EuroBasket

Beginning

The first championships was held three years after the establishment of FIBA, in 1935. Switzerland was chosen as the host country, and ten countries joined. Only one qualifying match was played between Portugal and Spain. With a complicated formula, the final would see Latvia as champions. According to the rule at the time, the winner had to hold the following games. The following two tournaments would be won by Lithuania and would see the introduction of Egypt which would compete in EuroBasket until 1953 winning one championship at home in 1949 along the way.^[1]

Soviet dominance

After the 1946 edition saw the first jump shot performed by Italian player Giuseppe Stefanini, the following edition would see the Soviet Union compete in their first edition in the 1947 edition and would see the Soviets win the first of eleven out of the next thirteen European championships. ^[2] During the 50s, the Soviet Union won four of the five competitions held during the decade with only tournament that they didn't win being the 1955 edition. This was won by Hungary as they finished top while the Soviets finished in third place. It was also during that edition that the thirty-second shot clock was introduced, which changed the style of basketball.^[3]

The Soviets would take out all of the championships during the 60s with them having a fifty-five game winning streak which would be broken by Yugoslavia in 1969. For Yugoslavia, they were starting to come to challenge the Soviets with the main player in Radivoj Korac aiding the team to two silvers and a bronze medal in his career which stopped in 1967. The 1960s would see also a change in how the competition was viewed and run with FIBA putting a limit on the amount of countries that entered to 16 with qualifiers being the way to bring them down to that number as it first appeared in 1963. The following edition would see the competition not be held in one city with Tbilisi joining Moscow in hosting games and in 1967 the first modern games was held, because the games were televised and international media were present. ^[4]

Rise of Yugoslavia

The 1970s were the competition between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. During the decade Yugoslavia won three gold medals and the Soviet Union taking out the remaining two. After the Soviets took out 1971, the 1973 edition would finally see Yugoslavia take out their first championship after Spain defeated the Soviets in the semi-finals to qualify for their first final since the first edition way back in 1935. Yugoslavia would finally have a chance to defeat the Soviets as at home, they would get the chance to defeat them and they did as they won by six points to take home 1975 edition. After following that up in 1977, the Soviets would get their revenge in the final round at EuroBasket 1979 when they defeated them 96-77 to qualify through to the final where they would defeat Israel who shocked the basketball world as they defeated Yugoslavia in the opening round by a point.^[5]

Brewing under the Soviets and Yugoslavs, the west was starting to appear with the 1980s seeing the change happen. In 1983, the western side of Europe tasted success with Italy defeating Spain in the final to record their first of two titles. Two things happened in the following edition which was held in Germany. The first was that the NBA scouts had appeared in masses to see the best players. Dražen Petrović, Arvydas Sabonis, Nikos Galis, Detlef Schrempf and Fernando Martin all would head over to the United States to play in the NBA. That same edition also saw the first three-point arc being used. Greece would win the next edition in 1987 at home and followed that with a silver medal at the 1989 edition in Yugoslavia.^[6]

New winners emerge

EuroBasket 1991 was the first EuroBasket tournament in which currently active NBA players, that had also already played in an official NBA regular season game were allowed to participate. It would also be the first edition where the Soviets weren't entered into the competition, as the USSR collapsed and it didn't qualify for the main tournament. Yugoslavia would take the title, but afterwards war would split the country up with Juri Zdovc being a casualty after Slovenia declared independence, two days into the tournament. 1993 saw a shock winner, with Germany taking the championship at home with a one-point victory over Russia. After being suspended in 1993, FR Yugoslavia came back and took the trophy after defeating Lithuania, which was making its first appearance, since it had been a country of the Soviet Union. But politics came into play with the crowd protesting “Lithuania is the champions”, while the Croatian team who had defeated Greece for bronze step down from the podium in protest of the war that was happening at the time.^[7][8]

