The U20 European Championship just ended back but wanted to look forward to next season with this group to look at what 2009-10 holds for them. Of course this is hardly an extensive list. But it’s a sampling of where basketball fans can find the best of the best from U20s next season.

Georgios Bogris – Greece
Of course, it was announced during the tournament that Greece center Georgios Bogris has signed a four-year deal with defending Euroleague champions Panathinaikos. Don’t expect Bogris to play much at all and who knows, maybe mid-season the Greens could send him out on loan to another club for some playing time after they see exactly what they have in him.

Zisis Sarikopoulos – Greece
The other Greece center is headed back to the U.S. for his first season with the Ohio State Buckeyes. After sitting out last season following his transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, Zisis Sarikopoulos heads to Columbus with three years of eligibility left. And expect him to be a big star at Ohio State – likely this season already given his knee (which limited his playing time at both the U19 Worlds and U20 Euros) holds up.

Nikos Pappas – Greece
The sly Greek guard still has three seasons left on his long-term deal with Spanish club Iurbentia Bilbao. He was on loan last season with Real Madrid. And he is currently waiting for Bilbao to decide about this season. He would like to return to a Greek club – also because of his studies.

Philipp Schwethelm – Germany
The German wing player is actually a free agent after the collapse of the Köln 99ers. He will be looking for a place where he can receive significant playing time next season. Besides being German, the fact that Schwethelm also qualifies for the Under-24 fund makes him doubly attractive for BBL teams who could then make some good money off playing him.

Tibor Pleiß – Germany
The German center – like Schwethelm – is also a free agent after the collapse of the Köln 99ers. He would be best served by finding a place where he too can earn some quality minutes. Besides being German and a 7-footer, the fact that Pleiß also qualifies for the Under-24 fund makes him doubly attractive for BBL teams who could then make some good money off playing him.

Robin Benzing – Germany
Germany’s young forward – like Schwethelm and Pleiß – will be attending Germany’s men national team training camp for EuroBasket 2009. Benzing, the U20’s leading scorer with 22.2 points per game, will then be heading to German BBL club Ulm where he hopes to make it into coach Mike Taylor’s rotation.

Donatas Motiejunas – Lithuania
Motiejunas has been the subject of many a rumor. The Lithuanian big man says he wants to go to a place where he will play. He does not want to sit on the bench – even if that means playing for a smaller club. Motiejunas wants to work on his game and improve. And that will not happen sitting on the bench.

Nikola Vucevic – Montenegro
The Montenegrin big man – who was named to the U20 All-Tournament Team – will be heading back to USC for his sophomore season. Kevin O’Neill told heinnews that he expects Vucevic to be one of his main men and that he will likely play more than 30 minutes again. Look for him to put up big numbers and draw plenty of offers from European clubs trying to draw him back to Europe.

Sead Sehovic – Montenegro
The Montenegro captain will be returning to Montenegro club Buducnost Podgorica with the U20 national team coach Dejan Radonjic. Sehovic will likely make strides and play more and more with the Eurocup team.

Davis Rozitis – Latvia
The Latvian big man will be heading Stateside to play alongside Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic at USC. The 19-year-old will be a freshman and will be well served to have Vucevic to talk to – someone who had to fight to get playing time. If Rozitis can develop, he and Vucevic would form a very formidable one-two team in the blocks.

Deniz Kilicli – Turkey
Kilicli will be returning to the States as well, this time to become a college basketball player. After one season in a college-prep high school in West Virginia, Kilicli is headed to West Virginia University to play for coach Bob Huggins.

Tags

 

1 Comment

     
     

    We use cookies on this website primarily to improve its functionality. Along with typical standard cookies, we also use cookies and content from Google (maps, YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter) to improve the performance of this site. In order to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Requirements, all cookies and content from Google, Twitter, Facebook and co. are deactivated by default. They will only be activated once you click "Accept" to allow the use of cookies and third-party content. If you initially choose not to accept cookies, you will not be able to watch videos or access other media content on this site. However, you can change this setting on any page by selecting the option to allow content. For more information please click the link below to read our: Privacy Policy

    The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

    Close