Hungary men's national basketball team
Hungary's national basketball team, gold medalists at EuroBasket 1955.
The Hungary men's national basketball team (Hungarian: Magyar nemzeti kosárlabda-válogatott) is the country's representative in international basketball, overseen by the Hungarian Basketball Federation (MKOSZ). The squad enjoyed its most successful era between the 1940s and 1960s, collecting multiple EuroBasket medals and appearing in four of the first six Olympic tournaments. Since 1969, however, the team has qualified for the European championship only three times (1999, 2017, 2022) and has yet to make its debut at the FIBA World Cup.
At the inaugural EuroBasket in 1935, Hungary placed ninth out of ten teams. They lost to eventual champions Latvia 46–12 in the preliminary round, then fell to Bulgaria before beating Romania to finish with a 1–2 record. After skipping the 1937 edition, Hungary returned for EuroBasket 1939. They lost their first six games, including a 79–15 blowout by host Lithuania, but closed the tournament with a 45–16 win over Finland to take seventh place among eight teams.
EuroBasket 1946 saw Hungary finish second in their preliminary group behind Italy, with wins over Luxembourg and Poland. They lost to Czechoslovakia in the semifinals but rebounded to defeat France 38–32 for the bronze medal. The following year at EuroBasket 1947, Hungary went 1–1 in the preliminary round to advance to the semifinal groups, where they lost all three games. They then beat Bulgaria 59–29 in the seventh-place match to finish seventh out of 14 teams.
Hungary earned their second EuroBasket medal at the 1953 tournament in Moscow. After a 2–1 preliminary record—their only loss coming to hosts and defending champions the Soviet Union—they advanced to the final round. There, they lost to the Soviets, Czechoslovakia, and France but defeated the other four teams. A 4–3 record created a tie with Czechoslovakia, France, and Israel, and Hungary won the tiebreaker to claim the silver medal behind the Soviet Union.
Budapest hosted EuroBasket 1955, and Hungary swept all three preliminary games. In the final round, they lost their opener 75–65 to Czechoslovakia but then won four straight against Poland, Italy, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia to tie the Soviet Union for the lead. Hungary then handed the Soviets just their second loss in 34 games across four EuroBasket tournaments, winning 82–68.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Hungary
- Nickname
- Magyars
- Coach
- Gašper Okorn
- Fiba Ranking
- HUN
- Joined Fiba
- 1935
- Fiba Zone
- FIBA Europe
- National Fed
- MKOSZ
- Oly Appearances
- 4
- Oly Medals
- None
- Zone Championship
- EuroBasket
- Zone Appearances
- 16
- Zone Medals
- Gold: (1955) / Silver: (1953) / Bronze: (1946)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hungary competed in the first European Basketball Championship, EuroBasket 1935, finishing ninth. After missing the 1937 edition, they returned in 1939, finishing seventh. Their first medal came at EuroBasket 1946, where they defeated France 38–32 to win bronze. At EuroBasket 1953 in Moscow, Hungary took the silver medal, finishing second behind the Soviet Union after a tie-breaker. The team's greatest achievement came at EuroBasket 1955, hosted in Budapest. Hungary won all three preliminary games, then defeated the Soviet Union 82–68—handing the Soviets only their second loss in 34 games and four tournaments—and finished with a victory over Romania to win the gold medal. At EuroBasket 1957, Hungary finished fourth. After 1969, the team qualified for the EuroBasket only three times (1999, 2017, 2022). At EuroBasket 2017, they won their first EuroBasket game since 1969 and advanced to the knockout stage, losing to eventual runners-up Serbia 86–78. During qualification for EuroBasket 2022, Hungary surprisingly defeated defending champion Slovenia 77–75.
Reader's Guide
The Hungary men's national basketball team represents a notable, if intermittent, presence in European basketball history. Their golden era from the 1940s to the 1960s produced three EuroBasket medals, including a historic gold on home soil in 1955. That victory over the dominant Soviet Union remains a landmark achievement. However, the team's subsequent decline—only three EuroBasket appearances since 1969 and no FIBA World Cup debut—underscores the challenges of maintaining competitiveness in a sport increasingly dominated by larger nations. Their 2017 run, ending in a narrow loss to Serbia, and the 2022 qualification upset of Slovenia suggest potential for resurgence. The team's legacy is one of early success followed by a long period of rebuilding, with occasional flashes of the past glory.
Did You Know?
- Hungary won the gold medal at EuroBasket 1955, defeating the Soviet Union 82–68.
- The team's first EuroBasket victory since 1969 came at EuroBasket 2017.
- Hungary has never qualified for the FIBA World Cup.
- At EuroBasket 2022 qualification, Hungary defeated defending champion Slovenia 77–75.
More in Basketball teams in Hungary 1-19
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced