With the Olympics in the rearview, basketball fans seeking high-stakes international competition can turn their attention to EuroBasket 2025. Scheduled from August 27 to September 14, the tournament showcases 24 of Europe’s best national teams, including 2024 Olympic contenders France and Serbia. The connection between the NBA and this premier event is stronger than ever, with powerhouses like Germany, Greece, and Slovenia also boasting rosters filled with league talent.
As international players increasingly shape the NBA, their league performance provides a key indicator of their potential impact at EuroBasket—and this tournament will offer a preview of what’s to come in the season ahead. To determine the top 10 NBA players competing, this ranking is based on a data-driven approach. It utilizes the Estimated RAPTOR metric, which measures a player’s overall value by combining individual statistics with their on-court team impact. These projections for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season are further refined by an age- and production-adjusted model.
It is important to note that these projections reflect a player’s anticipated performance over the entire 2025-26 season; a player’s current form may differ. Older veterans could be fresher now than after an 82-game grind, while younger talents may still be ascending. Additionally, with rosters still being finalized, this list focuses on those currently expected to compete.
1. Nikola Jokić, Serbia
- 2025-26 Age: 30 | Denver Nuggets
- Projected RAPTOR: +7.1 Offense | +1.1 Defense | +8.2 Overall
Unsurprisingly, Nikola Jokić stands alone at the top of this list. Having posted the NBA’s highest RAPTOR for five consecutive seasons, he now leads a Serbian squad favored to win the tournament. Serbia will be highly motivated after surrendering a 13-point fourth-quarter lead in its 2024 Olympic semifinal loss to the United States. The nation hasn’t won EuroBasket since 2001, and with Jokić absent from the team’s 2017 finals run, a victory would add a significant piece of hardware to his decorated career.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
- 2025-26 Age: 31 | Milwaukee Bucks
- Projected RAPTOR: +5.0 Offense | +0.7 Defense | +5.7 Overall
A two-time MVP who has finished in the top four in voting for seven straight seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a dominant force. However, his individual brilliance has yet to translate into ultimate team success on the international stage. He averaged 25.8 points at the 2024 Olympics, where Greece finished eighth, and led all scorers at EuroBasket 2022 with 29.3 PPG as his team placed fifth. Paradoxically, the rise of Greece’s greatest player has coincided with modest international results. If cleared to play, Antetokounmpo is expected to deliver another commanding individual performance.
3. Luka Dončić, Slovenia
- 2025-26 Age: 26 | Los Angeles Lakers
- Projected RAPTOR: +4.5 Offense | +0.7 Defense | +5.2 Overall
For many NBA fans, EuroBasket offers the first look at Luka Dončić in meaningful action since his much-publicized offseason body transformation. While projections cannot account for physical changes, they confirm he maintained his elite impact following a shocking midseason trade to the Lakers. A fixture on this stage since winning gold with Slovenia as a 17-year-old in 2017, Dončić was one of the best players in the 2022 tournament. Another leap in his game could be the difference-maker for a Slovenian team looking to outperform its odds.
4. Franz Wagner, Germany
- 2025-26 Age: 24 | Orlando Magic
- Projected RAPTOR: +3.1 Offense | +0.9 Defense | +4.0 Overall
Set to turn 24 on opening day, Franz Wagner is already an international veteran with a bronze medal from EuroBasket 2022, a gold from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and a fourth-place Olympic finish. Coming off the best season of his NBA career, he is the primary reason Germany has the second-best odds to win the tournament. If pre-tournament reports of an improved three-point shot prove true, fans may get a preview of the next evolution in the young star’s game.
5. Alperen Şengün, Turkey
- 2025-26 Age: 23 | Houston Rockets
- Projected RAPTOR: +1.8 Offense | +0.6 Defense | +2.4 Overall
Alperen Şengün has set ambitious goals: winning both EuroBasket 2025 and an NBA title. While the revamped Houston Rockets have solid championship odds, Şengün will need to elevate his game immediately to lead a Turkish squad that has not finished better than eighth since 2001. This tournament is a high-profile opportunity for him to showcase developments in his shooting, a key area for improvement after he made just 23.3% of his three-point attempts last season.
6. Kristaps Porziņģis, Latvia
- 2025-26 Age: 30 | Atlanta Hawks
- Projected RAPTOR: +1.7 Offense | +0.4 Defense | +2.2 Overall
Fresh off helping the Boston Celtics win the 2024 NBA title, Kristaps Porziņģis begins a new chapter with the Atlanta Hawks. First, however, he returns to EuroBasket for the first time in nearly a decade. As a 21-year-old in 2017, he was impressive for Latvia, which finished fifth. This year, Latvia is a main host country for the tournament, which should provide an extra boost for Porziņģis and a team with lower expectations but upset potential.
7. Deni Avdija, Israel
- 2025-26 Age: 25 | Portland Trail Blazers
- Projected RAPTOR: +0.7 Offense | +0.4 Defense | +1.1 Overall
Perhaps the most underrated player at the tournament, Deni Avdija thrived after a trade from Washington to Portland last season, posting new career highs across the board in points (16.9), rebounds (7.3), and multiple advanced metrics. He has a history of international success, having earned MVP honors while leading Israel to gold at the 2019 FIBA U20 European Championship. While similar team success is unlikely this year, Avdija is poised for a strong individual showing.
8. Santi Aldama, Spain
- 2025-26 Age: 25 | Memphis Grizzlies
- Projected RAPTOR: +0.4 Offense | +0.5 Defense | +0.9 Overall
Spain, the defending champion, is a team in transition. The veterans of its golden era have been phased out, and longtime coach Sergio Scariolo will depart after the tournament. This places Santi Aldama at the forefront of the next generation of Spanish stars. One of the NBA’s most improved players last season, he demonstrated a more versatile offensive skillset that he will need to deploy as a leader for a national team facing an uphill battle to defend its crown.
9. Neemias Queta, Portugal
- 2025-26 Age: 26 | Boston Celtics
- Projected RAPTOR: -0.4 Offense | +0.7 Defense | +0.2 Overall
After posting an impressive +4.6 RAPTOR in limited minutes in 2023-24, Neemias Queta’s numbers settled closer to league average in an expanded role within Boston’s crowded center rotation last season. Still, his on-court impact remains notable. EuroBasket presents a valuable opportunity for Queta to showcase his abilities on a high-level international stage and prove he can excel with more responsibility.
10. Nikola Jović, Serbia
- 2025-26 Age: 22 | Miami Heat
- Projected RAPTOR: -0.3 Offense | +0.4 Defense | +0.1 Overall
Playing alongside his similarly named idol, Nikola Jokić, 22-year-old Nikola Jović could be a key difference-maker for Serbia. He increased his scoring and minutes for the Heat last season before a hand injury, and now fully healthy, he appears ready for an expanded role with the national team. After an ankle injury limited him to minor contributions at last year’s Olympics, a strong performance at EuroBasket would signal his potential as a true breakout player.
Other Players to Watch:
Nikola Vučević, Montenegro (Chicago Bulls); Dennis Schröder, Germany (Sacramento Kings); Moussa Diabaté, France (Charlotte Hornets); Guerschon Yabusele, France (New York Knicks); Bogdan Bogdanović, Serbia (LA Clippers); Pelle Larsson, Sweden (Miami Heat); Luka Garza, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Boston Celtics).
