Azerbaijan men's national basketball team

Azerbaijan
FIBA ranking	113 3 (25 February 2025)
Joined FIBA	1994
FIBA zone	FIBA Europe
National federation	Azerbaijan Basketball Federation
Coach	Tahir Bakhshiyev
Nickname(s)	Milli komanda; (The National Team)
FIBA World Cup
Appearances	None
EuroBasket
Appearances	None
Championship for Small Countries
Appearances	4
Medals	Gold: (2006, 2008)
Home	Away
First international
	Belarus 121–50 Azerbaijan ; (Minsk, Belarus; 2 June 2001)
Biggest win
	Somalia 29–106 Azerbaijan ; (Medina, Saudi Arabia; 9 April 2005)
Biggest defeat
	Belarus 121–50 Azerbaijan ; (Minsk, Belarus; 2 June 2001)

The Azerbaijan men's national basketball team (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan milli basketbol komandası) is the national basketball team of Azerbaijan. The team is controlled by the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation.

Since becoming members of FIBA in 1994, Azerbaijan has mostly taken part in smaller competitions such as the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, winning it twice, in 2006 and 2008. The national team also won a title at the Islamic Solidarity Games in their lone appearance in 2005.

History

After Azerbaijan obtained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the Azerbaijan Basketball Federation was founded in 1993, and became members of FIBA in 1994. During Azerbaijan's early years, the national team did not appear in any international competition until they entered EuroBasket 2003 qualifiers.^[2]

Following Azerbaijan's failed qualification process for EuroBasket 2003, the national team entered their first international tournament at the 2004 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries. Azerbaijan would complete the event at a (2–2) record, for a fourth place finish.^[3] A year later, the national team entered the 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games, where Azerbaijan finished the competition winning the gold medal.^[4]

In 2006, Azerbaijan participated in the 2006 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, in which the team went (4–1), and reached the final to defeat Albania 66–57 to win the title.^[5] At the event in 2008, Azerbaijan repeated as champions, this time in an 78–80 victory over Moldova.^[6] After the tournament, Azerbaijan did not appear at an international event until EuroBasket 2013 qualifiers. However, Azerbaijan would eventually be eliminated from qualifying following a (4–4) record.^[7]

Ten years after Azerbaijan competed in their last international competition, the national team made its return at the 2022 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries. Azerbaijan went on to close out the tournament in fourth place.^[8]

Competitive record

FIBA World Cup

World Cup					Qualification
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1950 to 1990	Part of Soviet Union				Part of Soviet Union
1994	Not eligible				Not eligible
1998	Did not enter				Did not enter
2002
2006
2010
2014	Did not qualify				Did not qualify
2019	Did not enter				Did not enter
2023	Did not enter				Did not enter
2027	Did not qualify				6	1	5
Total	0/8				6	1	5

Championship for Small Countries

FIBA European Championship for Small Countries
Year	Position	Pld	W	L
2004	4th	4	2	2
2006		5	4	1
2008		5	4	1
2022	4th	5	1	4
Total		19	11	8

Islamic Solidarity Games

Islamic Solidarity Games
Year	Position	Pld	W	L
2005		9	7	2
Total		9	7	2

EuroBasket

EuroBasket					Qualification
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1947 to 1991	Part of Soviet Union				Part of Soviet Union
1993	Not a FIBA Europe member				Not a FIBA Europe member
1995	Not eligible				Not eligible
1997	Did not enter				Did not enter
1999
2001
2003	Did not qualify				6	0	6
2005	Did not enter				Did not enter
2007
2009
2011
2013	Did not qualify				8	4	4
2015	Did not enter				Did not enter
2017
2022
2025
Total	0/13				14	4	10

Results and fixtures

Win Loss

2024

22 February 2024 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Switzerland	72–53	Azerbaijan	Fribourg, Switzerland
19:00 (UTC+1)	Scoring by quarter: 10–20, 19–8, 21–15, 22–10
	Pts: Fofana 19 Rebs: Nzege 10 Asts: Fofana, Zinn 5	Boxscore	Pts: LeDay 22 Rebs: Donat, LeDay 6 Asts: K. Mammadov 4	Arena: Salle Saint-Lèonard Attendance: 1,150 Referees: Stylianos Simeonidis (GRE), Joaquin García (ESP), Alessandro Perciavalle (ITA)

25 February 2024 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Azerbaijan	87–77	Kosovo	Baku, Azerbaijan
14:00 (UTC+4)	Scoring by quarter: 19–19, 24–25, 16–16, 28–17
	Pts: Aydın 27 Rebs: Hall 14 Asts: S. Shirzadov 6	Boxscore	Pts: Berisha 20 Rebs: Kapiti 6 Asts: Mala 6	Arena: Sarkhadchi Sport Center Attendance: 2,400 Referees: Andžej Urbanovič (LTU), Ritvars Helmšteins (LAT), Viktor Nagy (HUN)

