KATOWICE (Poland) - It only took one game with Poland for Jordan Loyd to enter the history books.
His 32 points, on 7-of-8 shooting from deep, in Poland's win in the opener against Slovenia is the fourth-highest scoring tally ever by a player in their FIBA EuroBasket debut. And he wasn't even aware of it.
"I didn't know that. I guess that's kind of crazy, a lot of greats have come through and played in this tournament, " he admitted in the post-game press conference.
It is crazy, indeed.
If we take into consideration only EuroBasket debuts since 2000, Poland's #8 definitely takes the scoring crown for newcomers at the competition.
This whole game felt amazing. I couldn't ask for a better welcome.
If that wasn't enough, his 7 made three-pointers are the most for any player in his EuroBasket debut since 1995, when relevant records started being kept.
"Anytime as a player you get into one of those modes you feel good, and you feel like you can do anything, that's awesome," he said.
"I'd say this was one of my top games. But it's only because we won. It doesn't mean anything if we don't win."
He did all of that against Luka Doncic, who finished with 34 points, 9 assists, and 5 steals in a losing effort.
"It was pretty awesome to be on the floor with him. He's one of the best players in the world. As a player on the other side, you use it as energy. Everybody's focused on him, and as a team, we used that as motivation."
Jordan Loyd couldn't dream of a better debut, also thanks to the red-and-white wave of fans in Spodek Arena.
"The fans gave us a boost in energy, it was amazing. It was probably one of the best atmospheres I've played in," Loyd credited the home crowd in Katowice.
Top 10 highest scoring debuts in EuroBasket history
YEAR | PLAYER | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
1985 | Mike Jackel (GER) | 36 |
1995 | Arturas Karnisovas (LTU) | 35 |
1969 | Edward Jurkiewicz (POL) | 34 |
2025 | Jordan Loyd (POL) | 32 |
1987 | Rik Smits (NED) | 31 |
1993 | Aivar Kuusmaa (EST) | 30 |
1977 | Olin Bell (BEL) | 28 |
1995 | Ibrahim Kutluay (TUR) | 27 |
1999 | Petar Naumoski (MKD) | 27 |
2005 | Todor Stoykov (BUL) | 27 |
2011 | Bojan Bogdanovic (CRO) | 27 |
Most three-pointers made in a single game in EuroBasket history (*since 1995)
YEAR | PLAYER | OPPONENTS | THREE-POINTERS |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Dee Bost (BUL) | Georgia | 9 |
1995 | Aleksandar Djordjevic (YUG) | Lithuania | 9 |
1997 | Ibrahim Kutluay (TUR) | Lithuania | 8 |
2025 | Jordan Loyd (POL) | Slovenia | 7 |
2022 | Juancho Hernangomez (ESP) | France | 7 |
2009 | Vitaly Fridzon (RUS) | Türkiye | 7 |
2009 | Juan Carlos Navarro (ESP) | Poland | 7 |
2017 | Davis Bertans (LAT) | Great Britain | 7 |
2003 | Sergei Monia (RUS) | Israel | 7 |
2005 | Zakhar Pashutin (RUS) | Lithuania | 7 |
2011 | Marko Keselj (SRB) | France | 7 |
2015 | Marco Belinelli (ITA) | Spain | 7 |
2022 | John Roberson (BIH) | Slovenia | 7 |
2001 | Peja Stojakovic (YUG) | Latvia | 7 |
2017 | Melih Mahmutoglu (TUR) | Great Britain | 7 |
2011 | Marko Popovic (CRO) | Montenegro | 7 |
FIBA