The 2019 FIBA World Cup is just hours away now. 32 top national teams are set to determine the best basketball nation in the world. The spectacle starts on August 31st with only two teams staying alive to battle for the title on September 15th.
Every contender will go through two group stages. A team needs to end up in first or second place to advance to the next round in each group stage. The single-elimination tournament starts at the quarterfinals phase. The seven best teams from each respected continent (one from Africa, Asia, and Oceania, two from Americas and Europe) will earn a spot at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
With the format set, let’s unveil each team that will battle for the gold in China.
*All rosters being updated in accordance with the official FIBA website
GROUP A
CHINA
Appearance: 9th
Best result: 8 (1994)
Star Player: Yi Jianlian
Years go on but Yi Jianlian is still China’s best player. He is the only active Chinese player with solid NBA experience (he averaged 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game with the Nets in 2010). He has been the leader of the team in many international competitions and while China is waiting for new rising stars to emerge, he will be there for years to come. Yi has size to battle in the paint but also a good skill set to be a threat at the perimeter. He is not that explosive as he used to be but he has all the qualities to be China’s go-to-guy.
Supporting Cast
Zhou Qi seems to be ready to guide a new China team and be a major factor in this World Cup. However, after his unimpressive stint with the Houston Rockets, his stock has fallen. He will never be the new Yao Ming, but he is still a 23-year-old 7-footer with long arms and a soft touch. The other notable 7-footer on the team, the 57th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, Wang Zhelin, had an even worse route. Memphis never gave him a true NBA chance. Guo Ailun was the youngest player at 2010 World Cup and a promising young gun at that time. Nevertheless, Liaoning’s point guard has failed to make the last step to become an NBA-caliber player.
Overview
Being the competition host gives you some advantage. In the drawing pool, China was seeded but luck was on their side too. Poland, Venezuela and Ivory Coast are not looking scary from any angle. This is clearly the weakest group of the 2019 FIBA World Cup and China has all the possibilities to grab one of the first two positions. The dream is the quarterfinals qualification, but in the second phase the match-up against Russia, Argentina or Nigeria seems very tough for a team that has never been to the quarterfinals since 1994.
Roster
1 – Rui Zhao – G
5 – Shuo Fang – G
6 – Ailun Guo – G
9 – Xiaochuan Zhai – F
11 – Jianlian Yi – C
13 – Kelanbaike Makan – F
15 – Qi Zhou – C
17 – Minghui Sun – G
20 – Junfei Ren – C
23 – Abudushalami Abudurexiti – F
24 – Jiwei Zhao – G
31 – Zhelin Wang – C
COTE D’IVOIRE
Appearance: 4th
Best result: 13 (1982)
Star Player: Deon Thompson
It’s not really something new when American-born players decide to play for African national teams. However, it’s not very often when players of Deon Thompson’s caliber suit up for their “new” teams at big tournaments. The former North Carolina Tar Heel was once a promising contributor in the American youth system. Deon won a silver medal with the U19 team at Worlds in 2007 and grabbed bronze with the Universiade squad in 2009. With an NBA route being ruled out, Thompson has had a solid career in Europe with multiple Euroleague appearances. Thompson definitely stands out on a largely unknown Ivory Coast roster and will provide on both ends of the floor.
Supporting Cast
Aside from Deon Thompson, the Côte d’Ivoire national team is mostly represented by players from various French leagues. Not the top echelon, but still legit competition. Souleyman Diabate, Vafessa Fofana, Guy Edi, and Charles Abou form the supporting core for Deon Thompson. These four were largely responsible for Ivory Coast qualifying for the World Cup.
Overview
Definitely the weakest team in the group on paper. The lack of international experience in the biggest stages will also be a major factor. Even at their best, it’s hard to see Elephants climbing above the 4th spot in the first group stage.
Roster
1 – Charles Abouo – G
6 – Bryan Pamba – G
7 – Baru Adjehi – F
8 – Frejus Zerbo – C
10 – Souleyman Diabate – G
11 – Vafessa Fofana – F
12 – Bali Coulibaly – F
13 – Tiegbe Bamba – F
14 – Guy Edi – G
15 – Mohamed Kone – C
21 – Deon Thompson – F
30 – Abraham Sie – G
POLAND
Appearance: 2nd
Best result: 5th (1967)
Star Player: Mateusz Ponitka
Once a flashy teenager at Nike Hoop Summit, Ponitka is now a solid Euroleague player. He has outgrown the local Polish league a few years ago and started to taste one big Euro league after another. Mateusz has now experienced pro basketball in all Top 3 European domestic leagues with Karsiyaka (Turkey), Tenerife (Spain), and Lokomotiv (Russia). With Marcin Gortat skipping the tournament, Ponitka will be a major contributor for Polish national team.
Supporting Cast
While Ponitka will focus on many tasks, A.J. Slaughter will need everything to make the Polish offense going. The proven veteran has already suited up for the national team and mixed in well with Ponitka and another major offensive force, Adam Waczynski, a deadly three-point shooter. That has been the case both for Unicaja Malaga and Polish NT. The frontcourt lineup without Gortat looks a bit pale but Damian Kulig is still there to crash the boards.
