EuroBasket 2025 is entering the final phase with 16 teams advancing to the knockout stage. Let’s take a look at some notable performances during group play, and look ahead to the final phase, which tips off Saturday.

Luka Dončić has been on a mission

Dončić is averaging 32.4 points, 8 rebounds and 8.4 assists in just 33.4 minutes for Slovenia, which will take on Italy in the Round of 16. To do that in 40-minute regulation games is even more ridiculous. His body is indeed slimmer, leaner, and looks more explosive than in the past three years. Once again, Dallas, great job. Just a great freaking job. You just motivated one of the most talented players the league has ever seen. Don’t expect a Christmas card from 28 other teams this year.

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Turkey is undefeated

Turkey went 5-0 and beat opponents by an average of 20 points per game. This is the type of setting where Rockets center Alperen Şengün is entirely free to be himself, even if he isn’t a great interior defender. The 6-foot-10 big man converted on over 70% of his 2-pointers, swished 3s late in the phase, made it to the free throw line, rebounded at will, and functioned as the team’s playmaking hub. He was absolutely outstanding, and it looks like the Turks are on a mission, too.

Deni Avdija impressing

Avdija made huge strides at the end of last season, but questions hovered about the sustainability of it. While we won’t fully know if he’s approaching NBA stardom until we get more data on him, his production over the past five games should certainly excite Blazers fans. Avdija netted 24.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3 assists, while getting to the foul line 8.6 times per game in 32.7 minutes. Israel went 3-2 in group play and will face Greece next.

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Could Giannis, Greece make a run?

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece (4-1) have been looking spry, effective and outright dangerous at times. They led their group, and if Antetokounmpo keeps playing at this level (27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 28.7 minutes), Greece could go much further than this writer expected of them.

Nikola Jokić, Serbia still the team to beat

Serbia, which lost to Turkey in its final group phase game, remains a strong candidate to win the whole thing, but the team doesn’t look as infallible as it did when it entered the tourney. Bogdan Bogdanović was ruled out after two games with a hamstring injury, and Vasilije Micić looks like a guy who is quickly approaching retirement. For a team that relied on depth, it seems to fall back — once again — on the play of Nikola Jokić (20.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists).

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Other notes

• Alexandre Sarr played just two games before being shut down by a hamstring injury, and somehow France just kept winning, despite losing size it really couldn’t afford to lose. Not a single player made his mark on the glass, and the scoring was spread out to a point where new Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele needed a 36-point explosion against Poland to stand out. France will play Georgia in the Round of 16.

• Sweden (1-4) needs to send a fruit basket to both Montenegro and Great Britain, since both nations were outscored by 77 and 130, respectively, allowing the Swedes to swoop in and claim a final phase spot.

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• Cyprus lost all of its games, and did so by a grand total of 165 points over the course of five games. Not a single player on the roster cracked 14 points per game, and the team averaged a combined 0.6 blocks per game throughout the group phase, which is frankly impressive.

Round of 16 matchups

On Saturday, the Round of 16 begins with the following games:

On Sunday, the Round of 16 concludes with these games:

• Poland-Bosnia and Herzegovina

The final phase is absolutely loaded with NBA stars, so strap in for one heck of a coming week of international hoops.