UItimate guide to 2023 FIBA World Cup

By Utkan Sahin/ info@eurohoops.net

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is almost upon us. The flagship FIBA tournament is scheduled to be held from 25 August to 10 September in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

Eurohoops once again is bringing you all the action, starting from the preparation period for all 32 teams which will compete for the title. All the news, prep games scores and more are included in this post and will be updated daily.

Bookmark our team-by-team files to follow the path of every country toward the ultimate goal.

Watch the upcoming World Cup on the official streaming service of FIBA! Join Courtside 1891 and never miss a second of the action! 

FIBA World Cup groups of the preliminary round

Group A – Bulacan and Quezon City, Philippines

Angola
Dominican Republic
Philippines
Italy

Group B – Quezon City, Philippines

China
South Sudan
Puerto Rico
Serbia

Group C – Pasay, Philippines

USA
Jordan
New Zealand
Greece

Group D – Pasay, Philippines

Montenegro
Lithuania
Mexico
Egypt

Group E – Okinawa City, Japan

Germany
Australia
Finland
Japan

Group F – Okinawa City, Japan

Georgia
Slovenia
Venezuela
Cape Verde

Group G – Jakarta, Indonesia

Brazil
Ivory Coast
Iran
Spain

Group H – Jakarta, Indonesia

France
Canada
Latvia
Lebanon

NOTE: All you need to do is to click on a country’s name in order to visualize the national team.

NOTE -2: You can see game stats by clicking on *.

NOTE – 3: Players’ new teams are not taken into consideration.

Angola – Roster (12 Players) – Group A

Childe Dundao (Petro de Luanda – PG) 8 games, 10.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Gerson Domingos (Petro de Luanda – PG) 8 games, 3.5 points, 0.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Dimitri Maconda (Alianca Sangalhos – PG ) 25 games, 10.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists

Gerson Gonçalves (Petro de Luanda – G) 8 games, 9.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists

Leonel Paulo (Sangalhos – SF) 15 games, 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Eduardo Francisco (Benfica – F) 9 games, 3.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.3 assist

Antonio Monteiro (Porto – PF) 47 games, 4.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.5 assist
Kevin Kokila (JL Bourg – PF/C) 53 games, 4.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 block

Bruno Fernando (Atlanta Hawks – C) 39 games, 3.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assist
Silvio De Sousa (Roanne – C) 33 games, 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 assist
Joao Fernandes (Sporting – C) 49 games, 4.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 assist
Jilson Bango (Braunschweig – C) 25 games, 9.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.8 block

Note: Stats in World Cup Qualifiers

Head coach: Josep Clarós – In charge since 2021 –

• Five players of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 squad and three players of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 26.3 years
Players under 20 years: 1 player
Players aged 20-25: 5 players
Players aged 25-30: 3 players
Players over 30 years: 3 players
The youngest player in the squad: Eduardo Francisco – 19 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Leonel Paulo – 37 years old
Average height: 196.1 cm
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 3 players
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 2 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 7 players
Shortest players: Childe Dundao – 1.72 m
Tallest player: Jilson Bango – 2.08 m

Players by leagues and competitions

LPB (Portugal Basketball League): 5 players
ABL (Angola Basketball League): 3 players
LNB Pro A (France Basketball League): 2 players
NBA: 1 player
BBL (Germany Basketball League): 1 player

BAL (Basketball Africa League): 2 players
FIBA ​​Europe Cup: 2 players
EuroCup: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (1-4)

30 July Angola – Venezuela: 66-61 (Jilson Bango 15 points, Childe Dundao 12 points)
04 August Angola – Mexico: 76-78 (Bruno Fernando 18 points, Orlando Mendez 17 points) *
05 August Angola – Jordan: 56-70 (Childe Dundão 18 points, Freddy İbrahim 15 points) *
07 August Angola – Portugal: 67-72 (Eduardo Francisco 17 points, Childe Dundao 11 points)
12 August Angola – Japan: 68-72 (Jilson Bango 14 points)
15 August Angola – Japan: 65-75 (Childe Dundão 18 points, Keisei Tominaga 20 points) *

Team Lineup

PG : Childe Dundao – Gerson Domingos 
SG : Gerson Gonçalves – Dimitri Maconda 
SF : Eduardo Francisco – Leonel Paulo 
PF : Bruno Fernando – Kevin Kokila – Antonio Monterio 
C  : Jilson Bango – Silvio Sousa –  Joao Fernandes 

Who is missing this tournament?

Yanick Moreira, one of the prominent figures of Angola basketball, is absent from the tournament due to a problem with the federation. Similarly, Carlos Morais, another name from the national team, did not receive an invitation. Aldemiro Joao and Aboubakar Gakou, the experienced names of the team, cannot come to the cup.

News

• Angola started its preparations for the World Cup on July 15th.
• Bruno Fernando and Silvio Sousa did not join the camp, but they are expected to join the team in the camp in Spain.
• After Angola finished 4th in the preparatory tournament in Jordan, the federation said in a statement that players should be aware of their responsibilities.
• Coach Josep Carlos cut Aboubakar Gakou, Aldemiro Joao, Clesio Castro, Wilscon Ambrosio, Marco Bala, Jeronimo Luis, Milton Valente, Helder Neto,
• Danilson Francisco and Aginaldo Neto from the roster.
• Joao Fernandes is expected to be the last name to leave the squad in Angola.
• Coach Josep Carlos cut Teotonio Do from the roster.

