FIBA World Championship Preview: 10 Teams To Watch
Stephen Curry, Yannick Bokolo (USA Basketball, Nike)
For the basketball-starved among us tired of reading free agency and trade rumors, this summer’s biggest on-court hoops event is finally ready to tip-off. The FIBA World Championship (Aug. 28-Sept. 12) brings 24 international teams together for two weeks in Turkey to fight for gold medals, global bragging rights, and an automatic spot in the 2012 Olympics in London.
In Dime #58 we previewed the World Championship with 10 teams to watch, but since our press time, injuries and roster tweaks have given the field a different look. Here is the updated WC primer:
*** *** ****
UNITED STATES
Best Player: Kevin Durant
Rising Star: Derrick Rose
X-Factor: Andre Iguodala
As usual, Team USA has the most talented roster top-to-bottom, and will rely on its speed and pressure defense to overwhelm less athletic opponents. But this is a completely different squad than the group that won gold at the ’08 Olympics. Durant will lead the way, but he, like many of his teammates, doesn’t have much experience at big-time international events. It’s been well chronicled that Team USA’s crop of big men is lacking depth (Lamar Odom, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love), but a bigger problem may be inconsistent shooting and limiting turnovers.
TURKEY
Best Player: Hedo Turkoglu
Rising Star: Ersan Ilyasova
X-Factor: Semih Erden
The host country is currently ranked 18th in the world, but with the home crowd behind them and some legit talent on the roster, don’t be surprised if Turkey pulls off some upsets and grabs a medal. Turkoglu should be in a good mood after his wish was granted and the Toronto Raptors traded him to Phoenix in the offseason.
ARGENTINA
Best Player: Luis Scola
Rising Star: Luis Cequeira
X-Factor: Carlos Delfino
Although Argentina is ranked No. 1 in the world by FIBA, it looks like their heyday being led by Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni is over. But the future beyond 2010 looks bright. Juan Fernandez, who stars at Temple University, is just turned 20 years old and should be a national-team staple in future tournaments, while Patricio Garino is a 17-year-old sensation who is seen as a superstar in the making. Both trained with the senior national team this summer, but won’t be making the trip to Turkey.
CHINA
Best Player: Yi Jianlian
Rising Star: Li Xiaoxu
X-Factor: Sun Yue
With Yao Ming out of action, it’s up to skilled yet unproven Yi to carry the squad. Backcourt play will be crucial for the Chinese, as well as a big showing from 20-year-old Li Xiaoxu, who has already been playing pro ball for five years.
FRANCE
Best Player: Boris Diaw
Rising Star: Nic Batum
X-Factor: Yannick Bokolo
Despite not having Tony Parker, France is an athletic group who can get out and run. Bokolo has been compared to Leandro Barbosa, a scoring guard who excels in a fast-paced system. France has a history of underachieving in major FIBA tournaments, though, finishing fifth in last year’s European Championship, 8th in the ’07 Euro tourney, and not qualifying for the last two Olympics. Diaw is a skilled forward who can be a tough cover, but he again appears to be out of shape this summer.
BRAZIL
Best Player: Leandro Barbosa
Rising Star: Tiago Splitter
X-Factor: Anderson Varejao
Barbosa leads the way with his speed and scorer’s mentality. Brazil had a nice crew of rugged big men in Varejao, Nene and incoming Spurs rookie Tiago Splitter, but Nene recently pulled out of the WC with leg injuries.
PUERTO RICO
Best Player: Carlos Arroyo
Rising Star: J.J. Barea
X-Factor: Renaldo Balkman
Team PR is solid in the backcourt, but aside from NBA veteran Balkman, pretty weak up front. They can field a rotation seven deep of guys with NBA credentials: Arroyo, Barea, Balkman, Daniel Santiago, Ricky Sanchez, P.J. Ramos and Guillermo Diaz.
SPAIN
Best Player: Marc Gasol
Rising Star: Ricky Rubio
X-Factor: Juan Carlos Navarro
Even without Pau Gasol in the lineup, Spain could make a gold-medal run in Turkey. Marc Gasol is coming off an NBA season where he put up 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds, and Rubio guided FC Barcelona to a Euroleague championship.
GREECE
Best Player: Vassilis Spanoulis
Rising Star: Nick Calathes
X-Factor: Sofoklis Schortsanitis
They don’t have any current NBA players, but United States fans know better than anybody not to sleep on Team Greece. They upset the U.S. and won silver at the last World Championship, then won bronze at last year’s European Championship. Schortsanitis, a.k.a. “Baby Shaq,” can be a beast in the paint if he’s in shape and motivated. Also watch out for big man Kostas Tsartsaris, who dropped 24 points on the U.S. in Wednesday’s exhibition game.
SERBIA
Best Player: Nenad Krstic
Rising Star: Milenko Tepic
X-Factor: Uros Tripkovic
The last time Serbia played at the Worlds (2002), they won the whole thing, and they won silver at last year’s European Championship. Currently ranked 5th in the world by FIBA, they have to be considered a medal threat. But that depends on whether Krstic is available. He’s still awaiting his official punishment from FIBA after his fist- and chair-throwing antics during last week’s Serbia/Greece brawl.
