THE International Basketball Federation listed 100 reasons why fans should be excited about the coming Basketball World Cup 2023, ranging from the presence of a possible record number of NBA stars and the exciting prospect of a free-for-all fight for the diadem.
Topping the list, however, is the much-anticipated brand of hospitality by hosts Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
t’s the “Welcome Mat”, said the FIBA in its article entitled “100 reasons to get hyped for the FIBA World Cup 2023 posted on its official website.
“Traveling fans will love basketball, and the hospitality of Manila, Okinawa, and Jakarta,” the article said.
For a start, led by the Philippines’ initiative and partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic’s isolation policy, players and officials will be allotted single-bedroom accommodation.
“For the first time ever at a FIBA event, players will have single rooms. The player’s experience will be a priority this summer,” said the article.
“This will be the first World Cup to ever be played across three different countries.”
The Filipinos are even more excited not just because their Gilas Pilipinas squad gets to play in the World Cup finals against the best teams in the world, but because of the arrival of NBA superstars playing for their respective countries.
FIBA noted that there was a total of 54 NBA players from 17 countries who saw action at the 2019 World Cup for 17 countries. This could be broken this time as FIBA, in quoting NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, said “Twenty countries at least are going to have some NBA players. NBA players are going to be everywhere at this World Cup.”
Aside from Team USA, whose lineup will be bannered by NBA stars, “numerous contenders in the 2022-23 NBA MVP Race like Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece and Nikola Jokic of Serbia, as well as future contenders Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, Luka Doncic of Slovenia and Domantas Sabonis of Lithuania are expected to be at the World Cup.”
Ricky Rubio, World Cup 2019 Most Valuable Player, also promised that he will be back to defend the title with Spain.
There’s also France’s rising star Victor Wembanyama, who is considered to be the greatest NBA rookie prospect of all time. He is expected to be picked by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA draft.
No home-court advantage.
Since host Philippines is not expected to crowd it out at the top with the big boys, it’s going to be an all-even term for visiting teams, especially defending champion Spain and top contenders USA, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece and France.