Participation details

Team	1935	1937	1939	1946	1947	1949	1951	1953	1955	1957	1959	1961	1963	1965	1967	1969	1971	1973	1975	1977
Albania	-	-	-	-	14th	-	-	-	-	16th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Austria	-	-	-	-	12th	-	11th	-	13th	14th	16th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12th
Belgium	6th	-	-	7th	4th	-	7th	10th	-	12th	7th	8th	8th	-	15th	-	-	-	-	8th
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Part of  Yugoslavia
Bulgaria	8th	-	-	-	8th	-	4th	9th	4th	2nd	5th	3rd	5th	5th	4th	7th	6th	6th	5th	6th
Croatia	Part of  Yugoslavia
Czech Republic	Part of  Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia	3rd	7th	-	1st	2nd	-	2nd	4th	2nd	3rd	2nd	5th	10th	7th	2nd	3rd	5th	4th	6th	3rd
Denmark	-	-	-	-	-	-	14th	16th	18th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
East Germany	X	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	14th	12th	6th	10th	14th	-	-	-	-	-
Egypt	-	8th	-	-	3rd	1st	-	8th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
England	-	-	-	10th	-	-	-	-	12th	-	-	19th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Estonia	-	5th	5th	Part of  Soviet Union
Finland	-	-	8th	-	-	-	9th	12th	10th	11th	13th	14th	14th	12th	6th	-	-	-	-	10th
Macedonia[11]	Part of  Yugoslavia
France	5th	3rd	4th	4th	5th	2nd	3rd	3rd	9th	8th	3rd	4th	13th	9th	11th	-	10th	10th	-	11th
Georgia	Part of  Soviet Union
Germany/  West Germany	-	-	-	-	-	-	12th	14th	17th	13th	-	16th	-	14th	-	-	9th	-	-	-
Great Britain	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Greece	-	-	-	-	-	3rd	8th	-	-	-	-	17th	-	8th	12th	10th	-	11th	12th	-
Hungary	9th	-	7th	3rd	7th	-	-	2nd	1st	4th	4th	6th	4th	15th	13th	8th	-	-	-	-
Iceland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Iran	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Israel	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	5th	-	-	11th	11th	9th	6th	8th	11th	11th	7th	7th	5th
Italy	7th	2nd	6th	2nd	9th	-	5th	7th	6th	10th	10th	-	12th	4th	7th	6th	3rd	5th	3rd	4th
Latvia	1st	6th	2nd	Part of  Soviet Union
Lebanon	-	-	-	-	-	7th	-	15th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Lithuania	-	1st	1st	Part of  Soviet Union
Luxembourg	-	-	-	8th	-	-	17th	-	15th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia
Netherlands	-	-	-	6th	11th	5th	10th	-	-	-	-	15th	16th	-	16th	-	-	-	10th	7th
Poland	-	4th	3rd	9th	6th	-	-	-	5th	7th	6th	9th	2nd	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	12th	8th	-
Portugal	-	-	-	-	-	-	15th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Romania	10th	-	-	-	10th	-	18th	13th	7th	5th	8th	7th	11th	13th	5th	9th	8th	9th	11th	-
Russia	Part of  Soviet Union
Scotland	-	-	-	-	-	-	16th	-	-	15th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Serbia	Part of  Yugoslavia
Serbia and Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia
Slovenia	Part of  Yugoslavia
Soviet Union	-	-	-	-	1st	-	1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	3rd	2nd	2nd
Spain	2nd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	15th	13th	7th	11th	10th	5th	7th	2nd	4th	9th
Sweden	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17th	16th	-	-	18th	-	16th	-	12th	-	-	-	-
Switzerland	4th	-	-	5th	-	-	13th	11th	14th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Syria	-	-	-	-	-	6th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Turkey	-	-	-	-	-	4th	6th	-	11th	9th	12th	10th	15th	-	-	-	12th	8th	9th	-
Ukraine	Part of  Soviet Union
Yugoslavia	-	-	-	-	13th	-	-	6th	8th	6th	9th	2nd	3rd	2nd	9th	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st