21 November 2024 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Ireland	91–67	Azerbaijan	Dublin, Ireland
17:00 (UTC±0)	Scoring by quarter: 25–12, 23–13, 23–20, 20–22
	Pts: Flood 28 Rebs: Blount 12 Asts: Blount 9	Boxscore	Pts: Davis 25 Rebs: Aydın, Davis 8 Asts: Aydın 4	Arena: National Basketball Arena Attendance: 900 Referees: Iain MacDonald (GBR), Ioannis Tsimpouris (GRE), Davíð Tómasson (ISL)

24 November 2024 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Azerbaijan	55–85	Switzerland	Baku, Azerbaijan
14:00 (UTC+4)	Scoring by quarter: 20–15, 15–22, 8–24, 12–24
	Pts: Aydın 15 Rebs: Aydın 12 Asts: K. Mammadov 5	Boxscore	Pts: Ročak 19 Rebs: Granvorka 7 Asts: Fofana 11	Arena: Baku Sports Palace Attendance: 1,300 Referees: Tolga Edis (TUR), Kirile Tvauri (GEO), Vlad-Theodor Cotrobas-Dascălu (ROU)

2025

20 February 2025 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Kosovo	81–79	Azerbaijan	Pristina, Kosovo
19:30 (UTC+1)	Scoring by quarter: 20–21, 23–20, 17–18, 21–20
	Pts: Tmušić 21 Rebs: four players 5 Asts: Myles 6	Boxscore	Pts: Hall 21 Rebs: Hall 16 Asts: K. Mammadov, Turgut 5	Arena: Palace of Youth and Sports Attendance: 1,000 Referees: Stylianos Simeonidis (GRE), Mehmet Şahin (TUR), Mladen Lučić (MNE)

23 February 2025 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round	Azerbaijan	64–79	Ireland	Baku, Azerbaijan
17:00 (UTC+4)	Scoring by quarter: 16–21, 14–20, 19–13, 15–25
	Pts: S. Shirzadov 14 Rebs: Hall 12 Asts: K. Mammadov 4	Boxscore	Pts: Flood 23 Rebs: N. Quinn 9 Asts: Flood 5	Arena: Baku Sports Palace Attendance: 700 Referees: Zdravko Rutešić (MNE), Duhan Köyiçi (TUR), Nemanja Vlahović (SRB)

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers matches on 20 and 23 February 2025 against Kosovo and Ireland.^[9]

Azerbaijan men's national basketball team roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Age – Date of birth	Height	Club
PF	6	Akbar Mammadov	25 – (1999-03-06)6 March 1999	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)	NTD
F/C	7	Orhan Aydın	35 – (1989-10-01)1 October 1989	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	İTÜ
G/F	8	Ulaş Turgut	22 – (2003-01-31)31 January 2003	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	Neftçi
SG	10	Elshad Shirzadov	26 – (1998-12-01)1 December 1998	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	NTD
G/F	11	Jabrayil Akbarov	23 – (2002-02-09)9 February 2002	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	Serhedci
C	14	Amil Hamzayev	34 – (1990-06-25)25 June 1990	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	Khazri
PG	23	Kamran Mammadov	24 – (2000-05-03)3 May 2000	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	Neftçi
SG	34	Derin Berköz	17 – (2007-05-30)30 May 2007	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	Türk Telekom
C	35	Saadettin Donat	24 – (2001-01-07)7 January 2001	2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)	Ormanspor
F	41	Endar Poladkhanli	26 – (1998-10-12)12 October 1998	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	Sabah
C	45	Donta Hall	27 – (1997-08-07)7 August 1997	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	Baskonia
PG	77	Shirzad Shirzadov	24 – (2000-05-30)30 May 2000	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	Sabah

Head coach

Tahir Bakhshiyev

Assistant coach(es)

Anar Sariyev
Alberto Blanco
Polad Hasanov

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	Donta Hall	Saadettin Donat
PF	Orhan Aydın	Amil Hamzayev	Akbar Mammadov
SF	Ulaş Turgut	Elshad Shirzadov
SG	Endar Poladkhanli	Jabrayil Akbarov	Derin Berköz
PG	Kamran Mammadov	Shirzad Shirzadov

Head coach position

Rimas Kurtinaitis – (2002–2006)
Elkhan Aliyev – (2008–2016)
Samit Nuruzade – (2016–2018)
Aleksandar Trifunović – (2022)
Tahir Bakhshiyev – (2024–present)

Past rosters

2022 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries: finished 4th among 6 teams^[10]