THE ENTIRE FIELD
Group A
Angola
Argentina
Australia
Germany
Jordan
Serbia
Group B
Brazil
Croatia
Iran
Slovenia
Tunisia
USA
Group C
China
Greece
Ivory Coast
Puerto Rico
Russia
Turkey
Group D
Canada
France
Lebanon
Lithuania
New Zealand
Spain
-Follow Austin on Twitter at @AustinBurton206
-Follow Dime on Twitter at @DIMEMag
-Become a fan of Dime on Facebook HERE
-->
August 26th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
control says:
I hope Turkey finishes last, just because of Hedo. Feel sorry for France, if a Fat Boris Diaw is your best player (without Steve Nash on his team), that’s a rough look.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Shiptar says:
u think these are top 10 teams competing in Turkey? Or is there some other reason why are these teams to watch?
Cause Lithuania, Slovenia and Croatia are much better teams than China, Puerto Rico and even France…
Fact that Yi, Batum and Arroyo are in the NBA means shit.. You guys don’t respect players in euroleague at all, and than you are surprised why guys like Navarro kill USA teams…
August 26th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
dagwaller says:
On which channel can these World Championships be seen?
August 26th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
JD says:
Ersan Ilyasova is a Turk??? I thought he was russian
August 26th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
control says:
I think Ersan was from Israel…didn’t he serve on the MOSAD or something? I remember hearing stories of him killing guys with his bare hands, and basically being one of those “don’t mess w/ the zohan” type of guys.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
kevin says:
Kind of surprised you left Slovenia off the list. Dragic, Udrih, Nachbar, Vujacic, Lorbek, Slokar, Nesterovic, Brezec, and Lakovic, etc.. Some of those names won’t be playing but they’re a damn good team regardless and they play well together.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Jules says:
No love for Lithuania? ooof
I bet they beat out France for the second spot in group D.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Soopa says:
What about Russia? They won the EC a few years back with AK and american/russian JR Holden…
August 26th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Loc says:
Gyeah,
i’m excited for this!!!!
GOod article Dime,
but no Canada love!!! Come onnnnnnnn
August 26th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
quest??? says:
Austin, I’m going to have to disagree with your assessment on team Puerto Rico. Our rising star is not JJ Barea, it is a new comer named Nathan Peavy. Peavy can bang inside but can also shoot the three. Also, we have Angel D Vassallo, who is a wrecking ball. Puerto Rico has a very balanced team that can contend for a medal. Their biggest weakness is the coach.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
matt says:
I think it was splitter and to a muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch lesser extent carl english(go canada) with caja laboral won the championship this year, not FC barcelona.
No love for Canada
Best player – Matt Bonner
Rising Star – Matt Bonner
X factor – Matt Bonner citizenship application
hahah
August 26th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
sans says:
When your yelling out “good red Rocket, eh!” you better have your flopping head laughing at south park reruns….
who did Spain pay off for their cakewalk…Canada, France, NZealand….
August 26th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
dat says:
You definitely forgot Germany they beat PUERTO RICO twice last week by 20 points each game.
Best Player: team, as Kaman and Dirk are not playing
Rising Stars: Robin Benzing, Tim Ohlbrecht, Tibor Pleis, Elias Harris, Luca Staiger
X-Factor: Jan Jagla, Heiko Schaffartzik
August 26th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Darko says:
bad judgment of team serbia. their best player is 22 years old Milos Teodosic, this year MVP of Euroleague. Tepic is solid,but only third point guard on team. Tripkovic isn’t in the team. He had a bad season in Joventut and is injured. Teo is by far the best player not playing/played in NBA and rising star is fundemntal undersize PF Macvan. But tnx anyway for mentioning Serbia.
p.s. Krstic got a ban of three games and Teo got two.
August 26th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
K Dizzle says:
Renaldo Balkman ain’t nobody’s x-factor.
I like Larry Ayuso as the P.R. x-factor. If he hittin that 3 off kickouts from Arroyo and Barea,it’s a wrap. And Puerto Rico’s big guys play mean. Good mix.
August 26th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Fertsy says:
What no love for Australia… even without Bogut they got the All-Europe Centre in Aleks Maric, Patty Mills running the point and a slew of big men experienced in the European league… plus the fact we are Aussie n don’t mind a bit of a blue.
August 27th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Da_Griff says:
Speaking of the aussies, they just spanked argentina 3-0 in some warm up matches, and have gone 9-1 in thier last 10, making a meal of Brazil and France just this week.
David Andersen also plays for the aussies, and you watch Mr Jingles play. He’s surprisingly good.
August 27th, 2010 at 1:46 am
Shiptar says:
@K Dizzle: Ayuso isn’t playing for PR, he got kicked of the team.
August 27th, 2010 at 3:51 am
Darko says:
@Shiptar
your nick sucks!
August 27th, 2010 at 3:54 am
Shiptar says:
Yeah, like being named the same as the biggest draft bust of all time doesn’t
August 27th, 2010 at 4:00 am
chris says:
Germany is of course no favorit for the titel, but the guys beat Puerto Rico twice last week by 20+ and also Turkey.
August 27th, 2010 at 5:28 am
K Dizzle says:
lol @ post 20
good comeback
September 1st, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Jason says:
Uh, guys. I don’t think he has the same name, I think it’s the same guy. Is that you Darko?
September 1st, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Jason says:
Shiptar: A dirty, smelly, tooth missing, ugly, unemployed Albanian who is a virus of a human being which lives in other peoples countries in europe and feeds off them like a parasite.
Oh man, this is what it says on Urban dictionary, not good, lmao. Neither name wins.