In the NBA, every star throws a unique problem at you. Luka Doncic slows the game to his beat. Nikola Jokic sees passes before you even notice the cut. Giannis Antetokounmpo just puts his head down and dares you to stop him. For Franz Wagner, though, that was his job during EuroBasket 2025 – figuring out the answer on the fly, night after night.

In an interview with Eurohoops, Wagner, who helped Germany to the FIBA honor in 2023, and played against these superstars in ’25, broke it down piece by piece, starting with the Greek Freak. “Yeah, Giannis is, you know, I think you always have to know where he’s at. You have to game plan for him as a team. Obviously, he’s super athletic, super fast, super strong, and usually the tallest guy on the floor. So, um, you know, you can’t just expect one guy, uh, to defend him well.” Wagner’s words echo what every NBA coach already knows. Still, he just might not be the “most tough to guard.“

Giannis is a one-man fast break. He led the league in points in the paint multiple seasons, and his Finals pure physicality fueled an MVP. One defender isn’t enough. Sometimes, five isn’t either. Doncic, though, frustrates defenses in an entirely different way.

“Yeah, I think Luka, um, you know, I think there’s few players in the world that know as versatile or um can manipulate the game as well as he does offensively,” Wagner explained. He’s not the fastest. He’s not the strongest. But Doncic bends the floor like he was born to do just that. In last season’s playoffs, he averaged 30.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 7.0 rebounds, which is proof that slowing him down means picking your poison.

Double him, and he finds the shooter in the corner. Stay home, and he’ll hit you with a step-back three that makes defenders question their life choices. Then there’s Jokic, the player who might be the most unguardable of all. Wagner noted, “Um, I think Jokic and Doncic actually, I think what makes them special is that you know they’re most tough to guard when they’re passing and, you know, getting their teammates involved. So, but at the same time, they, you know, can pretty much score one-on-one every time.” Jokic’s 2023 Finals MVP run was a masterclass in this.

He dropped a 30-20-10 line in Game 3 against Miami, something no one had ever done in the Finals before. Jokic made another record of 30-20-20 against the Suns this year in March. The guy shoots his shot and beats you with the fear that he might not even take it. What Wagner’s perspective does is underline how different the three superstars are.

Yet they all demand entire game plans tailored to their strengths. The German forward also made clear that the challenge isn’t just physical, but also mental.

Why Luka and Jokic bend the game in their own way

“Every time you play against [Giannis], you got to be ready for a physical uh, you know, fight in a basketball way,” he said. Against Luka, it’s about patience, knowing you’ll give up buckets but hoping to make him work. And against Jokic, it’s about living with the idea that the perfect defense might still lead to the perfect pass.

The brilliance of Doncic and Jokic is that they elevate everyone around them. Wagner’s comment that they’re “most tough to guard when they’re passing” speaks volumes. Luka has turned role players into playoff heroes. Jokic transformed Jamal Murray into a co-star capable of torching defenses for 40. That dual threat, score or set up, creates chaos no scouting report can fully capture.

Luka Doncic, meanwhile, has been prepping for the 2025 playoff season like a man on a mission. He’s been working out, been vocal with what he wants, challenging LeBron James’ locker room influence indirectly, and whatnot!

And while Wagner’s respect is clear, his breakdown also highlights something bigger: the way Europe has shaped the NBA. Giannis, Luka, and Jokic are redefining dominance. They’re not replicas of American stars. They’re unique blends of skill, strength, and basketball IQ. As Giannis put it: “I am always ready to play for the national team.”

For Wagner, matching up with them isn’t just a challenge, but rather an education. Every possession is a test. And every mistake? Punished. The beauty of his insight is how it reminds us that basketball greatness isn’t one-size-fits-all. Giannis might bulldoze, Luka might dance, and Jokic might dissect. But the end result? Opponents left searching for answers that don’t exist.