Norway men's national basketball team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Norway women's national basketball team.

Norway
FIBA ranking77 4 (25 February 2025)[1]
Joined FIBA1968
FIBA zoneFIBA Europe
National federationNBBF
CoachMatthias Eckhoff
FIBA World Cup
AppearancesNone
EuroBasket
AppearancesNone
Championship for Small Countries
Appearances2
Medals Silver: (1996, 2018)
First international
  50–63 Denmark 
(Oslo, Norway; 11 February 1967)
Biggest win
 San Marino 48–88  
(Serravalle, San Marino; 26 June 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Iceland 123–59  
(Reykjavík, Iceland; 15 April 1968)

The Norway men's national basketball team (Norwegian: Norges herrelandslag i basketball) represents Norway in international basketball tournaments. The national team is administered by the Norwegian Basketball Federation.

Norway has never had great success on the international stage in the past. They are one of the few European countries to date to have never qualified for one of the top international basketball competitions, such as the EuroBasket or the FIBA World Cup.

History

Norway's first international match was played on 11 February 1967 in Oslo, where the team lost 50–63 to Denmark.[2] The most capped player is Torgeir Bryn, with 111 caps.

In the past, Norway has attempted to qualify for the EuroBasket several times, but have yet to reach the tournament. They have only entered the Olympic basketball qualification twice, for the 1980, and 1988 Olympic Games. Norway is one of Europe's most populous nations to have never qualified for a major international basketball competition. However, they have competed at smaller events such as the European Championship for Small Countries.

The Road to Revival (2012–2017)

In 2012, financial troubles led the Norwegian Basketball Federation to shut down both the men's and women's national teams. The federation simply did not have the funds to keep either the men's or women's teams afloat. Since then, however, the federation has come to realize just how many people from the athletes and teams, to individuals and companies care about the Norwegian basketball community and are willing to provide financial support. The federation also worked to raise money through sponsorships, and eventually signed a major sponsorship agreement with Circle K, in addition to a few smaller sponsors.[3]

Norway's return (2018–present)

In 2018, Norway made its return to FIBA competition by playing at the European Championship for Small Countries. The national team finished as the runners-up after losing 75–59 in the final against Malta.[4]

In 2021, Norway joined the EuroBasket 2025 qualification.

Competitive record

Results and fixtures

  Win   Loss

2024

25 February 2024 Luxembourg  58–72   Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
17:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 9–24, 23–19, 20–8, 6–21
Pts: Rugg 22
Rebs: Vujaković 10
Asts: Rugg 3 		Boxscore Pts: Frey 23
Rebs: Berg 10
Asts: Frey 6 		Arena: d'Coque
Attendance: 1,800
Referees: Łukasz Jankowski (POL), Armin Mutapcic (GER), Martin van Hoye (BEL)
21 November 2024   62–75  Romania Oslo, Norway
19:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 20–26, 18–17, 12–12, 12–20
Pts: Frey 21
Rebs: Ndow 11
Asts: Frey 5 		Boxscore Pts: Olah 16
Rebs: Cățe 13
Asts: Tohătan 5 		Arena: Nordstrand Arena
Attendance: 2,200
Referees: Elvis Binders-Čoders (LAT), Jan Baloun (CZE), Karol Kowalski (POL)

2025

20 February 2025   68–59  Luxembourg Oslo, Norway
19:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 15–21, 15–17, 22–8, 16–13
Pts: Frey 27
Rebs: Ndow 9
Asts: Frey 4 		Boxscore Pts: Vujaković 12
Rebs: Rugg 11
Asts: four players 2 		Arena: Nordstrand Arena
Attendance: 2,000
Referees: Joaquin García (ESP), Ritvars Helmšteins (LAT), Rainis Värv (EST)
23 February 2025 Romania  85–71   Oradea, Romania
19:00 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 23–22, 18–20, 22–15, 22–14
Pts: Grasu, Richard 14
Rebs: Cățe 6
Asts: Cățe 6 		Boxscore Pts: Ndow 19
Rebs: Ndow, Nordheim 6
Asts: four players 3 		Arena: Oradea Arena
Attendance: 2,397
Referees: Nemanja Ninković (SRB), Tolga Edis (TUR), Kirile Tvauri (GEO)
2 August 2025 Denmark  vs.   Denmark
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore
6 August 2025   vs.  Croatia Norway
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore
13 August 2025   vs.  Denmark Norway
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore
16 August 2025 Croatia  vs.   Croatia
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers matches on 20 and 23 February 2025 against Luxembourg and Romania.[5][6]