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Bruno Fernando
Young Talent: Eduardo Francisco
Player to Shine: Jilson Bango
First-time World Cup Participants: Childe Dundao, Dimitri Maconda, Antonio Monterio, Eduardo Francisco, Bruno Fernando, Silvio Sousa, Joao Fernandes, Jilson Bango, and Kevin Kokila are participating for the first time.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: Leonel Paulo is going for the 3rd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 27th.
Goal: Dominica and the Philippines eliminated them from the training, and this is the first time since Japan 2006 that they failed to advance from the group stage.
Biggest achievement: Angola became the most successful team in African basketball by winning the AfroBasket 11 times. Their best performance in the World Cup was finishing 9th in 2006.
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group E of the Africa qualifiers, Angola finished 2nd with eight wins and two losses and secured a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: This is their 9th time overall, with six consecutive appearances (1986, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2019).

Andres Feliz (Joventut  – PG) 64 games, 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 4.3 assists
Gelvis Solano (Cocodrilos – PG) 33 games, 11.7 points, 3.9 rebound, 5.2 assists
Victor Liz (Arecibo – G ) 40 games, 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Jean Montero (Real Betis – G) 16 games, 17.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists

Lester Quinones (SC Warriors – SG) 31 games, 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Rigoberto Mendoza (La Guiara – SG) 28 games, 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Gerardo Suero (Osos – SG) 5 games, 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists

L.J Figueroa (Humacao – SF) 16 games, 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists

Antonio Pena (Maracaibo – PF) 18 games, 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Karl Anthony Towns (Minnesota TW – PF/C) 29 games, 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Angel Delgado (Pınar Karşıyaka – C) 46 games, 11.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Eloy Vargas (Aguada – C) 24 games, 16.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists

Head coach: Nestor Garcia – In charge since 2022 –

• Two players of the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 squad and four players of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 29.2 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 2 players
Players aged 25-30: 5 players
Players over 30 years: 5 players
The youngest player in the squad: Jean Montero – 20 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Victor Liz – 37 years old
Average height: 196.0 cm
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 4 players
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 6 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 4 players
Shortest players: Andres Feliz – 1.83 m
Tallest player: Karl Anthony Towns – 2.11 m

Players by leagues and competitions

BSN (Puerto Rico League): 3 players
ACB (Spain League): 2 players
V-SLB (Venezuela League): 2 players
LNB (Dominican Republic League): 1 player
NBA: 1 player
G-League: 1 player
BSL (Türkiye League): 1 player
LUB (Uruguay League): 1 player

FIBA Champions League: 1 player
EuroCup: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (2-3)

2 August Dominican Republic – Memphis University: 91-84 (Lester Quinones 30 points)
4 August Dominican Republic – Puerto Rico: 84-93 (Victor Liz 20 points, George Conditt 22 points)
12 August Dominican Republic – Latvia: 69-74 (Elay Vargas 12 points, Dairis Bertans 11 points) * 
18 August Dominican Republic – Canada: 94-88 (Karl Anthony Towns 20 points, Lue Dort 13 points) *
19 August Dominican Republic – Spain: 77-86 (Karl Anthony Towns 20 points, Juan Nunez 16 points) *

Team Lineup

PG : Andres Feliz – Jean Montero – Gelvis Solano
SG : Victor Liz – Rigoberto Mendoza – Gerardo Suero
SF : Lester Quinones – LJ Figuero 
PF : Karl Anthony Towns – Anthonio Pena
C  : Angel Delgado – Eloy Vargas

Who is missing this tournament?

Dominican Republic’s NBA players Al Horford and Chris Duarte decided not to join the national team, even though they were called up to the provisional squad. Former EuroLeague player James Feldeine was also not called up to the national team. Justin Minaya, Jassel Perez, who play in the G-League, and Sadiel Rojas, one of the experienced names of the team, are also absent from the World Cup.

News

• Karl-Anthony Towns has firmly declared he is to play for the Dominican Republic at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
• Chris Duarte, who plays for the Indiana Pacers, announced that he would rest this summer and will not play in the World Cup.
• Al Horford, although called up to the provisional squad, will not play in the World Cup.
• Team captain Victor Liz said that it is necessary not to criticize Al Horford for not joining the national team.
• Dominic Republic cut Joel Soriano, David Jones, Yaxel Lenderborg, Eddy Polanco, Anyeuri Castillo, Miguel Dicent, Brandone Francis, Sadiel Rojas, Jonathan Araujo, Juan Guerrero, Richard Bautista, Juan Suero, Luis Montero, Justin Minaya and Jassel Perez from the roster.
• Coach Nestor Garcia cut Angel Nunez and Luis Santos from the roster.

