David Popovic on the same list as NBA stars Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a famous investigation
Article by David Istrate – Published on Tuesday, 23 December 2025 19:55 / Updated on Tuesday, 23 December 2025 20:13
David Popovici (21 years old), the double swimming world champion this year, was included by the Bulgarian news agency BTA in the top 10 athletes from the Balkans in 2025. On this list, there are big names in world basketball, such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Alperen Şengun.
After the medals won at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, through which David Popovici fulfilled his dream, he managed to confirm this year too, breaking records and getting important medals.
David Popovici, two gold medals at the World Championships in Singapore in 2025
More precisely, he conquered two world gold medals, in the 100m and 200m freestyleand 3 medals at the U23 European Championships in Samorin (two gold – 100 m and 200 m free; one bronze – 50 m free).
Thanks to these performances, the 21-year-old Popovici was included in the top 10 sportsmen of the Balkans, a survey carried out by BTA, a Bulgarian agency, which published the first news bulletin in 1898.
In addition to the Romanian swimmer, the shortlist of the 52nd edition of the BTA survey includes Aleksandar Nikolov (volleyball, Bulgaria), Karlos Nasar (weightlifting, Bulgaria), Alperen Şengun (basketball, Turkey), Distria Krasniqi (judo, Kosovo), Emmanouil Karalis (athletics, Greece), Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball, Greece), Stefanos Ntouskos (rowing, Greece), Zrinka Ljutic (skiing, Croatia) and Nikola Jokic (basketball, Serbia).
Nikola Jokic in Denver Nuggets – Utah Jazz / photo: instagram @nuggets
The most famous names on this list are those of NBA stars. It is about Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), the three-time MVP of the North American league and champion in 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), double MVP of the NBA and champion in 2021, and Alperen Şengun (Houston Rockets), the young star who pairs up in the United States with Kevin Durant.
In addition, Şengun led Turkey to the silver medal at this year's European Basketball Championship, while Antetokounmpo helped Greece to third place.
According to agerpres.ro, the award ceremony will take place in Sofia on February 16, 2026and then the athlete of the year 2025 in the Balkans will be announced.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MVP of Greece at EuroBasket 2025/Photo: fiba.basketball
