We are still a couple of months away from the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. But a ton of stars will be playing high-stakes games much earlier than that.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 gets underway later this month. A total of 32 teams, many of which feature NBA players, will be vying for gold and the Naismith Trophy, with games being played across multiple countries for the first time in the quadrennial event's history.
This will also be the first tournament since 2010 that Team USA doesn't enter as the reigning champion. The Stars and Stripes were stunned by France in the 2019 quarterfinals. It was Spain that finished atop the 2019 podium, as Ricky Rubio and Co. beat Argentina in the gold medal game to claim the country's second World Cup title.
So, will Team USA get revenge or will it again be a different country achieving glory? From the dates to the NBA players competing and much more, here's what to know before the FIBA World Cup tips off.
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When is the FIBA World Cup 2023?
The FIBA World Cup begins on Aug. 25 and runs through Sept. 10.
Where is the FIBA World Cup 2023 being played?
This is the first FIBA World Cup with multiple host countries. Games will be played in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines. All games in the knockout rounds will be played in the Philippines.
Japan (2006) and the Philippines (1978) have each previously hosted the event once, while Indonesia is making its hosting debut.
What is the FIBA World Cup format and how does it work?
The FIBA World Cup begins with 32 teams split into eight groups of four. In the first round, each team plays each other once for a total of three games apiece. The top two teams in each group advance to the second round.
The remaining 16 teams are then split into four groups of four for the second round. In Round 2, each team plays the two teams it didn't play in the first round for a total of two games apiece. The top two teams in each group, based on the combined Round 1 and Round 2 records, qualify for the quarterfinals.
Here's a breakdown of the schedule:
- First round (group phase): Aug. 25-30
- Second round (group phase): Aug. 31-Sept. 4
- Quarterfinals: Sept. 5-6
- Semifinals: Sept. 8
- Third-Place Game: Sept. 10
- Final: Sept. 10
Which countries are in the FIBA World Cup 2023?
Team USA is in Group C along with Greece, Jordan and New Zealand. Group C games will be played in the Philippines.
Here's a full look at the eight four-team groups, along with where they'll be playing in the group stages:
Group A (Philippines): Angola, Dominican Republic, Italy, Philippines
Group B (Philippines): China, Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Sudan
Group C (Philippines): Greece, Jordan, New Zealand, Team USA
Group D (Philippines): Egypt, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro
Group E (Japan): Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan
Group F (Japan): Cape Verde, Georgia, Slovenia, Venezuela
Group G (Indonesia): Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Spain
Group H (Indonesia): Canada, France, Latvia, Lebanon
Who has won the most FIBA World Cups?
Team USA is tied with Yugoslavia for the most FIBA World Cup titles with five apiece, accounting for more than half of the 18 champions. The Soviet Union won the event three times, while Brazil and Spain each won gold twice. Argentina, which won the inaugural 1950 competition, is the only other country with a title.
Which NBA players are in the FIBA World Cup 2023?
Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Slovenia's Luka Doncic are the two headliners in the field. The status of Antetokounmpo, however, is up in the air following an offseason knee procedure.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, leads a very strong Canadian squad that boasts the likes of Jamal Murray and RJ Barrett.
Looking to win a tournament-record sixth gold medal, Team USA's roster is littered with exciting young talent such as Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton and Paolo Banchero.
Here's a complete look at the NBA players set to compete in the FIBA World Cup according to NBA.com:
Australia: Xavier Cooks (Washington Wizards), Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans), Dante Exum (Dallas Mavericks), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks), Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Jock Landale (Houston Rockets), Patty Mills (Atlanta Hawks), Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers), Jack White (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Brazil: Raul Neto (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Canada: Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), RJ Barrett (New York Knicks), Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets), Lu Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Minnesota Timberwolves), Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks), Oshae Brissett (Boston Celtics), Cory Joseph (Golden State Warriors)
China: Kyle Anderson (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Cote d’Ivoire: Mo Bamba (Philadelphia 76ers)
Dominican Republic: Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lester Quinones (Golden State Warriors), Al Horford (Boston Celtics)
Finland: Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
France: Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Evan Fournier (New York Knicks), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Georgia: Goga Bitadze (Orlando Magic), Sandro Mamukelashvili (San Antonio Spurs)
Germany: Maxi Kleber (Dallas Mavericks), Dennis Schroder (Toronto Raptors), Daniel Theis (Indiana Pacers), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Italy: Simone Fontecchio (Utah Jazz)
Japan: Yuta Watanabe (Phoenix Suns), Rui Hachimura (Los Angeles Lakers)
Latvia: Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics), Davis Bertans (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Lithuania: Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans Pelicans), Azuolas Tubelis (Philadelphia 76ers)
Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic (Chicago Bulls)
Philippines: Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz)
Serbia: Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks), Aleksej Pokusevski (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat), Filip Petrusev (Philadelphia 76ers)
Spain: Ricky Rubio (Cleveland Cavaliers), Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies), Usman Garuba (Atlanta Hawks)
Slovenia: Vlatko Cancar (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
Team USA: Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers)
