The 2022 FIBA EuroBasket tips off in a few hours (September 1), however some of the top European stars will miss the prestigious tournament.
Tornike Shengelia, Sergio Llull, Danilo Gallinari and Nemanja Bjelica will be unavailable for the EuroBasket, because of injuries.
Tornike Shengelia (Georgia)
The superstar of Georgia sustained a right shoulder injury in the home game vs the Netherlands for the Basketball World Cup Qualifiers last week.
After undergoing medical tests, Shengelia (still a free agent) will not undergo emergency procedure, but will miss the start of the 2022/23 season.
Without Tornike Shengelia on the floor, Georgia has to exceed expectations if they want to qualify for the knockout stage.
Sergio Llull (Spain)
The veteran star guard and one of Spain’s leaders was ruled out for the FIBA EuroBasket after suffering a muscle injury during the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers game against Iceland.
Llull didn’t have much time to recover, therefore head coach Sergio Scariolo had no other option but to cut him from the team’s preliminary roster.
This was a major upset for Spain, who is currently in a transitional stage, with the majority of its golden era either retiring from the national team or skipping the tournament because of injuries.
Danilo Gallinari (Italy)
The superstar forward of the Boston Celtics is dealing with a a meniscus tear in his left knee, an injury he sustained in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers vs Georgia on Saturday.
With no ACL or ligament damage, Danilo Gallinari is expected to be out for two months and will miss the start of the 2022/23 NBA season.
Nemanja Bjelica (Serbia)
The 2022 NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors missed the majority of the training camp with a right calf injury and will not be ready for the FIBA EuroBasket.
Bjelica will travel to Instabul and will join Fenerbahce’s training camp to continue his rehabilitation. Despite his absence, Serbia has a very talented and deep roster and is among the favorites to win the gold medal.
