Konstantinos Simitzis, one of the leaders of the Cyprus national team, spoke to Basketball Sphere about what it feels like to be a EuroBasket 2025 host, what it will mean for basketball in the country, and what fans can expect from the tournament debutants.
Konstantinos Simitzis, currently playing for AEK Larnaca, is an essential part of the Cypriot squad, something he already proved during the EuroBasket qualifiers when he scored 25 points against Croatia.
The undersized point guard does not hide his excitement that Cyprus will be one of the hosts of the European Championship, hoping this event will elevate basketball in the country to a much higher level.
“I don’t feel pressure as much as excitement. It is an honor for Cyprus to be both a host and a participant, and I consider myself lucky to get the chance to play for them. This is unprecedented for Cyprus and will leave a lasting mark in the history of Cypriot basketball. I hope this tournament will be the spark for the next generation of basketball players in this country.” – said the Cypriot guard.
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It won’t be an easy task for Simitzis and his teammates, as they will compete in Group C against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain, Georgia, and Italy.
The Cypriot floor general promises that he and his teammates will give maximum effort, while emphasizing that their participation itself is a huge experience.
“We want to be as competitive as possible and give everything we have for 40 minutes of every game. We also want to improve from game to game and gain experience at the highest level, but most importantly — to inspire the next generation to fall in love with this sport.” – said Konstantinos Simitzis.
Making up for lack of quality with fighting spirit
Cyprus didn’t exactly impress in their friendly game against Serbia. But Simitzis guarantees they will look much better on the big stage.
He also added that the team, led from the bench by Christoforos Livadioetes, will show how much playing for the national jersey means to them.
“Passion, effort, respect for ourselves and for the opponent. And most importantly — you will see us wearing our jerseys with pride.” – concluded Konstantinos Simitzis.
Do you agree with 🇷🇸 Svetislav Pesic that this will be one of the strongest EuroBaskets ever in terms of quality? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/FVpj8jip3P
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) August 19, 2025
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EuroBasket 2025 – Extended rosters of all national teams
EuroBasket 2025, starting on August 27, will be the central topic of discussion in the coming period, alongside basketball transfers in Europe and worldwide.
National team gatherings across the Old Continent have already begun, and coaches have announced extended player lists, with only 12 players from each team set to secure their plane tickets for EuroBasket 2025.
EuroBasket 2025 will be hosted by four countries – Cyprus, Poland, Finland, and Latvia.
The final phase of the competition, meaning all national team matches after the group stage, will be played in Latvia, specifically in Riga, with the final scheduled for September 14.
