Patrick Gardner

EGYPT will be one of Africa’s representatives in one of the legs of the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments starting on Tuesday. The North Africans will compete in Piraeus, Greece from 2-7 July for a ticket to the Paris Games.  

Team Profile: Egypt

Egypt has a strong basketball tradition in Africa. Nicknamed the Pharaohs, Egypt has achieved significant success on the continent, including the best result of any African basketball team at the Olympics. They have won the second most FIBA Africa Championships, also known as AfroBasket, with five titles, trailing only Angola.

Egypt’s basketball team achieved their best Olympic result by finishing ninth in 1952. However, they have not participated in the Olympics for 36 years. Their last appearance was the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea.

After an impressive performance at the 2023 World Cup, where they narrowly missed qualifying directly for the Olympics, Egypt is now preparing to compete in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece for their chance to secure a spot.

Star Players: Abdel Nader, a star in the NBL, will be making his national team debut. With experience in both the NBA and the G-League, his addition to the team will provide an extra scoring option and second-chance opportunities. He averaged 14.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while playing with the South East Melbourne Phoenix this past season.

The Pharaohs will also benefit from the existing team chemistry, particularly from the Al Ahly players who just concluded the BAL season together. Ehab Amin and Patrick Gardener will be crucial pieces for the Pharaohs.

Amin will play a prime role in the team’s success. Averaging 19.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game at the FIBA World Cup last year, he will be crucial in providing perimeter defence to limit the three-point threat of Greece and the Dominican Republic – teams that boast NBA talent.

Egyptian American forward Gardener, at 6ft 11, will bring versatile scoring to the team. He shoots well from behind the arc and has a soft touch at the rim. His physical presence will be crucial in contests in the paint.

Group B Match Ups & Outlook: Egypt will face Greece and the Dominican Republic – possibly a tricky group for the Pharaohs.

Following the loss against Cameroon in the friendly preparation game last week, the Egyptians will have to work on plugging the holes in their armoury. Amin did not suit up for the encounter against the Indomitable Lions, who took advantage of that, making their bread and butter from the three-point line as the North Africans struggled to adjust.

The biggest challenge for the Egyptians could be Giannis Antetokoumpo and Greece. Antetokoumpo, known as the Greek Freak, will pose a threat at both ends of the paint, with his height and length. The North Africans could believe they have a slight edge over the Dominican Republic, who will be without Karl Anthony Towns and Al Horford. Should Egypt advance out of their group, they will likely face Ivan Zubac and Croatia, Luka Dončič and Slovenia or New Zealand.