Team	1979	1981	1983	1985	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	Total
Albania	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Austria	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6
Belgium	12th	-	-	-	-	-	-	12th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	21st	9th	13th	19th	17
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Part of  Yugoslavia							8th	-	15th	15th	13th	15th	13th	-	-	17th	13th	23rd	-	9
Bulgaria	11th	-	-	8th	-	7th	8th	14th	-	-	-	-	-	13th	-	13th	13th	-	-	-	24
Croatia	Part of  Yugoslavia							3rd	3rd	11th	11th	7th	11th	7th	6th	6th	13th	4th	9th	10th	13
Czech Republic	Part of  Czechoslovakia							-	-	-	12th	-	-	-	13th	-	-	13th	7th	20th	5
Czechoslovakia	4th	3rd	10th	2nd	8th	-	6th	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	24
Denmark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3
East Germany	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	5
Egypt	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4
England	-	12th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4
Estonia	Part of  Soviet Union							6th	-	-	-	14th	-	-	-	-	-	-	20th	-	5
Finland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	9th	16th	11th	16
Macedonia[11]	Part of  Yugoslavia							-	-	-	13th	-	-	-	-	9th	4th	21st	19th	-	5
France	8th	8th	5th	6th	9th	6th	4th	7th	8th	10th	4th	6th	4th	3rd	8th	5th	2nd	1st	3rd	12th	38
Georgia	Part of  Soviet Union							-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11th	17th	15th	17th	4
Germany/  West Germany	-	10th	8th	5th	6th	-	-	1st	10th	12th	7th	4th	9th	2nd	5th	11th	9th	17th	18th	7th	24
Great Britain	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	13th	13th	13th	-	22nd	4
Greece	9th	9th	11th	-	1st	2nd	5th	4th	4th	4th	16th	9th	5th	1st	4th	3rd	6th	11th	5th	8th	27
Hungary	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	15th	15
Iceland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	24th	24th	2
Iran	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Israel	2nd	6th	6th	9th	11th	-	-	15th	9th	9th	9th	10th	7th	9th	11th	13th	13th	21st	10th	21st	29
Italy	5th	5th	1st	3rd	5th	4th	2nd	9th	5th	2nd	1st	11th	3rd	9th	9th	-	17th	8th	6th	6th	37
Latvia	Part of  Soviet Union							10th	-	16th	-	8th	13th	13th	13th	13th	21st	10th	8th	5th	14
Lebanon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Lithuania	Part of  Soviet Union							-	2nd	6th	5th	12th	1st	5th	3rd	11th	5th	2nd	2nd	9th	14
Luxembourg	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3
Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia							Part of  Yugoslavia							-	-	21st	17th	-	13th	3
Netherlands	10th	-	4th	12th	10th	8th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	21st	-	15
Poland	7th	7th	9th	11th	7th	-	7th	-	-	7th	-	-	-	-	13th	9th	17th	21st	11th	18th	28
Portugal	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9th	-	21st	-	-	-	3
Romania	-	-	-	10th	12th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	23rd	18
Russia	Part of  Soviet Union							2nd	7th	3rd	6th	5th	8th	8th	1st	7th	3rd	21st	17th	4th	13
Scotland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Serbia	Part of  Yugoslavia												Part of		13th	2nd	8th	7th	4th	2nd	8
Serbia and Montenegro	Part of  Yugoslavia												6th	9th	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Slovenia	Part of  Yugoslavia							14th	12th	14th	10th	15th	10th	6th	7th	4th	7th	5th	12th	1st	13
Soviet Union	1st	1st	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	21
Spain	6th	4th	2nd	4th	4th	5th	3rd	5th	6th	5th	2nd	3rd	2nd	4th	2nd	1st	1st	3rd	1st	3rd	31
Sweden	-	-	12th	-	-	-	-	13th	11th	-	-	-	16th	-	-	-	-	13th	-	-	10
Switzerland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5
Syria	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Turkey	-	11th	-	-	-	-	-	11th	13th	8th	8th	2nd	12th	9th	11th	8th	11th	17th	14th	14th	24
Ukraine	Part of  Soviet Union							-	-	13th	-	16th	14th	13th	-	-	17th	6th	22nd	16th	8
Yugoslavia	3rd	2nd	7th	7th	3rd	1st	1st	X	1st	1st	3rd	1st	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	25

