With EuroBasket 2025 tipping off, this is your one-stop destination for in-depth previews of all 24 national teams heading into Europe’s premier basketball tournament. Whether you’re tracking MVP candidates, X’s-and-O’s brilliance, or just figuring out who might crash the medal party, our Power Rankings and team-by-team breakdowns will keep you ahead of the curve.

Finland: A Three-Point Shooting, Assist-Heavy Team Led by Markkanen

Group B – EuroBasket 2025 Preview

As one of the tournament hosts, Finland steps into EuroBasket 2025 with the home crowd behind them and a youthful, athletic roster hungry to make noise. Their 2–4 qualifying record doesn’t tell the full story — Finland used the qualifiers to experiment and build chemistry ahead of their biggest stage in years.

Best Players: Olivier Nkamhoua and Mikael Jantunen did the heavy lifting during the qualifiers, bringing two-way consistency and leading the scoring charge. Edon Maxhuni ran the show with 5.8 assists per game. But make no mistake — this is still Lauri Markkanen’s team. Coming off a 23-8-40% NBA season, he’s the engine and the closer. Rising star Miikka Muurinen — already on the radar of Duke and Kentucky — could be a surprise addition to the final roster, while veteran leader Sasu Salin provides the glue and voice in the locker room.

Strengths: Finland’s youth and athleticism fuel a fast, fluid system built on ball movement and spacing. They led their group with 24 assists per game — a product of clear offensive structure and smart reads. With Markkanen pulling defenders out to the arc and shooters surrounding him, their three-point shooting can flip a game in an instant.

Weaknesses: Interior presence is a glaring issue. Finland allowed one of the highest rates of two-point field goals in qualifying, and a lack of rim protection could be exploited by more physical, size-heavy teams. The roster’s youth raises questions about their poise and execution in high-pressure moments, where experience often matters most.

Bottom Line: Hosting EuroBasket 2025 gives Finland a platform to punch above their weight. Their style — collective, perimeter-oriented, and fast-paced — makes them tough to prepare for. But the lack of size and defensive toughness may limit how far they can go against Europe’s top contenders.

Expectation: Dark Horse

Athletic, unselfish and dynamic — Finland could surprise, but need to improve inside.

This article was co-written by the hosts of the European Hoops podcast, Tiago Cordeiro and André Lemos. Subscribe to the podcast and follow European Hoops on Twitter: @EthosEuroleague.