualifying tournaments where the winner takes all in Spain, Latvia, Puerto Rico and Greece.
Each site hosts a six-team tournament that runs through July 7, with the four winners securing the final four spots on the Olympic field.
“We’re in the best possible position,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about playing qualifying games at home in Greece.
It’s likely he and Doncic will face off at some point. Slovenia is in Greece for that qualifying tournament. Meanwhile, in Spain, the perennial Olympic medal contenders aren’t just looking to get to Paris. They’re also looking to make Fernandez, the big Spaniard, the first six-time Olympian in men’s basketball.
“We want to see this dream come true,” said Spain coach Sergio Scariolo.
The format features two groups of three teams at each tournament. In the group stages, which run from Tuesday to Thursday, each nation plays the other two teams in its group. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on Saturday. The championship matches at all four venues will be held on Sunday.
An overview of the qualifications:
Spain
Group A: Lebanon, Angola, Spain
Group B: Finland, Poland, Bahamas
Spain is at home and that’s a big advantage, but the Bahamas think they can pull off a surprise for three very good reasons: Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon, all of whom are on that nation’s qualifying roster.
Latvia
Group A: Georgia, Philippines, Latvia.
Group B: Brazil, Cameroon, Montenegro.
The hosts Latvia did not have the easiest draw in the world, especially since the Philippines are now coached by Tim Cone, a former Miami Heat Summer League assistant who won more than two dozen titles during his time in the Philippines. Montenegro’s hopes largely rest on Nikola Vucevic.
Greece
Group A: Slovenia, New Zealand, Croatia.
Group B: Egypt, Greece, Dominican Republic.
The potential for a Greece-Slovenia final seems high, and it would be a great spectacle — Doncic versus Antetokounmpo for a spot in the Olympics. Doncic played through injuries in the NBA Finals for Dallas in a five-game loss to Boston, and the fact that he’s playing here shows how much the Olympics mean to him.
Porto Rico
Group A: Mexico, Ivory Coast, Lithuania.
Group B: Italy, Puerto Rico, Bahrain.
Danilo Gallinari headlines a very experienced Italy side, who face Puerto Rico in the group stage but could still qualify for the semi-finals even if they lose. Lithuania appear to have the most experience in Group A, and it would be surprising not to see them in the semi-finals.
