Countries that are surprisingly good at these sports

Their success defies belief.

by Zach Pontz  |  Thursday, July 13, 2017

by Zach Pontz
Thursday, July 13, 2017

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Kyle Lowry #7 of United States steals the ball from Bogdan Bogdanovic #7 of Serbia during the Men's Gold medal game at the Rio Olympics. Kyle Lowry #7 of United States steals the ball from Bogdan Bogdanovic #7 of Serbia during the Men's Gold medal game at the Rio Olympics. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Astralis, a team from Denmark, celebrates winning a championship event earlier this year.
ergo Fekete of Hungary in action during the Men's Water Polo Group Round Group B Match between Hungary and Azerbaijan.
Kyle Lowry #7 of United States steals the ball from Bogdan Bogdanovic #7 of Serbia during the Men's Gold medal game at the Rio Olympics.
Kenley Jansen #74 of the Netherlands pitches against team Puerto Rico during Game 1 of the Championship Round of the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Israel men's field hockey team in action.
Germany's Liam Hages (L) and Spain's Pedro Gil fight for the ball during the semifinal match of the 2015 Rink Hockey World championships.
American volleyball players try to block an opponents shot.
The New Zealand softball team getting riled up before a match.
Argentina men's field hockey team during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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Serbia: Basketball

Serbia's men's basketball team has in recent years regained the glory it once enjoyed as part of the dominant Yugoslavia teams of the 1980s and early '90s.

In 2014, it was the runner-up to the U.S. men's basketball team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the same team it lost to in the gold medal game at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The squad remains near the top of the world rankings, behind only the United States and Spain.

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