Emma Meesseman produces magic
At the heart of it all was Meesseman. The 32-year-old forward delivered another complete performance in the final: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. She was everywhere, orchestrating the offence, anchoring the defence and leading with the calm authority of a veteran who has seen – and done – it all. Her efforts earned her a second consecutive EuroBasket MVP award, adding to a glittering resume that includes a WNBA championship, WNBA FInals MVP award, six EuroLeague titles and three EuroLeague MVP awards, further cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats in women’s basketball.
“It’s still hard to believe,” Meeseman told FIBA after the game. “I have had a lot of games in my career but not one like that before and especially not in a final. It’s a good reminder to never give up – in sport or in life.”
When asked about becoming the first woman to receive back-to-back EuroBasket MVP awards, the 6ft 4in (1.93m) superstar was typically humble in her response.
“If individual awards come along then I am fine with that, but I will always be most proud of this trophy and the team that I did it with,” she said.
“Especially where we came from. It’s not like we ever had a history like France or Spain. We just did it with this group. This [MVP award] might be catching some dust, but this [the gold medal] will always be on show. It’s the thing I will remember always.”
“I do like writing history, though.”