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Karl Anthony Towns
Young Talent: Jean Montero, who made an impressive performance in Spain!
Player to Shine: Lester Quinones trying to make a name for himself in the NBA!
First-time World Cup Participants: Andres Feliz, Jean Montero, L.J Figueroa, Lester Quinones, Gerardo Suero, Angel Delgado, Karl Anthony Towns, Juan Guerrero and Antonio Pena are participating for the first time.
Most experienced players in the World Cup: Victor Liz and Eloy Vargas will be participating for the 3rd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 16th.
Goal: To advance from the first-round group.
Biggest achievement: Dominican Republic won the bronze medal at the FIBA AmeriCup 2011. In the World Cup, their best performance was finishing 12th in 1978.
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group E of the Americas qualifiers, the Dominican Republic finished 2nd with nine wins and three losses, securing a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: This is their 4th time participating (1978, 2014, 2019).

Philippines – Roster (12 Players) – Group A

Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakes – PG) 49 games, 10.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists
Dwight Ramos (Levanga Hokkaido – G) 41 games, 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz – G) 61 games, 20.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists
Scottie Thompson (Barangay SM – G) 60 games, 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists
CJ Perez (San Miguel Beermen – SG) 59 games, 18.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists

Roger Pogoy (TNT Tropang – SG/F) 55 games, 18.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Rhenz Abando (Anyang KGC – SG/F) 50 games, 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist

Jamie Malonzo (Barangay SM – F) 56 games, 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists

Japeth Aguilar (Barangay SM – PF/C) 45 games, 11.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.9 assist
AJ Edu (Toledo – PF/C) 35 games, 2.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.4 assist

June Mar Fajardo (San Miguel Beermen – C) 46 games, 17.7 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Kai Sotto (Hiroshima Dragonflies – C) 54 games, 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.8 assist

Head coach:  Chot Reyes – In charge since 2022 –

• Two players of the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 squad and four players of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 28.0 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 3 players
Players aged 25-30: 5 players
Players over 30 years: 4 players
The youngest player in the squad: Kai Sotto – 21 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Japeth Aguilar – 36 years old
Average height: 197.1 cm
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 5 players
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 2 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 5 players
Shortest players: Kiefer Ravena – 1.85 m
Tallest player: Kai Sotto – 2.18 m

Players by leagues and competitions

PBA (Philippines League): 6 players
B League (Japan League): 4 players
NBA: 1 player
KGC (South Korea League): 1 player

Preparation games schedule (7-6)

27 June Philippines – Estonia University Team: 71-81 (Dwight Ramos 16 points, Carlos Jügens 20 points)  *
28 June Philippines – Finland University Team: 85-89 (Dwight Ramos 15 points, Mro Little 19 points) *
1 July Philippines – Ukraine U20 National Team: 70-61
2 July Philippines – Ukraine U20 National Team: 84-74 (Justin Brownlee 21 points, CJ Perez 14 points) *
4 July Philippines – Lithuania University Team: 80-90 (Justin Brownlee 20 points, Jamie Malonzo 14 points) *
8 July Philippines – Lithuania University Team: 125-122 (Junemar Fajordo 28 points, Justin Brownlee 24 points) *
3 August Philippines – Iran: 76-65 (Jaime Malonzo 11 points, Amirhossein Yazarlo 9 points) *
4 August Philippines – Senegal: 64-72 (Junemar Fajordo 14 points, Dwight Ramos 11 points) *
6 August Philippines – Senegal: 75-63 (CJ Perez 14 points, AJ Edu 13 points) *
7 August Philippines – Iran B: 63-48 (Dwight Ramos 17 points, Amirhossein Yazarloo 9 points) *
18 August Philippines – Ivory Coast: 85-62 (Jordan Clarkson 13 points, Maxence Dadiet 12 points) *
20 August Philippines – Montenegro: 87-102 (Jordan Clarkson 27 points, Nikola Vucevic 18 points) *
21 August Philippines – Mexico: 77-84 (Scottie Thompson 14 points, Pako Cruz 18 points) *

Team Lineup

PG : Dwight Ramos – Kiefer Ravena
SG : Jordan Clarkson – Scottie Thompson – CJ Perez
SF : Rhenz Abando – Rogor Pogoy
PF : Japeth Aguilar – AJ Edu – Jaime Malonzo
C : Kai Sotto – June Fajardo

Who is missing this tournament?

Andray Blatche, who was the star of the team in 2019, is no longer in the national team as he retired from basketball. Christian Standhardinger has also retired from the national team. Robert Bolick did not receive an invitation to the national team. Filipinos’ naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame will also not be in the tournament.

Poy Erram will miss the tournament due to injury. The veterans of the national team, Bobby Ray Parks and Chris Newsome, are not going to the World Cup.

News

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Jordan Clarkson
Young Talent: Kai Sotto
Player to Shine: AJ Edu
First-time World Cup Participants: Dwight Ramos, Rhenz Abando, Scottie Thompson, Rogor Poy, Jamie Malonzo, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu and Jordan Clarkson are participating for the first time.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: Japeth Aguilar and June Mar Fajardo will be participating for the 3rd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 32nd.
Goal: To advance from the first-round group or at least secure one victory.
Biggest achievement: Philippines won the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup in 1954.
Qualifying Rounds: Despite being the host nation, the Philippines still participated in the qualifiers. In the Asia qualifiers, they finished 4th in Group E with six wins and four losses.
Number of Appearances: This is their 7th time participating (1954, 1959, 1974, 1978, 2014, 2019).

