Slovenia ready to take aim at Tokyo, include Doncic in Olympic Qualifying Tournament preliminary squad
LJUBLJANA (Slovenia) - International hoops sensation Luka Doncic has been named in Slovenia's 24-man squad for next month's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Kaunas.
LJUBLJANA (Slovenia) - International hoops sensation Luka Doncic has been named in Slovenia's 24-man squad for next month's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Kaunas.
The Dallas Mavericks superstar, named in the All-Star Five after helping Slovenia win FIBA EuroBasket 2017, is one of several players in the team of five years ago that has been included.
Na širšem seznamu #mojtim 24 košarkarjev.🏀🇸🇮💪
— Košarkarska zveza SIovenije (@kzs_si) May 17, 2021
Selektor @ASekulic je na širši spisek kandidatov za nastop na olimpijskih kvalifikacijah uvrstil 24 košarkarjev.
🔗 https://t.co/BvqM6yLFNM@FIBA #OQT @TeamSlovenia #imamotokio@TelemachSi #generalnisponzor pic.twitter.com/ReEHMZhw2u
Jaka Blazic, Ziga Dimec, Klemen Prepelic, Aleksej Nikolic, Vlatko Cancar, Matic Rebec, Gasper Vidmar and Edo Muric all helped Slovenia capture the FIBA EuroBasket and have been named in the squad.
Doncic, 22, has more than lived up to expectations in the NBA since being selected with the third overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Twice he has been a Western Conference All-Star. His play has captured the imagination of fans all over the world.
The Mavs are first in the Southwest Division standings with a 42-30 record and Doncic is averaging an eye-popping 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists.
| Slovenia 24-man squad for FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament | ||||
| Jaka Blazic | Vlatko Cancar | Ziga Dimec | Luka Doncic | Zoran Dragic |
| Gregor Glas | Alen Hodzic | Gregor Hrovat | Jan Kosi | Martin Krampelj |
| Luka Lapornik | Miha Lapornik | Jurij Macura | Blaz Mahkovic | Blaz Mesicek |
| Edo Muric | Aleksej Nikolic | Alen Omic | Klemen Prepelic | Matic Rebec |
| Luka Rupnik | Zan Mark Sisko | Miha Skedelj | Gasper Vidmar | |
At the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which tips off on July 29, Slovenia will play in Group B and take on Angola on July 30 and then Poland on July 1. In Group A will be Lithuania, Korea and Venezuela. The countries that finish first and second in each group will advance to the Semi-Finals. Only the winner of the Final on July 4 will advance to the Tokyo Games.
The other OQTs are being played in Canada, Croatia and Serbia.
Spain, Argentina, France, Australia, USA, Iran, Nigeria and Japan are already in the Olympic field.
FIBA