European Hoops: EuroBasket 2025 Preview Series – Poland

  • 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.

     

    Poland: Home Court, But a Long Way Home

    Group D – EuroBasket 2025 Preview

    Poland enters EuroBasket 2025 as one of the four host nations, but hosting duties may be their biggest advantage. After a tough qualifying campaign where they went just 1–5, the Poles come into the tournament under pressure and with something to prove. The loss of star forward Jeremy Sochan with a calf injury was a huge blow, but the recent confirmation that veteran EuroLeague guard Jordan Loyd will join the team as their naturalized player has completely changed the team’s outlook. His presence provides a much-needed scoring punch and leadership, giving the Poles a new hope.

    Best Players: While Mateusz Ponitka is still the heart and soul of this team, the addition of Jordan Loyd gives them a dynamic scoring partner. Loyd is a proven EuroLeague scorer and playmaker, and he’ll be expected to shoulder a significant offensive load. He brings a level of consistency and clutch play that was sorely missing in Sochan’s absence. Michal Michalak remains a consistent scoring threat, and Aleksander Balcerowski provides a solid interior presence and pick-and-roll partner for both Ponitka and now Loyd.

    Path: Poland had a rocky road in qualifying, though it was more about testing than results — they were already qualified as hosts. Still, the performances raised concerns. They lost five of six, including both games to North Macedonia by double digits. Their lone win came in a nail-biter against Estonia. That’s not exactly the résumé of a contender, but Loyd’s addition could make those results less relevant.

    Strengths: The addition of Jordan Loyd is a game-changer. He immediately addresses the team’s need for a go-to scorer and shot creator. His ability to shoot from deep, drive to the basket, and make plays for others will make their half-court offense much more fluid and less predictable. This will also take some pressure off of Ponitka, who can now be more of a bully in mismatches. Poland will have the home crowd to cheer them on, and with Loyd’s EuroLeague experience, they now have a proven player who is used to performing on the big stage.

    Weaknesses: The team still has issues. Despite Loyd’s addition, the team’s shooting from deep (a brutal 25.9% in qualifiers) is a major concern. They’re still turnover-prone and can be undisciplined on transition defense. While Loyd helps, the loss of Sochan’s defensive versatility and athleticism leaves a gap on that end of the floor that other players will have to fill.

    Bottom Line: The home crowd and the addition of Jordan Loyd give Poland a real chance to be a spoiler in this tournament. He can provide the spark and offensive consistency they’ll need to compete. While the team still has its flaws, the star power of Loyd and Ponitka, combined with the energy of the home crowd, could be a recipe for a few upsets.

    Expectation: Home-court advantage and a fighting chance

    Hosting helps and Loyd’s presence makes them a much more dangerous team. Don’t be surprised if they steal a game or two in the group stage and make a push for the knockout rounds.

     

    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.

    August 12, 2025, 2:54 am