Vyacheslav Kravtsov has declared his readiness to help the Ukrainian national basketball team in the upcoming World Cup pre-qualification matches this August. The 37-year-old veteran shared his thoughts about the team's prospects and the integration of young talents during a recent interview.
"I'm ready to help the national team – this is the main motivation for me," Kravtsov stated when discussing his availability for the summer campaign.
The experienced center believes the upcoming games against Switzerland and Slovakia will be particularly challenging due to the similar level of all competing teams. Ukraine will start their campaign with an away game in Switzerland on August 6, followed by home matches against Slovakia on August 9 and Switzerland on August 16, before finishing with an away game in Slovakia on August 20.
Kravtsov didn't shy away from addressing the team's performance issues in the EuroBasket 2025 qualification. He pointed to the significant roster changes as a major factor affecting results.
"When a team undergoes substantial roster changes, it always experiences stress. During the national team's good performances, the roster barely changed, just two or three players at most. In recent years, the national team has changed dramatically. Veterans are gradually leaving, while young players may feel insecure, lack experience, or get nervous," he explained.
Interestingly, Kravtsov spoke highly of the newcomers to the team's frontcourt, especially Novitskyi, whom he predicts has a bright future. He also sees promise in Sipalo, who reminds Kravtsov of himself at that age, and Klichko, who has the size but needs more development time.
Regarding the return of coach Ainars Bagatskis, Kravtsov took a pragmatic approach: "That's life. Coaches change. I'm on good terms with everyone, so I can't say much on this topic. A new coach has arrived, and we need to work with him. Moreover, we've already worked with him before. We know many things, so it will be easier to adapt."
The veteran player also echoed the sentiments of Ukrainian Basketball Federation president Mikhail Brodsky regarding player commitment to the national team, expressing concern about those who decline call-ups without proper justification.
"I remember years when 20-30 national team members would come, everyone wanted to make the roster. I also have complaints about some players. Why can they so easily refuse a camp invitation or national team call-up? I hope this won't happen in summer and everyone invited will come, then the coach will decide who stays," Kravtsov emphasized.
With two teams from each group advancing to the main World Cup qualification stage, can Ukraine secure one of these spots against equally matched opponents? The answer may depend on whether they can field their strongest possible roster this August.
