The final between France and Spain is scheduled for the evening at the European Basketball Championship. The game is characterized by two stars on the floor. But there will also be a lot to see in the stands.
The 76th game of the European Basketball Championship is the eagerly awaited conclusion. The big question about gold on Sunday evening (September 18, 2022, 8:30 p.m.) is: World champion Spain or Olympic runner-up France? In addition, it will be clarified who follows Slovenian Goran Dragic as the most valuable player of the tournament. The last player to become MVP and not win the title at the same time was Dirk Nowitzki in Serbia in 2005. Watch out for these three basketball stars at the final in Berlin:
Rudy Gobert
The NBA center, who switched from the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, is the key player on France’s team. Gobert (30) is considered one of the best defenders in the world, also gets numerous rebounds and intimidates the opposing offensive lines with his presence. If France secures its second European title after 2013, there should be no way around the 2.16 meter tall Gobert as the most valuable player.
Lorenzo Brown
With his 29 points in the semifinals against Germany, the playmaker was decisive for the final. The 32-year-old creates his own throws, scores reliably and stands out from a strong collective. Brown was only naturalized shortly before the tournament in an urgent procedure, and there was criticism of the process even within the team. “That doesn’t seem right to me,” said team captain Rudy Fernandez of Brown’s naturalization, who previously met head coach Sergio Scariolo with the Toronto Raptors.
LeBronJames
As an American, LeBron James is of course not allowed to play in an EM, but the 37-year-old superstar is planning to visit the final as a spectator. As the leader of the Los Angeles Lakers, James could combine this with a meeting with his old and new teammate Dennis Schröder. On Saturday night, the Lakers made the return of the 29-year-old captain of the German national team perfect.
Who is still there and who is missing?
Tournament ambassador Dirk Nowitzki will of course be sitting in the stands again and waving to the audience in a friendly manner when the arena cube is displayed. The three big NBA stars Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are no longer on board. Their nations Slovenia, Serbia and Greece were eliminated before the semifinals. “As far as I know, basketball is a team sport. At the end of the day, it’s about winning as a team,” said Spain coach Scariolo.