RIGA (Latvia) - Winning is passed down from generation to generation to generation.
Knowing that, and considering Greece's roster at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, it's not hard to think the stars have aligned for Hellas to finally return to the top of the continent - 20 years after the country last ruled Europe.
By reaching the Quarter-Finals, Greece are just three victories from claiming their third EuroBasket crown following 1987 and 2005. NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the driving force for the team.
"That's the spirit that follows the Greek team - to never give up and always try their best."
But there are parallels for this side to the Greek squad that last hoisted the trophy on that fateful night on September 25, 2005 in Belgrade.
The Greek generation from 20 years ago included Nikos Zisis, Theo Papaloukas, Dimitrios Diamantidis, Vasielios Spanoulis, Mihalis Kakiouzis, Lazaros Papadopoulos, Antonis Fotsis, Dimos Dikoudis and Ioannis Bourousis. Many of them had illustrious careers at both the national team and club levels.
And, the coach of the 2005 team was Panagiotis Giannakis, who has a direct branch to Greece's title winners in 1987 as the second leading scorer behind the great Nikos Galis.
Growing up idolizing the likes of Galis, Giannakis and other 1987 heroes such as Panagiotis Fassoulas helped the 2005 generation realize winning is possible on the biggest stage.
"I started playing basketball because when I was 4 years old I saw Greece win the EuroBasket. And to be able to do that as an 18-year-old player was always the biggest achievement of my career," Zisis said.
"20 years ago seems a long, long time ago in my eyes. It was an incredible success for us. Nobody thought that we could go in Belgrade and win the whole thing. But we had confidence within ourselves - a golden group, generational group of Greek basketball with great players.
"But the most important thing that stands out 20 years later is that it was a team that was making the sacrifice in order to always be at the highest level in every game."
When asked about his memory of 2005, Spanoulis offered with a big smile: "My first thought is that I had hair at that time.. It was an unbelievable moment. We brought a lot of Greek people onto the streets."
Fast forward to Riga and 2025 and the likes of Kostas Sloukas and Kostas Papanikolaou grew up admiring Zisis and Spanoulis and co. Of course, they remember well the 2005 title run fondly.
"I remember that I was going on the streets and screaming and celebrating with other people. It was something special and, of course, everybody has these memories in our heads," said Sloukas.
"It was the moment that defined me, made me believe, made me want to be involved with this sport, made me fall in love with this sport," added Papanikolaou.
The Semi-Final
However, the title almost never happened because of the Semi-Finals against France. The transition from doubt to overjoy was clearly the defining moment that all of Greece remembers from 2005.
The French were led by a great generation of their own including Tony Parker and Boris Diaw - both only 23 years old at the time - as well as veteran Antoine Rigaudeau, the brothers Florent and Mickael Pietrus plus Mickael Gelabale and France's current head coach Frederic Fauthoux.
Head coach Claude Bergeaud had France leading by seven points with 43 seconds. But Greece did not give up and fought back into the game. Up 65-64 with 11 seconds to go, Rigaudeau only split two free throws allowing Greece one final chance.
Zisis drove to the basket and kicked out to Diamantidis at top of the key and he buried a three-pointer with 3 seconds left to give Greece the win 67-66.
"My biggest memory was against France, the game, the shot by Diamantidis, and generally the comeback that we made the last two minutes," remembered Sloukas.
"I probably watched that game like more than 50 times already."
"Everybody remembers the Semi-Final with France - the amazing comeback that we did. That's the spirit that follows the Greek team - to never give up and always try their best," said Vasileios Toliopoulos.
"I probably watched that game like more than 50 times already," said Panagiotis Kalatzakis.
Papanikolaou's experience with the Semi-Final was different than many others.
He was at a family gathering on the day of the Semi-Final and couldn't watch the game because they were in church. After the service and before the dinner party, the young Kostas was able to go home.
"I walked into the house and turned on the TV right at the moment when the final play for Greece started. Nikos (Zisis) drove the ball and passed it back to Diamantidis. So that's the only image I have from the Semi-Final, and it was the best image I could have," he recalled.
"I remember I was ecstatic. I was going off in the house, and it was a really special moment for me. I keep it in my heart and that made me fall in love with the sport."
Greece carried the momentum from the comeback against France and rolled to a 78-62 victory over Germany in the Final to claim their second EuroBasket trophy.
Giannakis to Spanoulis
The main connection from the 1987 team to the 2005 squad was Giannakis as head coach. But the Greek federation recognized the importance of those heroes from 2005 and how much their knowledge needed to be passed on to the following generations.
In 2021, the federation introduced Zisis as the general manager of the national team and Dikoudis as administrative manager. And, in October 2023, the head coaching reins were handed to Spanoulis.
"It's very important because they keep this mentality that they had, and they try to give us this mentality to put on the floor. They have a lot of experience, and I respect them a lot," said Sloukas, who played with both Zisis and Spanoulis in the national team.
Papanikolaou also believes the move is a major benefit, saying: "The young guys have a chance to be around guys who succeeded before and can pass on the mentality and how they should approach everything. It's very important, especially for the young guys."
Dinos Mitoglou added: "Their experience and their character, especially coach Spanoulis with his winning character, mean a lot. So they might be the only ones who know how to take us to something unique, to do something special with the national team as they did."
The next generation
Greece have a Quarter-Final matchup against Lithuania and a victory would push them to a Semi-Finals date with either Türkiye or Poland.
The loyal fans back home are yearning for at least a podium finish. The last medals to hang around the necks of Greece players date back to third place at EuroBasket 2009. And this generation's elder statesmen Sloukas and Papanikolaou are running out of time - both already turning 35 this year.
The current group does have NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as well as his brothers Thanasis and Kostas, Tyler Dorsey, Mitoglou, Kalaitzakis, Toliopoulos and 20-year-old star talent Alexandros Samodurov.
And Kalaitzakis, who has been with the senior team since 2023, knows the lineage of which he currently is part.
"If it wasn't for guys like Zisis, Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Papaloukas, I wouldn't be here right now. I started playing basketball because of them, because of this national team. And they started also playing basketball because of Galis and Giannakis," said the 26-year-old Kalaitzakis.
He also knows kids back home in Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras and everywhere else are desperately waiting to see that same success.
"Hopefully we can leave something for the next generation, too. Hopefully some kids growing up right now and they're 5, 6, 7 years old and they're also watching us on television and start playing basketball because of us and we can leave a mark for the next generation. That would be amazing."
Going from generation to generation to generation and generation.
There could soon be a new date locked in Greek basketball folklore.
FIBA