Overview
Don’t be fooled by the absence of recognizable NBA names. Poland was never about that. The team has great continuity and enough firepower to handle every opponent at Group A. The problems will start at the next stage when Poland will desperately need to upset either Argentina or Russia. Even Nigeria could be a problem for the Poles in the second group stage.
Roster
2 – Aleksander Balcerowski – C
3 – Michal Sokolowski – F
5 – Aaron Cel – F
6 – A.J. Slaughter – G
9 – Mateusz Ponitka – G
12 – Adam Waczynski – F
13 – Dominik Olejniczak – C
15 – Kamil Laczynski – G
33 – Karol Gruszecki – G
34 – Adam Hrycaniuk – C
55 – Lukasz Koszarek – G
77 – Damian Kulig – F
VENEZUELA
Appearance: 4th
Best result: 11 (1990)
Star Player: Gregory Vargas
If you an NBA fan, the first name that comes to mind with Venezuela tag is Greivis Vasquez. But when we talk about international hoops, it’s definitely Gregory Vargas. He’s an absolute legend in the country which is not surprising at all considering his experience. He’s been the motor of the team since back in 2015 when the Venezuelans won a major international tournament for the first time in their history – Americas championship. Vargas is also one of the few members of the team that regularly plays in respectable European leagues.
Supporting Cast
Venezuelan league is no joke in South America, and pretty much every player that will step foot in China represents the competition. Two key bigs on the roster are Nestor Colmenares and Gregory Echenique. The two men in the backcourt that will provide the most help for Gregory Vargas are Heissler Guillent and Jose Vargas. All four were constantly present and contributed big time in qualifying tournament for the World Cup.
Overview
It could be the swan song for this team. The average age of this roster almost hits the ceiling of 30 years old. Most of the leaders will probably never show up at such a big stage, so it’s go time for them. However, the Venezuelans will need some wonders to survive home crowd in a matchup against China. Or they will need to down Poland. Either way, they need at least one win in these two critical games to hope for a better future. But then again is there one win Argentina, Russia, or Nigeria on a collision course.
Roster
5 – Gregory Vargas – G
7 – Jhornan Zamora – G
9 – Pedro Chourio – G
10 – Jose Vargas – G
11 – Luis Bethelmy – F
13 – Anthony Perez – F
14 – Miguel Ruiz – F
15 – Windi Graterol – C
19 – Heissler Guillent – G
21 – Dwight Lewis – F
23 – Michael Carrera – F
43 – Nestor Colmenares – F
GROUP B
ARGENTINA
Appearance: 14th
Best result: Gold (1950)
Star Player: Facundo Campazzo
Luis Scola is the most celebrated Argentine with Manu Ginobili gone for good, but now this is Facundo Campazzo’s team. He has grown in the shadow of the Golden Generation, both with the national team and Real Madrid (with Andres Nocioni). His quickness and creativity with the ball in his hands make him one of the most electrifying players of the World Cup. But don’t underestimate his clutchness, his dedication on the defensive side and his hunger. He was a little fat guy from Cordoba. With Ginobili, Scola & Nocioni’s tutoring, he became one of the best players all around in Europe. NBA teams better keep an eye on him.
Supporting Cast
Argentina has one of the best point guard trio with Campazzo, the Spanish League MVP Nico Laprovittola, and the emerging Baskonia playmaker Luca Vildoza. There are many solid players like Gabriel Deck, Campazzo’s teammate in Madrid, and two NBA meteors like Baskonia’s Patricio Garino and Zaragoza’s Nicolas Brussino in the forward spots. Luis Scola is still the guiding light in the paint. He is the only active player from the team that won a silver medal at the 2002 World Cup in Indianapolis (beating Team USA) and Olympic champion in Athens 2004. But the rest of the frontcourt’s rotation is not so deep: Marcos Delia and Agustin Caffaro are not your insurance guys in the paint at the highest level.
Overview
The draw gave great help to Argentina’s ambitions to be in the mix for a medal, even with a roster with many question marks. The path to the quarterfinals seems quite easy for Sergio Hernandez’s team. So about question marks: First of all, they have three super talented point guards, not shooting guards. The youngsters Fjellerup and Redivo are not enough to walk in Ginobili’s shoes. And Scola, clearly the best inside player of the team, is not the player that he was ten years ago. Coach Hernandez surprised by taking all his best players to the PanAm Games. They destroyed “Big East” Team USA in the semis and Puerto Rico in the final. Will they continue that in China?
Roster
1 – Agustin Caffaro – C
3 – Luca Vildoza – G
4 – Luis Scola – F
7 – acundo Campazzo – G
8 – Nicolas Laprovittola – G
9 – Nicolas Brussino – G
10 – Maximo Fjellerup – G
12 – Marcos Delia – C
14 – Gabriel Deck – F
25 – Lucio Redivo – G
29 – Patricio Garino – F
83 – Tayavek Gallizzi – C
KOREA
Appearance: 8th
Best result: 11 (1970)
Star Player: Ricardo Ratliff (Guna Ra)
Korean basketball is on the rise in the Asian region but there are still zero breakthroughs on NBA and European stages. That leaves the korean NT with domestic products competing in the local Korean Basketball League and one import player. Unsurprisingly, Ricardo Ratliffe that holds this spot is the most powerful Korean weapon. He was pretty much unstoppable in qualifiers averaging monstrous 26.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
Supporting Cast
The other 11 guys exclusively represent KBL and as you probably guessed, there are not many guys that can be called stars even in their domestic competition. The most notable two are savvy vets, Junghyun Lee and Sunghyung Kim.
