BERLIN (Germany) - Hungary star Dorka Juhasz is determined to step up and make the most of her country appearing at their first FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup since 1998. Sensational as the driving force in navigating Hungary out of the 'Group of Death' in the Qualifying Tournament, the Minnesota Lynx and Galatasaray Cagdas Faktoring ace is ready to be a leader again.
Juhasz averaged a near double-double of 18 points and 9 boards per game in Istanbul and if she can get anywhere near that level of production in Berlin, her team could make serious noise on their overdue return to the top table.
As players we do put a lot of pressure on ourselves, but the responsibility part is what I take as motivation and as fuel. I know I do need to be a leader
But rather than be daunted by the weight of expectation now on her shoulders, the center is relishing the challenge ahead. She is also insisting that success is built on team basketball, rather than her own headline contributions.
"Everybody has been saying about 28 years and I think now we are here, it's time to play," declared Juhasz.
"It's not extra pressure or anything, but it is super meaningful for our little country to be here again. It's awesome how we played in Istanbul and I am really happy most of us were able to come back.
"Everybody back home is super excited for us to be back here at the World Cup again after such a long time. "As players we do put a lot of pressure on ourselves, but the responsibility part is what I take as motivation and as fuel. I know I do need to be a leader and I need to show up in every single game the same way. It's not about scoring points, but being that vocal leader on the court.
"It's something I have been able to grow into during these past years, but our success has been about team basketball - like we saw in Istanbul. I take pride in having responsibility like I said, but it is all about our team chemistry.
"This is why I love to come back to Hungary, to be together. I grew up with most of these girls and we played FIBA U16 and U18. It's fun to have this World Cup experience and a blessing to have my name connected in this way with Hungarian basketball. I am never taking anything for granted."
She continued: "I am just going to try to use this tournament to be a leader and get better with this role and to help my team get out of the group phase. After that, let's see what happens."
If Juhasz re-discovers her red-hot form from the Qualifying Tournament and also with Galatasaray, then Hungary will reap the rewards.
She took the Turkish giants to the EuroLeague Women Final and was named MVP of the competition - only for an injury to rule her out of the title game. This is why there is a huge sense of relief she has recovered in time to line up in Berlin, in what could be a turning point for Hungary.
"Those failures and disappointments from the last few years when we were so close, those painful moments.... have given us a little bit more of an edge,
That's because they missed out on Paris 2024 in the most agonizing fashion - falling short in a Qualifying Tournament held on home soil in Sopron. They also then went and missed out on FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 too. "Those failures and disappointments from the last few years when we were so close, those painful moments of missing Paris 2024 and FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 have given us a little bit more of an edge, " revealed Juhasz.
"I think it is why we came from that group in Istanbul. We knew we are good enough to be there. We were ready to compete and we had the belief. We knew from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that it was only a couple of points more and it would have been a different story."
"Our core group is getting more mature and has more experience. Everyone has been getting EuroLeague Women experience and I think this is our time.
"We are getting there. Hopefully this group has many more years together, but it starts now at this World Cup and we must keep building on it," concluded the center.
Hungary will play against France, Nigeria and Korea in Group B.
FIBA