FIBA Men’s Basketball World Championship: Team USA Preview, Predictions and NBA Stars to watch
by Eric Ploch
It may be the NBA offseason, but several of the game’s brightest young stars are in competition with the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which gets underway on August 25th, as the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia play host to the 19th running of this international tournament.
BetMGM Bonus Code WINNERS: Earn up to $1,000 for any matchup THIS WEEK!
After Spain took home the title in 2019, several international powers will be looking to bring home the trophy. Spain and the United States have combined to win the last four runnings of the tournament, dating back to 2006, with the United States going back-to-back in 2010 and 2014. The betting favorites remain the United States, though a host of other countries will like their chances, especially given the strong showing of the Americans in the qualifiers.
BetMGM has a tremendous offer that will allow new bettors to grasp up to $1,000 in bonus bets in return if their first wager does not win. The best news is that even if you lose, you win! You’ll get a refund in bonus bets which is equal to whatever you lost, which is up to $1,000. Remember that you must use the bonus code WINNERS to claim this offer.
Team USA will play in Group C, along with Jordan, Greece, and New Zealand. While they avoid any likely tournament winners in that set of teams, they do have a few challenges to navigate. Jordan enters ranked 33rd in the world and could be the easiest of the opponents, while New Zealand sits 26th and Greece 9th. Greece will be without one of the world’s best players, Giannis Antetokounmpo, as his brother, Thanasis, will be the only NBA player on their roster. New Zealand could have Steven Adams at their disposal but would be the only NBA player on a non-U.S. team within the group.
The U.S. have typically treated the FIBA World Cup as a tournament as a tune-up for NBA youngsters, with this roster being no different. Steve Kerr leads the charge as head coach, while bringing 12 of the NBA’s brightest young talents to Asia. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) is likely the biggest name on the roster, though the emergence of Jalen Brunson (Knicks) during the playoffs, should give Kerr two experienced guards to turn to. Against Puerto Rico in their first scrimmage this summer, Edwards led the way with 15 points, while Brunson led the team with 12 rebounds. On the wings, the former Phoenix Suns duo of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson bring quite a bit of experience, while Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, will bring some raw talent. The frontcourt remains the largest concern, as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bobby Portis appear to be the two who’ll see the most minutes.
Wins against Puerto Rico and Slovenia were impressive, though their final exhibition against Spain was a great test for this team against another potential tournament favorite. It’s likely that they’ll have their way with Group C opponents, which is a big reason why they sit at -110 favorites for the tournament title, simply because they should have a prime position for the second round. That would likely have them drawn with the runner-up of their group, as well as two of Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, and Lithuania, who likely aren’t going to present too many challenges either, though Mexico could have a few NBA talents, while Montenegro will have Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), and Lithuania could have Jonas Valanciunas (Pelicans) and Azuolas Tubelis (76ers). Once the knockout stages commence, they are likely to see two of Canada, Spain, Brazil, or France paired with them, at which point things could get interesting.
Get 10x Your First Bet (Bet $5, get $200 in Bonus Bets + $100 off on Sunday NFL Ticket) with FanDuel
Canada is a clear contender, coming in with the second-best odds behind the U.S. at -450, and have a star-studded roster. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way and would be a handful for the U.S., while RJ Barrett has the potential to be a strong scorer as well. Adding in experience with Kelly Olynyk and toughness in Dillon Brooks, and this is a team that the U.S. will want to avoid.
With France likely to bring along Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and Evan Fournier, it’s no shock that they sit +1200 to take home the title, with depth being a concern. Spain (+1400) are the reigning winners, as they’ll be leaning on the Hernangomez brothers and Santi Aldama, to lead the way. Australia (+950) could be a championship matchup, as they are likely to bring as many as ten NBA players to this tournament.
Anything less than a tournament title would be a failure for the U.S. However, with the sport growing exponentially globally, a few teams could give them a run for their money.
FanDuel Promo Code Is Not Needed to get the 10x Your First Bet (Bet $5, get $200 in Bonus Bets + $100 off on Sunday NFL Ticket)
Disclaimer: 21+ and present in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA (permitted parishes only), MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. First online real money wager only. $10 Deposit req. Refund issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 14 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See full terms at fanduel.com/sportsbook. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org
