Born in 2001, 24-year-old Nóra Wentzel grew up in a family where sports were everything. Her mother played volleyball, and her father played handball. From a young age, Nóra tried her hand at many sports. “When I was six or seven, I first tried playing handball, but it was too aggressive for me,” she laughs. Swimming didn’t click either, though tennis came close. “I actually won some tournaments,” she says, “but it was too expensive for my family.”

Then came basketball. “As a kid, I really loved ball games, and I really liked team sports. Basketball stood out to me. I immediately felt like, okay, this is my sport.”

Basketball wasn’t just her passion; it was a shared journey with her twin sister. “She was my teammate, my classmate, and my roommate. We did everything together,” Nóra recalls warmly. But when her sister was 14, she suffered a devastating ACL injury. “She couldn’t come back to high-level basketball. I was very sad.” Her sister eventually found a new path, singing and sharing her music on TikTok, but their bond remained strong. “On the court, we always passed to each other. We knew what the other was thinking.

Climbing the ranks

Nóra spent another seven years with PEAC-Pécs before heading abroad to Poland to play for Gorzów Wielkopolski. “It was really cold,” she says, “but I really enjoyed the season. We finished in second place, so it was amazing.”

Then came a turning point: 3x3 basketball. “It was totally new for me, but I really enjoyed it. My dream is to play at the Olympics in 3x3. That’s my motivation, because I know everything is possible.”

For Nóra, 3x3 offered something she craved: freedom. “It’s fast, very physical, and you can be creative. You can do whatever you want because there are only six players on the court, not ten. I’m a creative player. I don’t like when a coach says, ‘You need to do this and this.’ I want to float, to step back, to create.”.”

EuroLeague dreams and a season of trials

Her ambition led her to Jura in pursuit of another dream, playing in the EuroLeague. But the season turned out to be “the toughest of my life.” Financial problems at the club and a serious knee injury meant she could not enjoy her EuroLeague debut as she had hoped. In March 2024, she underwent surgery. “The first three months were very difficult, painful, hard, and mentally exhausting. I couldn’t bend my knee for three weeks and lost more than ten kilograms, but my physiotherapist was amazing, and now it’s much better. Today is five months since my surgery, and I’m halfway to my return.”

Wearing the national colors

Nóra’s history with Hungary’s national youth teams is rich and decorated. Her first call-up came at age 15 for the under-16 EuroBasket. “It was my first big step in life. Practices were over two hours, very tough, but I survived and made the best 12. I played really well. I wasn’t tired even after running more than 10 kilometers.”

At 16, she played in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Győr, Hungary, in 2017, then the under 16 EuroBasket in Bourges, France, where Hungary finished second. “One year earlier, nobody wanted to swap jerseys with me,” she says with a grin. “A year later, everyone wanted to trade with me. It was amazing.”

From there, she represented Hungary in the under 17 World Cup in Minsk, the under 18 EuroBasket in Udine, the under 19 World Cup in Bangkok, and more. “In Hungarian history, for players born in 2001, we are one of the few teams to play in both the under 17 and under 19 World Cups,” she says proudly.

Inspiration and role models

When asked about her idols, Nóra’s answer is heartfelt. “When I was young, my favorite player was Céline Dumerc, the French point guard. She follows me on Instagram now, and when I played against her, she told me she knew me. I was so happy.”

She also admires NBA legends. “LeBron, of course, and Curry, he’s crazy. The last five minutes of the Olympic final, unforgettable!”

A message to her younger self

If she could speak to the little girl picking up a basketball for the first time, Nóra’s message would be simple. “Enjoy basketball. Enjoy every moment. Be yourself. Don’t try to be like other athletes, be you. Keep your head up every time. Life is hard, and will become harder and harder, but despite that, keep going.”

Nóra’s journey, from Budapest playgrounds to EuroLeague arenas, and from youth championships to Olympic 3x3 dreams, is more than a sports story. It is a story of creativity, resilience, and unshakable love for the game. As she recovers, there is no doubt that this Hungarian star is far from finished. “Everything is possible,” she says, “and I want to be ready.”