VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - They say a brother is like no other.

That's why for some players in the opening window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, representing the national team had a little extra oomph because, you guessed it, they had a chance to play with a brother.

Spain's Pau and Marc Gasol were the most famous of brotherly one-two punches in international basketball before they retired from the national team after the Tokyo Olympics. Goran Dragic and brother Zoran took no prisoners when they were on the court together with Slovenia, most notably at FIBA EuroBasket 2013 in Ljubljana.

The late Aidin Nikkhah Bahrami and his brother, Samad, were a dazzling duo with Iran when they won the FIBA Asia Cup for the first time, in 2007. 

On several teams in the Qualifiers, there were brothers in action. These are the ones that stood out.

The Almeidas of Cape Verde

This is a year that Joel and Ivan Almeida will talk about for the rest of their lives, one in which they helped their country, Cape Verde, finish fourth at the FIBA AfroBasket in Rwanda and then upset Nigeria in the African Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.  The Almeidas are the most spectacular brother combo in African hoops. They can shoot it from deep, make jaw-dropping passes and also get to the rim.

"It's an honor and a blessing to play alongside my brother while representing and defending the colors of our flag," Joel said. "It's more than just the name on our back. It's the name we carry on the front - Cabo Verde . It's a privilege to share the court with such an amazing talent like my brother and our bond makes us have a special connection when we play."

The brotherly bond, mixed with the national team representation, brings out the best in the Almeidas. "Words can't describe this feeling," Joel added. "We don't take it for granted. We cherish every moment and we strive to elevate the name Cabo Verde to new heights and make our people proud."

The Bohaciks

At 15, Petr Bohacik turned his focus away from football to instead basketball. He went on to become a professional, while his younger brother, Jaromir, followed in his footsteps. Petr, for the first time in a long time, suited up for the Czechs in this window alongside Jaromir and played in narrow defeats to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lithuania.

Petr wrote about the importance of the window in his Instagram post (above), saying: "We are on the same team. Brother and I. In the same jersey. With the Czech flag on his chest."

He then shared a story about his first coach.

"The greatest joy from this news, right after my parents, would probably be my first coach, the man who introduced me to the world of basketball. David Odehnal from Gymnázium Hladnov ...

"When my brother started playing @bohacik17, David said we could both play in the league one day. We didn't believe him ...  "You were right, David. In the end, it really worked out. And much more. Both in a jersey with the inscription CZECH. In one team.

"Thank you, coach."

Scrubb Siblings in Land of the Maple Leaf

Much of the hubbub in the Canada national team the past several years has been about the Scrubbs, Phil and Thomas.  In two resounding wins (115-73, 113-77) in the Americas Qualifiers over the Bahamas, the Scrubbs averaged a combined 46 plus minutes, 17.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 4.0 steals.

So much has been said about the potential of Canadian basketball, the possibility that the team could not just qualify for the World Cups and Olympics but get to the podium. If Canada has yet to become an elite team,  it has received elite commitment and solid performances from a lot of players, including this duo.

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

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