Notes

• According to FIBA, Yugoslavia competed until 2001.^[12]

MVP and Top scorer by country

Country	Times MVP	Years		Country	Times Top Scorer	Years
Soviet Union	7	1947, 1953, 1959, 1965, 1969, 1981, 1985		Greece	6	1967, 1969, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991
Spain	7	1935, 1963, 1973, 1983, 2009, 2011, 2015		Spain	4	1999, 2003, 2009, 2015
Yugoslavia	6	1961, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1989, 1991		Poland	4	1946, 1971, 1979, 1981
Lithuania	4	1937, 1939, 1995, 2003		Yugoslavia	4	1959, 1961, 1963, 1965
Czechoslovakia	3	1951, 1957, 1967		France	3	1947, 2011, 2013
Serbia/  Yugoslavia	2	1997, 2001		Germany	3	2001, 2005, 2007
Hungary	2	1946, 1955		Czechoslovakia	2	1951, 1955
Germany	2	1993, 2005		Bulgaria	2	1973, 1975
Turkey	1	1949		Israel	2	1985, 1997
Israel	1	1979		Italy	1	1935
Greece	1	1987		Latvia	1	1937
Italy	1	1999		Estonia	1	1939
Russia	1	2007		Turkey	1	1949
France	1	2013		Lebanon	1	1953
Slovenia	1	2017		Belgium	1	1957
				Netherlands	1	1977
				Bosnia and Herzegovina	1	1993
				Lithuania	1	1995
				Russia	1	2017

Most times MVP and Top scorer by Players

Player	Times MVP	Years		Player	Times Top Scorer	Years
Krešimir Ćosić	2	1971, 1975		Nikos Galis	4	1983, 1987, 1989, 1991
Pau Gasol	2	2009, 2015		Radivoj Korać	4	1959, 1961, 1963, 1965
One time MVP, earned by 36 players				Dirk Nowitzki	3	2001, 2005, 2007
				Pau Gasol	3	2003, 2009, 2015
				Georgios Kolokithas	2	1967, 1969
				Atanas Golomeev	2	1973, 1975
				Mieczysław Młynarski	2	1979, 1981
				Tony Parker	2	2011, 2013

All-time leading scorers in total points scored

• Counting all games played through the end of EuroBasket 2017, and not counting qualification games.

List of All-Time Top 10 Scorers (Overall)

Player	Points Scored	Games Played	Scoring Average
Pau Gasol	1,183	58	20.4
Tony Parker	1,104	68	16.2
Dirk Nowitzki	1,052	49	21.4
Nikos Galis	1,030	33	31.2
Kamil Brabenec	948	62	15.3
Miki Berkovich	917	51	18.0
Epi	889	58	15.3
Emiliano Rodríguez	864	55	15.7
Radivoj Korać	844	34	24.8
Stanislav Kropilák	769	55	14.0
Panagiotis Giannakis	769	58	13.3

All-time leading scorers in points per game average

• Counting all games played through the end of EuroBasket 2017, and not counting qualification games.

List of All-Time Top 10 Scorers (By Average)^[18]

Player	Points Scored	Games Played	Scoring Average
Nikos Galis	1,030	33	31.2
Radivoj Korać	844	34	24.8
Luol Deng	123	5	24.6
Eddy Terrace	220	9	24.4
/ Sabahudin "Dino" Bilalović	217	9	24.1
/ Dražen Petrović	604	26	23.2
Dennis Schröder	271	12	22.6
Rik Smits	154	7	22.0
Mieczysław Młynarski	482	22	21.9
Michael Jackel	347	16	21.6