BOTEVGRAD (Bulgaria) - Aleksandar Vezenkov is set to give Bulgaria a major boost in their quest to continue the long road to FIBA EuroBasket 2029.
The 30-year-old is in the squad for a crunch encounter with Norway on Sunday, July 5 in a game that will decide who advances to the Second Round of the Pre-Qualifiers as Group B winners.
I am happy to be fit and will give my best to win.
Vezenkov's last game for the national team was a memorable one having fired in 40 points to go with 18 rebounds in a FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers victory over Sweden.
The two-time Euroleague MVP returns to the fold at a crucial juncture in Bulgaria's current Pre-Qualifiers campaign.
"Unfortunately, the last three times I wanted to play for the National Team I was injured," said Vezenkov. "One time was my toe, the other time my back. Now, I am happy to be fit and will give my best to win."
Vezenkov's only appearance at an international tournament came at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 when the forward averaged 26.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in the Group Phase in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Most points scored by Vezenkov in a competitive international:
Rank | Points | Opponent | Competition | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 40 | Sweden | FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers | February 20, 2025 |
2. | 30 | Portugal | FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers | February 26, 2023 |
3. | 29 | Lithuania | FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers | July 1, 2022 |
4. | 28 | Finland | FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers | February 25, 2018 |
= | 28 | Romania | FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers | August 28, 2022 |
= | 28 | Türkiye | FIBA EuroBasket 2022 | September 3, 2022 |
= | 28 | Georgia | FIBA EuroBasket 2022 | September 6, 2022 |
Is another big scoring performance on the cards, on Sunday?
FIBA