COLOGNE (Germany) - Much of the talk about Hungary at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 centers around Adam Hanga. The country's top star however knows he wouldn't be in Cologne if not for his teammates, who are the reason the Group B underdogs are making history.

Hungary reached back-to-back EuroBaskets for the first time since 1969, appearing in the continental spectacle for just the third time since then. And they did it without Hanga, who did not play in any of the EuroBasket Qualifiers.

 
"I'm super proud of them. They got to EuroBasket without me. I watched all the games, they did an amazing job, so I'm just so proud of them," said the Real Madrid guard, whose last game for Hungary before the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers just prior to the EuroBasket came at EuroBasket 2017 in Romania. "It's been five years, it's been a long time, a long wait."

Hanga not only watched the qualifying games to reach EuroBasket 2022, he also remained in regular contact with the team via a WhatsApp group.

"During the season it's tough but he'll reach out to us; just encourage us, send us some texts before games to just cheer us on and stuff like that. So he does a good job keeping in touch even when he's away," said Rosco Allen.

Hungary picked up two wins in EuroBasket 2017 to reach the Knockout Phase, where they were eliminated by Serbia in the Round of 16.

In their first Qualifier following the tournament five years ago, Hungary knocked off Slovenia 77-75 at home against a team that included five players who won the crown just five months earlier and are on the team in Cologne. All told, Hungary finished the qualifying Group F tied with Ukraine and Slovenia at 4-2 while Austria were 0-6.

Zoltan Perl, Adam Hanga and David Vojvoda

One of the biggest reasons that Hungary clinched a second straight EuroBasket berth is the team's continuity. Seven players are back from the 2017 team - Hanga, Allen, Akos Keller, David Vojvoda, Csaba Ferencz, Zoltan Perl and Janos Eilingsfeld, not to mention head coach Stojan Ivkovic, who has been at the helm of the team since 2013.

"Basically most of the guys we grew up together. We played in all the youth national teams and had a lot of fights and wars together," said Hanga.

Hungary were happy to have their star back on board.

"He's really important for us. He's our leader and we are really happy that he can play with us, and I think you can see the difference when he does and when he doesn't," Perl said.

"He controls the ball, he plays a lot of point guard for us, so he makes sure we get into the right positions, makes sure that whenever we're struggling, he steps up some and makes plays for us," Allen added.

Despite Hungary's opening loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cologne, the Hungarians have not had any difficulty re-incorporating Hanga back into the system.

"He's a guy that can easily adjust to any system. So there really  wasn't an adjustment period, but it was more just like getting the reps as a team together," Allen said.

"This is the team that we have been basically playing, with the same structures, the same ideas, the same plays even in 2017," added Hanga.

Hungary's loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina put them in a difficult situation to repeat their performance from 2017. But the country has already accomplished a great feat just being in Cologne - especially by doing so without their proud superstar Adam Hanga.

FIBA