Italy – Roster (12 Players) – Group A

Marco Spissu (Umana Venezia – PG) 47 games, 9.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists
Matteo Spagnolo (Dolomiti Trento – PG) 42 games, 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists
Alessandro Pajola (Virtus Bologna – PG) 65 games, 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists

Stefano Tonut (EA7 Milano – SG) 62 games, 4.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.9 assist

Simone Fontecchio (Utah Jazz – SF) 52 games, 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.8 assist
Gabriele Procida (ALBA Berlin – SF) 55 games, 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assist
Luigi Datome (EA7 Milano – F) 36 games, 5.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.3 assist

Achille Polonara (Zalgiris Kaunas – PF) 60 games, 4.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Giampaolo Ricci (EA7 Milano – PF) 73 games, 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.5 assist
Luca Severini (Derthona – PF) 39 games, 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.8 assist
Nicolo Melli (EA7 Milano – PF/C) 75 games, 8.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Mouhamet Diouf (Reggio Emilia – C) 33 games, 5.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.7 block

Head coach:  Gianmarco Pozzecco – In charge since 2022 –

• Eight players of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 squad and one player of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 27.1 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 4 players
Players aged 25-30: 4 players
Players over 30 years: 4 players
The youngest player in the squad: Matteo Spagnolo – 20 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Luigi Datome – 35 years old
Average height: 199.6 cm
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 1 player
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 3 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 8 players
Shortest players: Marco Spissu – 1.85 m
Tallest player: Mouhamet Diouf – 2.06 m

Players by leagues and competitions

Legabasket (Italy League): 9 players
NBA: 1 player
BBL (Germany League): 1 player
LKL (Lithuania League): 1 player

EuroLeague: 7 players
EuroCup: 2 players
FIBA Champions League: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (7-0)

4 August Italy – Turkey: 90-89 (Simone Fontechhio 21 points, Ömer Faruk Yurtseven 23 points) *
5 August Italy – China: 79-61 (Matteo Spagnolo 13 points, Zhou Qi 12 points) *
9 August Italy – Serbia: 89-88 (Simone Fontecchio 13 points, Nikola Jovic 18 points) *
10 August Italy – Greece: 74-70 (Simone Fontecchio 17 points, Nik Rogkavopoulos 12 points) *
13 August Italy – Puerto Rico: 98-65 (Simone Fontecchio 16 points, Ethan Thompson 14 points) *
20 August Italy – Brazil: 93-87 (Simone Fontecchio 26 points, Lucas Dias 18 points) *
21 August Italy – New Zealand: 88-81 (Matteo Spagnolo 14 points, Finn Delany 13 points) *

Team Lineup

PG : Marco Spissu – Matteo Spagnolo
SG : Stefano Tonut – Alessandro Pajola
SF : Simone Fontecchio – Gabriel Procida – Luigi Datome
PF : Achille Polonara – Giampaolo Ricci – Luca Severini 
C : Nicolo Melli – Mouhamet Diouf

Who is missing this tournament?

Italian star player Danilo Gallinari is absent due to rehabilitation work. Experienced national team players Marco Belinelli and Daniel Hackett are not on the roster as they have retired from the national team. Darius Thompson is also not in the provisional squad, as his citizenship process has not been completed yet.

News

• Italy started its preparations for the World Cup on July 24th.
• Darius Thompson will not be able to participate in the national team as he has not yet obtained an Italian passport, and his wife is pregnant
• Italian basketball legend Luigi Datome has announced that he will retire from basketball after the World Cup.
• Italy’s efforts to include Paolo Banchero in the national team were not successful, as he has chosen to represent the United States instead.
• Danilo Gallinari, who suffered an injury while with the national team last summer, was not called up to the squad this time due to his ongoing rehabilitation process.
• Nicolo Mannion, who was called up to the provisional squad, has been removed from the roster as he expressed his desire to rest this summer.
• Captain Gigi Datome stated that Nicolo Melli and Simone Fontechhio are the leaders of the team.
• Riccardo Visconti was cut from the candidate squad.
• Simone Fontecchio: “I don’t want to talk about goals. We want to do our best and play well. Also, we need a bit of luck.”
• Gigi Datome after his last game in Italy: “It’s a beautiful summer”
• Tomas Woldetensae and Guglielmo Caruso were cut from the candidate squad.
• Gianmarco Pozzecco on Italy: “This is a loved and respected team”
• Fontecchio, Datome, and Melli spoke before Italy’s debut in the World Cup

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Nicolo Melli
Young Talent: Matteo Spagnolo
Player to Shine: Simone Fontecchio, who had a good performance in EuroBasket, can also showcase his skills in this tournament.
First–time World Cup Participants: Except for Luigi Datome, all players will be making their debut in the World Cup.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: Luigi Datome, participating for the 2nd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: Italy finished 10th.
Goal: To reach the quarter-finals without making mistakes and then push for a chance at a medal.
Biggest Achievements: Won silver medals at the 1980 and 2004 Olympic Games. Secured gold medals in EuroBasket in 1983 and 1999. Their best performance in the World Cup was finishing 4th in 1970 and 1978.
Qualifying Rounds: Italy finished 2nd in Group L of the European Qualifiers with eight wins and two losses, earning a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: Italy is participating for the 10th time in the FIBA World Cup (1963, 1967, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2006, 2019).

