No Dunks: Early EuroBasket Surprises & Questions
Date: August 29, 2025
Hosts: Tas Melas & Trey Kirby
Main Theme
This episode dives into the opening rounds of EuroBasket 2025, spotlighting early shocks, standout team and player performances, and raising the big questions for this summer’s flagship European basketball tournament. Tas and Trey deliver their trademark mix of insight, humor, and off-the-cuff banter as they break down major upsets, emerging national heroes, and what the first 12 games reveal about the competitive landscape.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Pace of the Tournament & Opening Impressions
- EuroBasket’s round robin is moving quickly; all teams have played their first game.
- The group phase reveals a wide spread in talent, leading to both blowouts and a few "bangers" (02:09).
- Early standout: seeing NBA and Euro stars in a new light for their national teams.
Quote:
"That's quick, man. They get through this early part of the tournament pretty fast… Playing all the round robin games over the course of a week. Good stuff."
— Tas Melas (00:46)
2. Biggest Team Surprises & Upsets
Georgia Shocks Spain
- Georgia upset defending champs Spain, led by Sandro Mamukelashvili (“Mamu”) and Goga Bitadze.
- Mamu was the “Luka Doncic of Georgia”; displayed impressive handle and passing.
- Goga nailed back-to-back corner threes and celebrated with the infamous "big balls" dance, fully embraced by the FIBA broadcast and fans (03:10).
Quotes:
"I didn't realize that Sandro Mamu Kalashvili was basically the Luka Doncic of Georgia. This guy breaking down people off the dribble, finding them with passes. I didn't know he had the passing in his bag."
— Trey Kirby (02:09)
"There's no ban on big balls on no dunks and there's no ban on big balls on the FIBA broadcast!"
— Tas Melas (03:10)
Greece Looks Like a Team, Not Just “The Giannis Show”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo dominates, but new supporting cast shows up: Tyler Dorsey, Kostas Sloukas, Papa Nicolao.
- Greece’s offense diversified; more shooters spacing the floor, less predictable than in past tournaments.
- Italians lacked the size/athleticism to contain Giannis (09:31).
Quote:
"Every time I tuned over to the Greece game, Giannis was getting a dunk... Not a lot of beef on the inside for the Italians, unfortunately."
— Tas Melas (09:11)
Turkey Overpowers Latvia
- Turkey’s size and shooting stand out; Alperen Şengün dominates, Cedi Osman flashes “NBA return?” potential.
- Latvia had home-court but was steamrolled as Turkey went 15-25 from three (11:21).
- Porzingis had moments but also got dunked on (“He has air for sure.”, 12:16)
3. Players Elevating for Their Countries
- Lauri Markkanen (Finland): 28 points, aggressive slashes and dunks; “Looks like himself again.”
- Mika Muranin (Finland): 17-year-old “Slim Jesus” impresses in key moments.
- Luka Doncic (Slovenia): 34 points but not enough help; Poland’s defense doubles him aggressively and Poland pulls the upset (17:03).
- Poland’s own surprise: Jordan Lloyd (newly naturalized), drops 32 in his debut for Poland.
Quote:
"It's unbelievable that... Jordan Lloyd playing his first game ever for Poland... in front of the home crowd. He got scorching hot. 19 points in the first half for that guy. Talking trash to everybody."
— Trey Kirby (17:37)
- Dennis Schröder (Germany): EuroBasket legend, 21 points as Germany rolls.
- Neemias Queta (Portugal): 23 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks.
- Deni Avdija (Israel): “Extremely talented — does it all...great on the ball, off the ball” (23:03).
- Oded Sorkin (Israel): Surprised with outside shooting, not just inside presence.
4. Germany & Serbia: The Teams to Beat
- Both teams dominate and show the most complete, deep rosters.
- Jokic for Serbia is “toying” with opponents, Germany’s continuity and Schroeder’s leadership noted.
Quote:
"Is anybody going to be able to beat Serbia or Germany besides each other? They seem to have reached The Spain in 2008, Argentina 2004, sort of...our guys are in their prime...they've got the continuity as well."
— Tass Melas (25:03)
5. The Bronze Medal Race & Other Contenders
- Turkey and France emerge as favorites for bronze, with deep, athletic rosters.
- France’s guard play (Francisco, Okobo) is a question, but their forward depth (Koulibaly, Risacher, Sarr) is immense.
- Shoutouts to other teams possibly in the mix: Spain (despite upset), Israel, Portugal.
6. Random Notes & Observations
- EuroBasket court design gets high marks: “A whole bunch of dots inside the three-point line. Looks fresh.” (31:46)
- Mascot “Marky Mark” draws laughs (“Can you feel it, feel it?”) and confusion about copyright (34:12).
- Banter about player haircuts: “Three haircuts in Eurobasket — ponytail, bald spot, or a whole bunch of bangs.”
- “Most sweaty player” award to Jusuf Nurkić; visual evidence provided.
- Coaches, execs, and legends in attendance: Doc Rivers, Rob Pelinka, Chauncey Billups, Hedo Turkoglu, Jaromir Jagr.
- In-game advertising: “Yellow bananas — that’s my favorite color of banana.” (35:43)
Quotes:
"If you were going to get a Jordan Lloyd Luca Donja shirt printed during the game, that's amazing."
— Tas Melas (32:18)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- [03:10] "There's no ban on big balls on no dunks and there's no ban on big balls on the FIBA broadcast!" — Tas Melas, on Goga Bitadze’s celebration
- [12:18] "Porzingis literally was holding his wrist after I mentioned how he feels fresh." — Trey Kirby
- [14:42] "This guy’s my Jack Harlow." — Trey Kirby on Mika Muranin’s flow
- [17:37] "Jordan Lloyd… talking trash to everybody. Anybody that would listen." — Trey Kirby
- [25:03] "Is anybody going to be able to beat Serbia or Germany besides each other?" — Tass Melas
- [31:46] "I like the look of the floor. It's got a whole bunch of dots inside the three point line. I think the center court logo is pretty good." — Tass Melas
- [35:43] "There was also one ad that just said yellow bananas. That's my favorite color of banana." — Trey Kirby
Key Timestamps
- 00:56 – Overview of tournament schedule and round robin structure.
- 02:09 – Georgia’s upset win and Mamu & Goga’s star turns.
- 06:43 – Comparing Spain's current roster to its past glory.
- 09:31 – Giannis, Greece, and matchup with Italy.
- 11:21 – Recap: Turkey's dominance over Latvia.
- 13:48 – Standout player performances: Markkanen, Muranin, etc.
- 15:54 – Luka Doncic vs. Poland and Jordan Lloyd’s Polish stardom.
- 20:28 – Germany, Portugal, Israel: other opening night heroes.
- 25:03 – Who can stop Serbia or Germany? State of contenders.
- 28:54 – Questions around France’s guard play.
- 31:26 – Production values, court design, and mascot banter.
- 35:43 – Fun with EuroBasket ads and atmosphere.
- 38:26 – Hairstyles, sweating, and Euro hoops culture.
Conclusion
EuroBasket 2025 has opened with memorable upsets, new national heroes, and dominant favorites in Germany and Serbia, all wrapped in the tournament’s unique visual and cultural flair. Tas and Trey’s sharp observations and NBA connections add depth for hoopheads and casual fans alike. The next episode will break down the outcome of the round robin, with attention on who advances and who challenges the front runners for medals.
(End of summary)