Will Hungarian break its FIBA World cup qualification jinx and will we see another basketball player join the NBA in the future

Will Hungarian break its FIBA World cup qualification jinx and will we see another basketball player join the NBA in the future

Description: Hungary was once a force to reckon with in basketball, but this glory did not last as the team has stayed in the cold for a long period. They have failed to qualify in several international tournaments including summer games and the world basketball championship. In its history, there has been only one player in NBA. With the game showing some revival, will we see another player at NBA, and will the team manage to qualify for the world cup? These are pertinent questions that this article attempt to explore.

Hungary may not be a basketball powerhouse but the game is popular in the country. Betting sites in Hungary also provide basketball bets owing to the popularity of the game as well as the massive growth of the industry. Although relatively new compared to other countries, online betting sites in Hungary provide betters with an opportunity to bet on local and international basketball events. For those who may be interested in international betting, knowing about the events that are happening at that level may be crucial.

Click here for an article providing some insights on the players in NBA as well as other information which may be helpful when placing an online basketball bet on Hungarian betting sites. Kate Richardson (You can view her profile here) will be providing an overview of the status of basketball in Hungary as well as a look at the prospects of the Hungarian basketball players joining the NBA future.

Will Hungarian break its FIBA World cup qualification jinx and will we see another basketball player join the NBA in the future

Status of basketball in Hungary

The status of basketball in Hungary has not always been what has been witnessed in the last forty-eight years, there was a time when the country was basking in glory, a period when they had very good performances and even won several international titles as well as participated at different levels. The national basketball team had its shining moments between the 1940s and 1960s.

This is the period when the team was at its best, they won several medals at the major international and regional tournaments and also qualified for summer games four times where they recorded a good performance. The glory would fade only to reappear in 1999 when the team qualified for the Euro Basketball for the first time since 1969. The next qualification had to wait for eight years when the national team qualified for Eurobasket in 2017.

Performance in Eurobasket 2017

The fortieth edition of the European basketball championship saw Hungary make an appearance after remaining in the cold for several years, nobody expected the team to perform well. However, they surprised many when got their first win after forty-eight years. The team qualified for the knock-out stage after beating the Czech Republic and Romania. For many, this was a comeback for once a basketball giant. At the knock-out stage, the team put up a great effort against Serbia, a team that is currently ranked fifth in the world rankings. Could this have been the comeback for the Hungarian side? This may be it, as the team has had a good start in the Eurobasket 2022 qualifiers. It has upstaged the defending champions, Slovenia

Eurobasket 2022

This will be the 41st edition of a competition that is now held every four years. Hosted by four countries, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, and Georgia, the event will take place between 1st and 18th September 2022. Twenty-four teams will be competing in the event with Hungary looking to participate in the tournament for the second time in a row, something they have not managed since the 1960s. With their current performance, the team may be part of the highly ranked finalists in the Eurobasket 2022.

The team has already qualified for the tournament after a successful competition. Hungary beat Slovenia 77-75, Ukraine 62-60, and Austria 83-81 in the first qualifier and 81-58 in round two. Just like in 2017, the team may surprise many going all the way up to the finals. This could be the comeback that the team may have been waiting for.

Hungarian players in NBA

In its history, Hungary has only had one of its players in the NBA; Kornel David. Now retired from the professional game, David was the most known Hungarian basketball pro during his prime time. He has been the only player to play at the prestigious NBA. He has played for the Chicago Bulls and Rockford Lighting. To his name, the Hungarian player has participated in 109 games in the National Basketball Association league where he started in the eleven of them garnering an average of 2.8 rebounds and five points. With Hungarian basketball showing some improvements in the last five years, there are hopes that the country may see more players enlisted in the NBA in the future.

Prospects

Among the most promising players are:

• Benedek Varadi who currently plays for Falco KC and the national team,
• David Vojvoda who plays for the Alba Fehervar and the national side,
• Marcell Pongo,
• Akos Keller who is currently at Falco KC,
• Zsolt Szabo,
• Adam Somogyi,
• Csaba Ferencz who is currently at BC Kormend,
• Zoltan Perl who is currently playing for Falco Szombathely,
• Janos Eilingfeld, the national team player as well as Atomeromu SE team member
• Kemal Karahodzic, a KTE Duna Aszfalt and Hungarian national team player among others.

Most of these players were part of the team that has upstaged Eurobasket giants and there are high hopes that they will propel the national team to the greater heights. Some project that the current national squad may be headed for the kind of wins that Hungary saw in the 1960s when the team was shinning in the international tournaments. The team may not have qualified for the World Cup as well as other major tournaments such as Olympics and FIBA championships but it is showing great performances in the recent past. We may also see another player join the most prestigious basketball league in the world as well as have the team participating in major regional and international championships.