China – Roster (12 Players) – Group B

Zhao Jiwei (Liaoning Dinosaurs – PG) 50 games, 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists

Hu Mingxuan (Guangdong Dongguan – G) 43 games, 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists
Zhao Rui (Guangdong Dongguan – SG) 36 games, 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists
Cui Yongxi (Guangzhou Lions – SG) 43 games, 12.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists

Zhang Zhenlin (Liaoning Dinosaurs – SF) 40 games, 15.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Zhu Junlong (Zhejiang Chouzhou – SF) 50 games, 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Kyle Anderson (Minnesota Timberwolves – SF) 73 games, 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists

Zhou Peng (Shenzhen – PF) 40 games, 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Fu Hao (Liaoning Dinosaurs – PF) 50 games, 10.04 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Zhou Qi (Shout East Melbourne – C) 9 games, 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.2 assist
Wang Zhelin (Shanghai Dongfang – C) 43 games, 22.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Hu Jinqiu (Zhejiang Chouzhou – C) 34 games, 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Head coach: Aleksandar Djordjevic – In charge since 2022 –

• Six players of the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 squad and five players of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 26.3 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 3 players
Players aged 25-30: 8 players
Players over 30 years: 1 player
The youngest player in the squad: Chui Yongxi – 20 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Zhou Peng – 33 years old
Average height: 202.2 m
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 1 player
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 4 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 7 players
Shortest players: Zhao Jiwei – 1.85 cm
Tallest player: Zhou Qui – 2.12 cm

Players by leagues and competitions

CBA (China League): 10 players
NBL (Australia League): 1 player
NBA: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (3-6)

14 July China – Croatia: 64-82
17 July China – Croatia: 61-75 (Zhang Zhenlin 20 points, Zhou Qui 13 points) *
25 July China – Slovenia: 73-75 (Zhou Qi 16 points, Klemen Prepelic 20 points) *
28 July China – Egypt: 80-69 (Fang Shuo 14 points, Ehab Amin 13 points) *
4 August China – Cape Verde: 86-66 (Cui Yongxi 18 points, Ivan Almedia 20 points) *
5 August China – Italy: 61-79 (Zhou Qi 12 points, Matteo Spagnolo 13 points) *
12 August China – Germany: 57-108 (Kyle Anderson 10 points, Franz Wagner 20 points) *
13 August China – New Zealand: 69-68 (Kyle Anderson 18 points, Flynn Cameron 12 points) *
20 August China – Serbia: 64-87 (Hu Mingxuan 14 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic 19 points)

Team Lineup

PG: Zhao Rui – Zhao Jiwei
SG: Cui Yongxi – Hu Mingxuan
SF: Zhang Zhenlin – Zhu Junlong
PF: Kyle Anderson – Zhou Peng – Fu Hao
C :  Zhou Qi – Wang Zhelin – Hu Jinqui

Who is missing this tournament?

Jianlian Yi, the leader of the team in 2019, was not invited to the national team. Likewise, Ailun Guo, one of the experienced names on the national team, was not called due to his injury. Fang Shuo and Sun Minghui, who were in the squad at the FIBA World Cup 2019, are not in the squad.

News

• China began preparations for the World Cup on June 23.
• Coach Sasha Djordjevic said that only Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin’s place in the national team is guaranteed, while other players will be selected based on their performance in the preparation period.
• Coach Sasha Djordjevic said that their priority is to improve the defense.
• Chinese sources claimed that if Ailun Guo regains his health, he will be called up to the national team.
• Kyle Anderson, whose grandmother is Chinese, will wear the Chinese jersey as a naturalized player in the World Cup. Allegedly, Anderson will earn $1 million for it.
• Kyle Anderson will play his first game with the Chinese jersey at the tournament to be held in China on August 20.
• Zeng Fanbo is undergoing treatment for a back injury.
• Coach Sasha Djordjevic cut Yu Jiahao, He Xining and Zeng Fanbo from the roster.
• Coach Sasha Djordjevic finally removed Fang Shuo, Cheng Shuaigen, Du Runwang and Sun Minghui from the roster and decided to the 12-man final.

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Kyle Anderson
Young Talent: Cui Yongxi
Player to Shine: Zhang Zhenlin
First-time World Cup Participants: Kyle Anderson, Zhang Zhenlin, Fu Hao, Zhu Junlong, Hu Jinqiu, Zhou Peng, Zhao Rui, Hu Mingxuan and Cui Yongxi are participating for the first time.
Most Experienced Players in the World Cup: Zhao Jiwei, Wang Zhelin and Zhu Qi are going for the 2nd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 24th.
Goal: To advance from the first-round group.
Biggest achievement: China has won the Asia Cup 16 times. In the World Cup, their best performance was finishing 8th in 1994.
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group F of the Asia qualifiers, China finished 2nd with ten wins and two losses and secured a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: China is participating for the 10th time in the FIBA World Cup (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2019)

