The five favorites for Eurobasket

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Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, San Antonio Spurs

Nov 15, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) high fives forward Boris Diaw (33) after scoring a basket against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-91. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Hungry for a little basketball?

July and August can be a basketball desert for fans with little going on for basketball and NBA fans before the season starts in September.

That is, until late August. That is when the international tournaments kick into high gear.

With the Olympics a year away, there are still lots of spots available for a trip to Rio de Janeiro. Nigeria recently won Afrobasket to get the lone spot that automatically qualifies. There will be 18 teams competing for three spots in the Olympics next July.

For those new to the international basketball scene, all these tournaments mean a little bit more than Olympic qualifying. Those might be an end goal, but there is a lot of national identity and pride on the line too.

And nowhere is that more prevalent than at Eurobasket, perhaps the most talented and best basketball tournament outside of the NBA Playoffs (and, yes, that includes the NCAA Tournament).

Eurobasket is the professional version of the NCAA Tournament with crazy fans and a frenzied, pressure-packed tournament atmosphere. Every game matters and this biannual competition is always the highlight of the NBA summer.

Mar 27, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and guard Monta Ellis (11) walk off the court during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at the American Airlines Center. The Clippers won 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Like the Olympics, several players have made a name for themselves in this tournament. For young players trying to make it in the NBA, this is a place where teams can get a better sense of who is ready to break out. And for players outside the NBA, this is a big stage to knock on the door of the world’s best professional league.

This year’s Eurobasket begins September 5 and will last until September 20 — right to the doorstep of NBA training camps. There is going to be a lot of great, passionate, exciting basketball in the meantime.

Like every tournament, there are favorites. There are going to be upstarts. And there are going to be surprises (the return of Petteri Koponen!).

For now, to preview the beginning of the tournament — taking place in France, Germany, Croatia and Latvia with the knockout rounds taking place in France — let’s take a look at the favorites for the tournament and what the casual NBA fan should know about them.

Next: Greece is still Greece