Norway men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
G/F 0 Jørgen Odfjell 24 – (2000-08-03)3 August 2000 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) Gimle
PG 3 Lars Espe 26 – (1998-09-26)26 September 1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Fyllingen
F 5 Chris-Ebou Ndow 31 – (1993-12-10)10 December 1993 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Cholet
PG 7 Harald Frey 27 – (1997-05-27)27 May 1997 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Bilbao
SG 9 Sivert Nordheim 18 – (2006-07-12)12 July 2006 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) Centrum Tigers
G 11 Stian Mjøs (C) 35 – (1989-02-27)27 February 1989 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Bærum
SG 12 Mikkel Kolstad 29 – (1995-05-03)3 May 1995 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) Centrum Tigers
C 14 Johannes Dolven 28 – (1996-05-11)11 May 1996 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Centrum Tigers
C 20 Ludvik Bergseng 18 – (2006-09-28)28 September 2006 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Manresa
SF 22 Sjur Berg 29 – (1996-01-10)10 January 1996 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) Bærum
F 25 Hallvard Staff 22 – (2002-06-18)18 June 2002 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Gimle
F 40 Axel Borg 20 – (2004-04-10)10 April 2004 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Frøya
Head coach
  • Matthias Eckhoff
Assistant coach(es)
  • Milovan Savić
  • Morten Myrvang
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the competition
  • Age – describes age
    on 20 February 2025

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Sjur Berg Erik Borg Marcus Larsson
PF Karamo Jawara Johannes Dolven Axel Borg
SF Chris-Ebou Ndow Kristian Sjølund Jørgen Odfjell
SG Bouna Ndiaye Mikkel Kolstad Tobias Rotegård
PG Harald Frey Stian Mjøs Lars Espe

Head coach position

  • Matthias Eckhoff – (2018–present)

Notable players

  • Torgeir Bryn – the first Scandinavian, and the only Norwegian who has played in the NBA; and the most capped player for the Norway national basketball team with 111 matches.

Past rosters

2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries: finished 2nd among 7 teams[7]

Norway men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
PG 4 Magnus Midtvedt 28 – (1990-04-07)7 April 1990 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Centrum
PG 5 Harald Frey 21 – (1997-05-27)27 May 1997 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Montana State
G 6 Stian Berg 27 – (1991-04-04)4 April 1991 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Asker
PG 7 Lars Espe 19 – (1998-09-26)26 September 1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Barry Buccaneers
G/F 8 Bouna Ndiaye 25 – (1992-10-20)20 October 1992 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) GET Vosges
G 9 Nikolas Skouen 28 – (1990-01-29)29 January 1990 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Frøya
F 10 Karamo Jawara 27 – (1991-06-25)25 June 1991 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Palma
G 11 Stian Mjøs 29 – (1989-02-27)27 February 1989 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Bærum
G/F 12 Eivind Lamo 21 – (1996-10-23)23 October 1996 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Gimle
G/F 13 Alex Dakin 25 – (1993-01-02)2 January 1993 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) Bærum
F 14 Sjur Berg 22 – (1996-01-10)10 January 1996 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Alaska Anchorage
F/C 15 Johannes Dolven 22 – (1996-05-11)11 May 1996 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Barry Buccaneers
Head coach
  • Matthias Eckhoff
Assistant coach(es)
  • Audun Eskeland
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the competition
  • Age – describes age
    on 26 June 2018

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  2. ^ "55-årsjubileum mot Danmark". basket.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Norway returns to international basketball". norwegianamerican.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Norway at the 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries". Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Klok og moden debutant". basket.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Norway during the 2027 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers in February 2025". Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  7. ^ "Norway at the 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries". Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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