South Sudan – Roster (12 Players) – Group B

Carlik Jones (Chicago Bulls – PG) 7 games 2.8 points, 0.7 rebound, 0.8 assist
Sunday Dech (Adelaide – PG) 31 games 7.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Marial Shayok (Maine Celtics – SG) 21 games 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists
Peter Jok (Nantes – SG/F) 8 games 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 assist
Emmanuel Akot (Western Kentucky – SG/F) 31 games 10.0 points, 3.7rebounds, 2.3 assists

Kuany Kuany (Karhu – SF) 11 games 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Nuni Omot (Lakeland Magic – F) 24 games 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists

Majok Deng (Cairns – PF) 32 games 6.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.4 assist
Wenyen Gabriel (LA Lakers – PF/C) 68 games 5.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.5 assist

Mangok Mathiang (Hapoel Eilat – C) 11 games 11.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks
Khaman Maluach (AS Douanes – C) 10 games 5.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Deng Acuoth (Adelaide – C) 16 games 0.2 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.1 block

Head coach: Royal Ivey – In charge since 2023 –

• South Sudan has two players from FIBA Afrobasket 2021 on the roster. South Sudan were unable to compete in the FIBA World Cup 2019 as they failed to qualify.

Average age: 26.7 years old
Players under 20 years: 1 player
Players aged 20-25: 1 players
Players aged 25-30: 8 players
Players over 30 years: 2 players
The youngest player in the squad: Khaman Maluach – 16 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Mangok Mathiang – 30 years old
Average height: 202.0 cm
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 1 player
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 4 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 7 players
Shortest players: Carlik Jones – 1.83 m
Tallest player: Khaman Maluach – 2.13 m

Players by leagues and competitions

NBL (Australia League): 3 players
NBA: 2 players
G-League: 2 players
NCAA: 1 player
IBSL (Israel League): 1 player
Basketligaen (Denmark League): 1 player
Nationale 1 (Senegal League): 1 player
LNB B (France 2. League): 1 player

Preparation games schedule (3-2)

14 August South Sudan – Brazil: 75-85 (Wenyen Gabriel 17 points, Tim Soares 15 points) *
16 August South Sudan – Venezuela: 80-61 (Carlik Jones 14 points, Nestor Colmenares 19 points) *
17 August South Sudan – Australia: 67-88 (Marial Shayok 15 points, Matisse Thybulle 17 points) *
20 August South Sudan – Iran: 77-71
22 August South Sudan – Jordan: 91-82

Team Lineup

PG : Carlik Jones – Sunday Dech
SG : Marial Shayok – Peter Jok
SF : Nuni Omot – Kuany Kuany – Emmanuel Akot
PF : Wenyen Gabriel – Majok Deng
C : Mangok Mathiang -Khaman Maluach – Deng Acuoth

Who is missing this tournament?

Bul Kuol, Padiet Wang, Anyiarbany Makoi and Dut Kacuol, who are in the World Cup Qualifiers, are not in the squad.

News

• Royal Ivey, assistant coach of the Houston Rockets, replaced Luol Deng, who coached the team in the World Cup Qualifiers.
• Koch Bar, Mathiang Muo and Mareng Gatkouth, who were in the squad in FIBA Afrobasket 2021, are absent from the World Cup.
• Coach Royal Ivey removed Koch Bar, Gob Gabriel, Mathiang Muo, Deng Dut, Junior Madut and Mareng Gatkouth and determined the 12-man roster.

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Wenyen Gabriel
Young Talent: Khaman Maluach
Player to Shine: Carlik Jones
First-time World Cup Participants: The whole team is participating in the tournament for the first time.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: None of the players on the roster have played in World Cup.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: Could not join
Goal: To surprise the group against Puerto Rico and China
Biggest achievement: South Sudan finished 7th in Afrobasket 2021
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group F of the Africa qualifiers, South Sudan finished leader with eleven wins and one loss and secured a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: First time

Puerto Rico – Roster (12 Players) – Group B

Tremont Waters (Levallois – PG) 23 games, 18.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists
Jordan Howard (Napoli – PG) 29 games, 13.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Stephen Thompson (Bnei Herzelia – SG) 8 games, 5.3 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.7 assist
Ethan Thompson (Windy City Bulls – SG) 30 games, 16.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Justin Reyes (Varese – SF) 18 games, 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 assist
Aleem Ford (Lakeland Magic – SF) 15 games, 12.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists
John Holland (Crvena Zvezda – SF) 37 games, 3.9 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists

George Conditt IV (Promitheas – PF) 42 games, 9.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.7 assist
Christopher Ortiz (Osos – PF) 33 games, 18.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Isaiah Pineiro (Pirates de Quebradillas – PF) 20 games, 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists
Arnaldo Toro (Zwolle – PF) 20 games, 13.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists

Ismael Romero (Bayamon – C) 59 games, 13.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Head coach: Nelson Colon – In charge since 2021 –

• Seven players of the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 squad and one player of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 27.2 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 2 players
Players aged 25-30: 7 players
Players over 30 years: 3 players
The youngest player in the squad: George Conditt IV – 22 years old
The oldest player in the squad: John Holland – 34 years old
Average height: 196.3 m
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 2 players
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 4 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 6 players
Shortest players: Tremont Waters – 1.78 cm
Tallest player: George Conditt IV – 2.08 cm

