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2020 Olympics: Germany among qualifying berth winners to Tokyo

The Wizards will have a third player going to Tokyo! The USA will also face the Czech Republic who have a couple old friends in Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely.

By Albert Lee
Germany v Czech Republic - Basketball Supercup
Issac Bonga and the Germany men’s national basketball team are in the Olympics!
Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images

The 12-team field in the 2020 Olympics men’s basketball tournament is complete. Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura and guard Bradley Beal will see another teammate join the ranks as forward Issac Bonga and Germany will be making the trip as well, after winning a qualifying berth in a tournament based in Split, Croatia yesterday. Former Wizard and now-Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner also represented the Germans.

The Germans will be in Group B along with Australia, Nigeria and Italy, who won a berth in a tournament based in Belgrade, Serbia. The Czech Republic won the tournament based in Victoria, Canada over Greece and will be in Group A with the United States, France and Iran. And Slovenia will be in Group C after winning a berth in a tournament based in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Of the four newest entrants into Tokyo, the Czech Republic will provide an interesting group stage match for the United States in the Olympics, especially for Wizards fans. The Czechs are led by point guard and former Wizard Tomas Satoransky, whom many fans found to be the poster child of “Everybody Eats” from 2017-19. He now plays for the Chicago Bulls.

In addition, 2011 Wizards first round draft pick Jan Vesely, who now plays for Fenerbahçe in Turkey and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, was also in the Olympic qualifiers.

I’m already afraid of the team-ups these two will have on Team USA, Beal or no Beal!

Congratulations to all of the teams that made the 2020 Olympics in men’s basketball. The tournament starts on July 24.