Basketball fans around the world are counting the days down until NBA training camp starts, and we can finally say the 2022-23 season has started. However, we are still a month away from that being a fact and just under 2 months away from an actual NBA game. However, there is a lot of high quality basketball being played internationally right now.
Over this week, the FIBA World Cup qualifiers have been taking place and have brought many NBA players back to the forefront, leading their countries to qualification. The marquee game of the week was Serbia vs. Greece, pitting 2-time league MVP Nikola Jokic against the man who won the 2 MVPs before him, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Greece lost to Serbia in overtime by a score of 100-94, but the box score pointed out one odd fact. Only 1 player on the Greek national team shot free throws in the game, that being Giannis. New Dallas Mavericks signee and Greek player Tyler Dorsey criticized the refereeing after the game for the lack of free throws given to the rest of the Greek team.
"Giannis shot 10-14 free throws. No other player from my team shot any free throws,” Dorsey said after his team’s overtime loss. He finished with 16 points, including scoring the triple that forced the extra period. “For me, that’s eye-opening. I don’t know what’s going on, but the film of the game has to be reviewed. Giannis can’t be the only one to shoot free throws on our team. There’s zero. Nobody else shot a free throw.”
Giannis had a monster 40-point game, but he couldn't lead the Greek team against Serbia, easily one of the best in the world. Hopefully, the issues Dorsey pointed out don't happen again, especially in the upcoming EuroBasket tournament.
2022 EuroBasket will see Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic's Slovenia try to defend their crown won in 2017 against the likes of Serbia, Greece, and Rudy Gobert's France. Multiple NBA players will be playing at the tournament, and it's going to be a great way to satisfy a basketball fan's palette until the NBA season comes back around.