The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is here.
To be co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, the tournament will run from August 25 to September 10, featuring 32 teams, all pumped up to win the most coveted prize of all — a world basketball championship.
This World Cup is also the primary qualification route for teams seeking berths in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The top two finishers from Europe and the Americas, plus the top teams from Africa, Asia and Oceania, will all join host France at next year’s games.
And while basketball is a team sport, individual brilliance is also celebrated in the games. Here are the players to watch.
1. Rudy Fernandez—Spain
Rudy Fernandez, who is set to retire in a year’s time, is one of the players to watch.
The 38-year-old Fernandez will have his final games for Spain in the coming days, and at 6’6”, is known for his great ball-handling skills.
Fernandez is also known for his capable defense, playing and covering point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards.
Spain, which won the 2019 World Cup and last summer prevailed in the EuroBasket 2022, will have Fernandez fill in the absence of Ricky Rubio, who won’t be around to take care of his mental health.
Fernandez, who plays for Real Madrid in the Euro League, has been a regular for Spain for over two decades, from the junior to the senior level. He contributed to Spain’s quest in claiming the gold in both the 2006 and 2019 editions of the FIBA World Cup.
Fernandez plans to retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
2. Anthony Edwards—USA
Team USA finished its five-game exhibition showcase in preparation for the FIBA World Cup with a 99-91 win over Germany on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, with Edwards leading with 34 points.
The 22-year-old Edwards, who plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA, is emerging as the Team USA’s go-to guy whenever they need a basket down the stretch.
Edwards showed what he can do in blowout wins against Puerto Rico and Slovenia, which played without Luka Doncic, during their tune-up games.
Sunday’s final tuneup game against Germany was the best game Edwards had shown, before they flew to the Philippines.
Coach Steve Kerr liked what he saw in Edwards when he scored 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field.
3. Josh Giddey—Australia
Australia boasts of a roster full of NBA players, including those who were around when the team claimed the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. There’s Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Josh Green, Matisse Thybulle, Dante Exum, and Jock Landale.
But it’s the 6’8” Giddey, who stood out during the tuneup matches.
In the first friendly game of the Boomers last week, Giddey almost had a triple-double (14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 24 minutes) as Australia easily won against Venezuela, 97-41.
Giddey is on his third year with the Boomers, after becoming one of the final cuts by the Australian basketball team roster for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was put in the reserve list instead.
As Kai Sotto’s teammate with the Adelaide 36ers, Giddey averaged 10.9 points and 7.3 rebounds.
4. Rudy Gobert— France
Experience is something that will keep France in the thick of the fray in the World Cup.
With three tough first-round opponents in Group H waiting for them in Jakarta, the Gobert-powered France has made it known that gold is the goal in the world championship.
The 31-year-old Gobert has always been the force inside for the Les Bleus, especially when he is combined with veterans like Evan Fournier, Nando de Colo and Nicolas Batum.
Gobert’s lethal presence down low can also be counted upon for France, which will also have stalwarts from the Tokyo Olympic silver medal team, led by Guerschon Yabusele and Mustapha Fall.
The 32-year-old Gobert averages 13.4 points on a scorching 65.9% shooting clip, to go with 11.6 rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA.
5. Militunov, Petrusev, Ristic— Serbia
NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic may not be with the Serbian team joining the 2023 Basketball World Cup, but in his stead are three veterans willing and able to fill the void.
A combination of special players is the key to Serbia’s campaign.
And they are Nikola Milutinov, Felip Petrusev and Dusan Ristic, who make a deadly mix for Serbia.
Once these three control the paint, Serbia is expected to dominate the game until the end.
Serbian head coach Svetislav Pesic is expected count on their inside/outside game, in order for Bogdan Bogdanovich to work wonders with his scoring.
6. Jordan Clarkson—Philippines
Naturalized Filipino player Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz will provide answers to the Gilas Pilipinas’ need to score and have a leader inside the paint.
Clarkson has proven to be a serious scoring threat for Gilas.
But for Clarkson to be effective, he has to jell with a roster, which includes Kai Sotto, centers June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu, and forwards Jamie Malonzo and Japeth Aguilar.
Clarkson is at his best making plays for the team, but can also take charge when the offensive plays become stagnant.
7. Luka Doncic— Slovenia
Remember him in the World Cup. His name is Luka.
Doncic, the superstar guard of the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA, is poised to set records in the FIBA tournament, as he has already etched his name as the record holder for the second-highest scoring performances in both EuroBasket and Olympic history.
The 24-year-old Slovenian sensation has already flashed his triple-double skills in friendly matches, with his summer tune-up games producing near triple-double averages of 22.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists.
His pre-World Cup production is noteworthy, considering no player has ever had a triple-double in a FIBA World Cup game.
So be ready for some Luka magic.