Players by leagues and competitions

BSN (Puerto Rico League): 3 players
G-League: 2 players
Lega Basket (Italy League): 2 players
LNB Pro A (France League): 1 player
IBSL (Israel League): 1 player
HEBA A1 (Greece League): 1 player
BNXT (Belgium&Holland League): 1 player

EuroCup: 1 player
EuroLeague: 1 player
FIBA Basketball Champions League: 1 player
ABA Liga: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (1-5)

4 August Puerto Rico – Dominican Republic: 93-84 (George Conditt 22 points, Victor Liz 20 points)
7 August Puerto Rico – USA: 74-117 (Tremont Waters 17 points, Anthony Edwards 15 points) *
13 August Puerto Rico – Italy: 65-98 (Ethan Thompson 14 points, Simone Fontecchio 16 points) *
16 August Puerto Rico – Serbia: 75-110 (Tremont Waters 11 points, Ognjen Dobric 23 points) *
19 August Puerto Rico – Lithuania: 80-93 (Jordan Howard 18 points, Jonas Valanciunas 20 points) *
20 August Puerto Rico – Latvia: 72-84

Team Lineup

PG : Tremont Waters – Jordan Howard
SG : Ethan Thompson – Stephen Thompson
SF : John Holland – Aleem Ford  – Justin Reyes
PF : Christopher Ortiz – Isaiah Pineiro – Arnaldo Toro
C : George Conditt IV – Ismael Romero

Who is missing this tournament?

Puerto Rico’s NBA player Jose Alvarado was not called up to the roster as his right leg injury did not heal on time. National team veterans Gian Clavell, Timajh Parker and Gary Browne, are also absent due to their injuries.

News

• While the domestic league ended at the end of July in Puerto Rico, the national team was therefore able to assemble as a whole team on July 28.
• Requesting money to participate in the World Cup in 2019, John Holland was invited to the national team for the first time after a 4-year hiatus.
• Puerto Rico General Manager Carlos Arroyo said that Jose Alvarado wanted to join the national team, but the New Orleans Pelicans did not allow him because his injury did not fully heal after last week’s MR.
• John Holland said he did not think about what happened in 2019 and said he is excited to play for the national team.
• General Manager Carlos Arroyo said Holland was the first name that came to mind after Gian Clavell’s injury.
• Timajh Parker was cut from the roster.
• John Holland: “Puerto Rico young and talented, we want to win”
• Coach Nelson Colon cut Phillip Wheeler from the roster.

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Tremont Waters
Young Talent: George Conditt IV
Player to Shine: George Conditt IV
First-time World Cup Participants: Except for Isaiah Pinero, all players will be making their debut in the World Cup.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: Isaiah Pinero is going for the 2nd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 15th.
Goal: To advance from the first-round group.
Biggest achievement: Puerto Rico won the gold medal at the FIBA AmeriCup 1980, 1989 and 1995. In the World Cup, their best performance was finishing 4th in 1990.
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group F of the America qualifiers, Puerto Rico finished 2nd with eight wins and four losses and secured a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: Puerto Rico is participating for the 15th time in the FIBA World Cup

Serbia – Roster (12 Players) – Group B

Aleksa Avramovic (Partizan – PG) 42 games, 7.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Stefan Jovic (Zaragoza – PG) 20 games, 8.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists

Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks – SG) 54 games, 14.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Vanja Marinkovic (Baskonia – SG) 65 games, 9.2 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Marko Guduric (Fenerbahçe – SG/F) 59 games, 11.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists

Ognjen Dobric (Crvena Zvezda– SF) 68 games, 10.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Dejan Davidovac (CSKA – F) 50 games, 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist

Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat – PF) 15 games, 5.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Filip Petrusev (Crvena Zvezda – PF) 72 games, 11.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Borisa Simanic (Zaragoza – PF/C) 33 games, 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.3 assist

Nikola Milutinov (CSKA – C) 43 games, 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Dusan Ristic (Galatasaray – C) 38 games, 10.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.8 assist

Head coach: Svetislav Pesic – In charge since 2021 –

• Four players of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 squad and four players of the FIBA World Cup 2019 are on the roster.

Average age: 27.0 years
Players under 20 years: 0 player
Players aged 20-25: 2 players
Players aged 25-30: 8 players
Players over 30 years: 2 players
The youngest player in the squad: Nikola Jovic – 20 years old
The oldest player in the squad: Stefan Jovic – 32 years old
Average height: 202.8 m
Players shorter than 1.90 m: 0 player
Players between 1.90 m and 2.00 m: 5 players
Players taller than 2.00 m: 7 players
Shortest players: Aleksa Avramovic – 1.92 cm
Tallest players: Nikola Milutinov and Dusan Ristic – 2.13 cm

Players by leagues and competitions

ACB (Spain League): 3 players
KLS (Serbia League): 2 players
NBA: 2 players
BSL (Turkey League): 2 players
VTB: 2 players

EuroLeague: 5 players
ABA Liga: 3 players
FIBA Basketball Champions League: 1 player

Preparation games schedule (5-1)