Overview
South Korea is easily one of the weakest teams in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and will most likely be happy just to stay competitive in each game. Argentina, Russia, and Nigeria are too tough of competition for these guys right now.
Roster
1 – Chan Hee Park – G
2 – Junyong Choi – F
3 – Junghyun Lee – G
5 – Sunhyung Kim – G
6 – Hoon Heo – G
11 – Heejong Yang – F
12 – Hyogeun Jeong – F
13 – Sangjae Kang – C
15 – Jongkyu Kim – C
20 – Guna Ra – C
33 – Seounghyun Lee – C
43 – Daesung Lee – G
NIGERIA
Appearance: 3rd
Best result: 13 (1998)
Star Player: Al-Farouq Aminu
Al-Farouq Aminu is undoubtedly the Nigerian player with the biggest NBA experience. He has elite size and athleticism while being a beast in transition and a good defender, even though shooting is not his forte. But apart from his technical characteristics, he will have to step up as a team leader. He is used to be an amazing role player on several NBA playoff teams. Will he be able to change his mindset?
Supporting Cast
This Nigerian team is surely the all-time best African team to ever participate in a World Cup, with many NBA experienced players on the roster. Aminu will find help in the paint with his older brother Alade, a Euro league vet, and the former Utah Jazz and Fenerbahce stud Ekpe Udoh. But the main offensive players of the team are Minnesota Timberwolves sophomore Josh Okogie and Louisville small forward Jordan Nwora, who made noise in the Qualifying Round by posting 36 points in the win against Mali. New Gran Canaria’s forward Stan Okoye came out his best season in the Spanish league playing for Zaragoza. The San Antonio Spurs’ promising big man Chimezie Metu can be dominant with his athleticism in the frontcourt. Especially on the defensive end.
Overview
It was a hard summer for Nigeria. The Basketball Federation had to struggle to make the funds needed for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The situation has normalized in the last days before the start of the competition. Will this affect team performances? Realistically, the goal is being the best African team to qualify directly to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Roster
1 – Ike Iroegbu – G
4 – Ben Uzoh – G
5 – Stan Okoye – G
6 – Ike Diougu – F
7 – Al-Farouq Aminu – F
8 – Ekpe Udoh – F
10 – Chimezie Metu – F
13 – Talib Zanna – F
20 – Josh Okogie – G
22 – Nnamdi Vincent – G
33 – Jordan Nwora – F
50 – Michael Eric – C
RUSSIA
Appearance: 5th
Best result: Silver (1994, 1998)
Star Player: Nikita Kurbanov
Russia has probably suffered the most from injuries in the offseason. Timofey Mozgov, Alexey Shved, and Joel Bolomboy are just the most recognizable names. That leaves Nikita Kurbanov as the most consistent performer at the highest level. Kurbanov isn’t really a star even by Euroleague standards, but he’s still one of the most versatile players in Europe. He can scrap on both ends on the floor while showing some range and athleticism.
Supporting Cast
The core has lost some key pieces but savvy veterans are still there to battle it out. Firstly, it’s ever-present Andrey Vorontsevich who is always ready to get the board and an additional three. Vitaly Fridzon, another Russia’s immortal warrior, is still one of the best three-point specialists in Europe (the older Joe Harris, if you will). Sergey Karasev will try to fill Alexey Shved’s role as a primary scorer. However, he wasn’t that flashy in exhibitions. It seems the former Net and Cavalier still struggles to find his rhythm after the injury-ridden second half of the last season. Mikhail Kulagin, another Euroleague champion with his CSKA’s teammates Kurbanov and Vorontsevich, will be the only reliable option at point guard.
Overview
Russia is the team you won’t probably want to face at any stage of the tournament. You simply don’t know who will do the most damage at any giving night. Without Shved, it could be literally each and every guy mentioned above. Russia’s offense won’t be flashy but Sergey Bazarevich’s squad can absolutely smother every opponent on defense. And if you lack the creativity to break the shell, you’re in trouble. The key game for them is definitely a clash against Nigeria. If they roll past the Africans they can easily reach the quarterfinals stage. They beat Spain in their last exhibition pretty handily, so watch out for them.
Roster
2 – Andrei Sopin – G
3 – Sergey Karasev – G
4 – Evgenii Baburin – G
6 – Grigory Motovilov – G
7 – Vitaly Fridzon – G
8 – Vladimir Ivlev – C
11 – Semen Antonov – F
12 – Andrey Zubkov – F
20 – Andrey Vorontsevich – F
30 – Mikhail Kulagin – G
31 – Evgeny Valiev – F
41 – Nikita Kurbanov – F
