FIBA WC 23: What you need to know
7 min
The 19th Basketball World Cup kicks off on August 25th, becoming the first tournament held across three nations: Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Teams
Defending champions Spain join 31 other basketball World Cup 2023 teams during the fortnight, with other high-profile nations like the US, France, and Serbia all searching for glory. Fans across the world are waiting in anticipation as numerous global stars descend on the five host cities to shoot hoops and outwit their opponents.
Several nations have talent on par with the US basketball team 2014 World Cup-winning roster, arguably the most stacked line-up in the competition’s modern history. Stay with us for a complete breakdown of the basketball World Cup 2023 teams, players to watch, main favourites, and more.
FIBA World Cup: A Global Basketball Spectacle
The World Cup has provided unrivalled global basketball entertainment since its inaugural edition in 1950. Besides the Olympics, it’s the only major international competition featuring ballers from all five continents.
Spectators are also treated to the rare sight of NBA players mixing it up with talents from other global leagues, making it a highly exciting proposition during each four-year cycle. The Spanish basketball squad added their second title in China in 2019, with Yugoslavia and the US being the most successful nations in the competition’s history with five apiece.
The 2023 edition starts on August 25th, with the final played just over a fortnight later on September 10th. It will be the 19th FIBA-sanctioned global tournament and the first involving multiple host nations.
2023 Basketball World Cup Teams
All the stops have been pulled out to guarantee your enjoyment this year, with 32 basketball World Cup 2023 teams from the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania ready to compete. Here is the full list of one of the most diverse tournaments yet:
Philippines
Japan
Angola
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Cape Verde
China
Cote d’Ivoire
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Iran
Italy
Jordan
Latvia
Lebanon
Lithuania
Mexico
Montenegro
New Zealand
Puerto Rico
Serbia
Slovenia
South Sudan
Spain
USA
Venezuela
Four 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup teams will make their debut appearance in the competition, with Latvia, South Sudan, Georgia, and Cape Verde qualifying for the first time. The latter also takes the mantle from Montenegro, becoming the smallest country ever to qualify.
Basketball World Cup 2023 Teams: Ones to Watch
Spain won numerous plaudits as their 2019 basketball World Cup team impressively charged to victory, but the Iberians certainly won’t find it as easy in 2023. Several equally talented nations stand in their way, with Slovenia, Serbia, and France all looking to improve this year.
A reinvigorated USA basketball team at the 2023 World Cup is an intimidating proposition. The roster has several key players from the NBA and is automatically one of the leading favourites.
Some of the main basketball World Cup 2023 teams to watch include:
USA
You can never omit the Americans when discussing the best basketball World Cup teams, even with their poor showing in 2019. The squad crashed out against France in the quarter-finals and will be desperate to atone for their mistakes.
Mason Plumlee was a notable disappointment five years ago. He was part of the 2014 US World Cup-winning roster and an experienced stalwart that was meant to guide the new generation.
The squad is entirely fresh this time around, with coach Steve Kerr opting for 12 players all making their debut for the senior USA basketball World Cup team. He will be hoping the youthful enthusiasm will make a vital difference, and with top talents like Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards among the squad, this could just be the case.
Spain
Spain are undeniably among the best basketball World Cup 2023 teams, having established themselves as the top worldwide nation over the last few years.
Fresh from winning the EuroBasket in 2022, the World Cup holders will look to continue their recent success.
Sure, there are teams with more out-and-out stars, but not many rosters show the same team cohesion and tactics. The Spaniards can possibly lift the trophy for the second consecutive time, but do they have what it takes? Only time will tell.
Serbia
Serbia have arguably the best player in the world right now in the shape of Nikola Jokic, the mind-blowing Denver Nuggets centre who recently helped the franchise to its first National Championship. Heartbreakingly for the Serbs, he won’t be participating after opting to rest after the busy off-season.
The bad news is offset by Bogdan Bogdanovic’s inclusion, a player most of the participating teams would take in an instant. He was an All-Star at the 2019 edition in China and will be instrumental in Serbia’s hopes. A relatively easy group containing South Sudan, China, and Puerto Rico should set them up nicely, with most fans expecting them to at least do better than their previous fifth-place finish.
Emerging Talents Making an Impact on the World Stage
While some NBA stars won’t make the tournament due to injury or a decision to focus on the domestic league, Luka Doncic is one of many hugely talented players flying the flag for their respective countries.
All eyes will be on the established hotshots, but the new emerging talents often end up being the talk of the tournament. Here are some of our favourite young stars ready to shake up the status quo:
Tyrese Haliburton
A USA basketball team 2023 World Cup debutant, Tyrese Haliburton, helped the U19 squad to the 2019 World Cup title and will be hoping for the same again in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
Haliburton enjoyed a breakout season as point guard for the Indiana Pacers, providing exceptional on-court awareness for his age. The USA team are lucky to have him in 2023, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up as one of the tournament’s best players.
Anthony Edwards
The Team USA basketball 2023 World Cup roster is packed with exciting debutants, but Anthony Edwards might be the most exciting alongside Tyrese Haliburton. One of the most desired players in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ shooting guard is definitely one to watch at this year’s tournament.
Nicknamed ‘Ant-Man’, Edwards is still only 21 years old and has already picked up an NBA All-Star award. This year, he could easily be the difference for the USA .
How Many Teams & Essential Tournament Structure
There are 32 teams vying for the title during this year’s edition. The action begins with an initial first group stage round, followed by a second group stage round for the first two placed teams. After this, the two top-placed teams from each second-round group contest a straight knockout round.
Check below for the essential dates:
Group Stage: 25th–30th August
Second Group Stage Round: 1st–3rd September
Quarter-Finals: 5th–6th September
Semi-Finals: 8th September
Final: 10th September
How to Bet on the Basketball World Cup 2023
If you’re considering betting on the tournament, how many teams and who are the overall favourites should be on your agenda. This information will give you a vital foundation to make predictions and analyse where you think the most exciting and profitable wagers can be made.
Betsson offers in-depth betting markets across all basketball World Cup 2023 teams and players. Check out our odds for upcoming or live fixtures and enjoy a first-rate platform with various special features.
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Teams: Who Are We Tipping?
The jury is out on who will lift the trophy come September 10th. The Spanish basketball team was packed with top-quality talent in 2019, but we haven’t seen an out-and-out favourite since then.
In all probability, the result will ultimately come down to a tussle between Spain and the US, although other teams like Serbia and France cannot be ignored.
FAQs
Who was part of the Spanish Basketball team 2019 World Cup-winning roster?
Some of the most notable players on the team were Ricky Rubio and Bojan Bogdanović.
How many teams?
There are 32 teams playing in the 2023 Basketball World Cup
Who are the favourites?
Team USA is looking to reclaim their global dominance, and the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup odds list them as the favourites.