3 August Serbia – Poland: 81-66
8 August Serbia – Greece: 71-64 (Bogdan Bogdanovic 15 points, Nik Rogkavopoulos 19 points) *
9 August Serbia – Italy: 88-89 (Nikola Jovic 18 points, Simone Fontecchio 13 points) *
16 August Serbia – Puerto Rico: 110-75 (Ognjen Dobric 23 points, Tremont Waters 11 points) *
20 August Serbia – China: 87-64 (Bogdan Bogdanovic 19 points, Filip Petrusev 13 points) *
21 August Serbia – Brazil: 89-85 (Filip Petrusev 17 points, Vitor Benite 17 points) *

Team Lineup

PG : leksa Avramovic – Stefan Jovic
SG : Bogdan Bogdanovic – Vanja Marinkovic
SF : Marko Guduric – Ognjen Dobric
PF : Nikola Jovic – Filip Petrusev – Dejan Davidovac
C : Nikola Milutinov – Dusan Ristic – Borisa Simanic

Who is missing this tournament?

Serbia’s pillars, Nikola Jokic and Vasilije Micic are missing. Apart from this duo, important names such as Boban Marjanovic, Nemanja Bjelica, Nikola Kalinic, and Vladimir Lucic are not coming to the World Cup. Nemanja Nedovic is out of the extended squad.

News

• Serbia started its World Cup preparations on 28 July.
• Coach Pesic said that he will decide on the final 12-man squad on August 24.
• Coach Pesic said it is not clear whether Stefan Jovic will attend the training camp due to a health condition in his family. Ognjen Jaramaz also could not attend the camp due to his injury.
• Coach Pesic said the following about Jokic’s absence from the national team: “We had a few conversations with Jokic. These talks went very well. We did our best, but at the moment he is not physically and mentally ready to take responsibility as expected.”
• Coach Pesic explained that Vasilije Micic and Luka Mitrovic did not join the national team to prepare for the new season, while Nikola Kalinic was not ready to join the national team mentally. Vladimir Lucic, who had surgery, was not called up to the squad as his injury continued.
• Nemanja Nedovic said of Vasilije Micic’s absence: “It’s okay for me. I play wherever I want to play. Playing quarterback is not a problem. This season, I also played a quarterback in Red Star a few times. The same goes for Guduric. We have options, we’ll handle it. They say, ‘Serbia has no players to pass the ball’. It’s like the players here don’t know how to pass. We will handle it.”
• Marko Guduric does not agree with the statements that there may be difficulties in setting up the game in the team: “We will handle it. There’s Nedovic, there’s Avramovic, I played a lot of point guard last season. We’ll see when we start training. I will find out what he thinks, his ideas in our discussions with the coach.”
• Coach Pesic said of the recruited players: “There is no need for recruits in the national team at the moment. One day the Serbian National Team will use recruited players, but it will definitely not be under my coaching.”
• Aleksej Pokusevki, who was called up to the candidate squad, will not be able to play in the World Cup as his injury will not heal until the end of August. Ognjen Jaramaz was also removed from the squad due to injury.
• He missed the first week of the preparation period due to the injuries of Uros Trifonovic and Alen Smailagic.
• Coach Pesic said of Bogdan Bogdanovic: “Bogdan Bogdanovic has tremendous talent and proves at every opportunity that he is the leader of this team”
• Coach Pesic removed Alen Smailagic, Dusan Beslac, Nikola Topic and Uros Trifonovic, reducing the candidate squad to 14 people.
• Bogdan Bogdanovic: “Given that it’s a relatively young team, we’ve managed well. Preparations have proceeded smoothly, without significant injuries, which is of paramount importance. We’re prepared to compete and continue our preparations for the World Cup. We play a fast and attractive style of basketball; I can assert that beforehand and hope for the best, as always.”
• Nikola Milutinov: “I would be more happy if Jokic was here”
• Serbia’s Nemanja Nedovic reportedly out of World Cup
• Nemanja Nedovic will officially miss the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
• Coach Svetislav Pesic has announced that they will not call young talent Nikola Topic to the squad after Nedovic’s departure.
• Coach Svetislav Pesic cut Aleksa Radanov from the roster.
• Bogdan Bogdanovic’s sheer excitement in Serbian NT

10 Simple Facts

Team Star: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Young Talent: Nikola Jovic
Player to Shine: Nemanja Nedovic
First-time World Cup Participants: Aleksa Avramovic, Dusan Beslac, Dejan Davidovac, Ognjen Dobric, Nikola Jovic, Vanja Marinkovic, Nemanja Nedovic, Filip Petrusev, Aleksej Pokusevski, Dusan Ristic, Borisa Simanic, Nikola Topic and Uros Trifonovic are participating for the first time.
Most Experienced Player in the World Cup: Bogdan Bogdanovic and Stefan Jovic are going for the 3rd time.
Performance in FIBA World Cup 2019: They finished 5th.
Goal: To qualify as the group leader and get the medals
Biggest achievement: Serbia won the gold medal at the FIBA World Cup in 1998 and 2022. They won the gold medal in EuroBasket 1995, 1997, and 2021.
Qualifying Rounds: Competing in Group I of the Europe qualifiers, Serbia finished 2nd with six wins and four losses and secured a spot in the World Cup.
Number of Appearances: Serbia is participating for the 6th time in the FIBA World Cup.