Team profile: Georgia all set to prove they belong in World Cup debut
OKINAWA (Japan) - Georgia will be out to prove that they belong on the big stage when they make their FIBA Basketball World Cup debut.
OKINAWA (Japan) - Georgia will be out to prove that they belong on the big stage when they make their FIBA Basketball World Cup debut.
The Roster
Fittingly leading the charge are two of the best to ever wear the Jvarosnebi uniform: Tornike "Toko" Shengelia and Giorgi Shermadini.
The veterans were among the team's leading scorers in the European Qualifiers. Shengelia averaged 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while Shermadini scored 16.3 points per contest as they helped bring the program to its first World Cup appearance.
The two stars will be joined by the young tandem of Goga Bitadze and Sandro Mamukelashvili, together with veteran guards Duda Sanadze, Thadd McFadden and 22-year-old playmaker Rati Andronikashvili.
The Question
How much will the bright lights affect Georgia?
In 2019, debutants Montenegro and the Czech Republic finished 25th and 6th, respectively. The Czechs fell to Australia in the Quarter-Finals. Will Georgia replicate the likes of the former or the latter in terms of debut results?
Giorgi Shermadini at last year's EuroBasket
While there's no question about the quality of players Georgia have, which ranges from European league standouts to NBA players, experience and depth will be concerns as they play on the big stage for the first time. How will they respond to playing in the tournament for the first time with so much at stake?
Latvia, South Sudan and Cape Verde are also making their first appearances at the World Cup, so Georgia are not alone in that regard.
The Hope
The majority of the minutes for Georgia, who are coached by Greek Ilias Zouros, will be eaten up by savvy veterans like Shengelia, who is among one of the biggest stars in Europe, and Shermadini, who is coming off a Spanish Liga Endesa campaign when he was named league MVP. Everyone else, including Bitadze, Mamukelashvili, McFadden and Sanadze, must be a great supporting cast. McFadden will certainly get his share of shots up.
Mamukelashvili led the team at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 with 15.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Bitadze, in that same tournament, was one of their most efficient players with a 13.8 EFF rating through his per-game norms of 10.0 points and 6.8 boards.
Alexander Mamukelashvili
Of course, there remains the veteran presence of McFadden, who played all 12 games in the Qualifiers and averaged 18.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 steals.
That is a hopeful core to rely on, especially for a team going through their first try at this stage.
The Fear
The major concern for Georgia is depth. Last year at EuroBasket 2022, when Shengelia was unable to help after getting hurt in the buildup, the leaders ended up playing heavy minutes (35 per game on average for Mamukelashvili and McFadden). This leaves some concern for a competition like the World Cup which - by nature of the competition - requires a lot of stamina both mentally and physically.
Of course, the two First Round games against Cape Verde, and Venezuela, mean there is every possibility of a strong start for Georgia. The bench will need to contribute for Georgia's World Cup campaign to be a success.
IN THE LAST 10 FIBA EVENTS
| YEAR | EVENT | LOCATION | ACHIEVEMENT |
| 2022 | FIBA EuroBasket | CZE-GEO-ITA-GER | 21st |
| 2021 | Olympics | Tokyo (JPN) | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | FIBA Basketball World Cup | Beijing (CHN) | Did not qualify |
| 2017 | FIBA EuroBasket | Istanbul (TUR) | 17th |
| 2016 | Olympics | Rio de Janeiro (BRA) | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | FIBA EuroBasket | Lille (FRA) | 15th |
| 2014 | FIBA Basketball World Cup | Madrid (ESP) | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | FIBA EuroBasket | Ljubljana (SLO) | 17th |
| 2012 | Olympics | London (GBR) | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | FIBA EuroBasket | Kaunas (LTU) | 11th |
The Poll
More?
For a deeper look on Georgia's journey to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, click here.
FIBA