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Diminished and deprived of their NBA stars, the Americans are coming to the World Cup in China (from August 31 to September 15) with a much less impressive team, and even beaten in a warm-up match. A boon for European selections? Spain, France, Greece, Serbia and Greece have great ambitions.
Five years of waiting. The last men's basketball World Cup was in Spain in 2014. Usually, it was only four years between each edition, but the International Basketball Federation decided in 2012 to organize the 18th World Championships. world in 2019 and not in 2018, before preventing the event from competing with the Football World Cup.
This is not the only novelty for the upcoming major international event in China. Unlike the 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions, there are not 24 but 32 qualified nations (12 European, 7 American, 6 Asian, 5 African and 2 Oceanian). Thus, more teams will be able to compete, and thus promote the expansion of basketball practice in their countries.
Team USA without stars and without certainties
If there is a country where there is no need to help the development of basketball, it is that of Uncle Sam. The United States invented basketball and they are the masters: champions world champions, Olympic champions, champions of the Americas in men, world champions and Olympic champions in the ladies ... But these gentlemen are less frisky when it comes time to put their world title at stake in China.
The biggest stars of the NBA have shunned the appointment, preferring to prepare the best next season. Some, motivated, had to give up on injury: this is the case in particular of Anthony Davis and James Harden. And then, in the United States, the World Cup is less well perceived than the Olympic Games; to rule the world is good, but not as important as ruling Olympus.
N / A to our guys @ jaytatum0 and @masonplumlee repping 🇺🇸 / 😈 in 🇨🇳!
🏀 World Cup opens this weekend in Shanghai.
📸 @usabasketball pic.twitter.com/6Gxd81gTiH
Thus, Gregg Popovich, the coach, has to deal with a much less flashy group, where we mainly remember the names of Harrison Barnes, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker. For comparison, and even if some were then players in the making, the USA could count on Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose in 2010 and Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, Kevin Love in 2014.
And amazement on August 24: Team USA lost, in a warm-up match, against Australia (98-94). A national team of the United States who bow with a team made up of NBA players, it had not happened since 2006. The Americans retain their status of favorites, but it will be complicated to assume in China.
Serbia, often silver, would finally taste gold
Vice-champion of the world in 2014, Olympic vice-champion in 2016, reigning European vice-champion (beaten in 2017 by Slovenia, absent from this World Cup 2019), Serbia represents the main threat for the United States, and this despite a complicated qualification to obtain. The 12 Serbs are experienced (28 years of average age) and most play in the NBA or in big Euroleague teams.
And in their ranks, there is superstar Nikola Jokic, beautiful pivot of 2.13m for 113 kg. He is only 24 years old, but he is already the equal of tennis player Novak Djokovic in terms of popularity in his country. In the NBA, where he plays with the Denver Nuggets, the Serb is one of the brightest players. His compatriots are counting on him to bring Serbia to the top in China.
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Jokic x Misko.🏀💼
A publication shared by Nikola Jokic (@nikolajokicofficial) on August 28, 2019 at 3:50 PDT
Spain, a rank to hold
Spain remembers. Before the United States banged on the table and decided to give everything to win the World Cup again in 2010, La Roja had won the title in 2006 against Greece, ending 24 years of maneuvering. to-mano USA / Yugoslavia (last world champion different: the USSR in 1982). At the time, Rudy Fernandez and the Pau brothers and Marc Gasol were. Fifteen years later, Pau, the oldest brother (39), is missing, injured. But Marc and Rudy Fernandez are ready to lead this Spanish selection always ambitious.
Before Serbia got higher, Spain was one of the few teams able to look into Team USA's eyes. She also stays on five European podiums including three coronations and does not intend to perform.
Can @NBA field @MarcGasol lead 🇪🇸 to #FIBAWC glory 🏆? #FIBAWC # EspañaGotGame pic.twitter.com/zlcOmba9sK
Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) August 25, 2019France wants more
Do better than last time: in sport, this credo is a pleonasm, but for the Blues, it is an obsession for this World Cup 2019. In 2014, for the first time in their history, the men of Vincent Collet were mounted on the third step. Five years later, they are asking for more, even without their former guide Tony Parker, international retiree since 2016 and retired since last June.
Meanwhile, there was still this slap at the 2016 Olympics (elimination without appeal against Spain in the quarterfinals) and the big disappointment of Euro 2017 (elimination in the knockout round against Germany). Since then, the Blues have worked their defense, and for the World Cup, the coach Vincent Collet can rely on these rocks Nicolas Batum and Rudy Gobert, which was not the case in the last Euro. While Thomas Heurtel and Adrien Moerman miss the call because injured, but France is relatively spared at this level compared to other large nations. First goal: to manage the first match in his program against Germany.
#TeamFranceBasket pic.twitter.com/TfzHk2G697
Team France Basket (@FRABasketball) August 27, 2019Greece relies on Giannis Antetokounmpo
It would be insulting to the Hellenes to say that without Giannis Antetokounmpo , we would not think of them. Without him and without players playing in the NBA, the Greek team qualified for the World Cup without problem, conceding only one defeat for 17 victories over the entire playoff phase (only Lithuania has done as well). But he is sure that with the reinforcement of the jewel of Nigerian origin, Greece can dream.
At 24, the monstrous winger (2.11m, 110kg) is the MVP (Most Valuable Player, best player) of the 2018-2019 season of NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who wears the Milwaukee Bucks jersey on the other side of the Atlantic, crushes everything in his path. The Greek, who can count in selection and club on his big brother Athanasios «Thanasis» Antetoukounmpo, warned: « I would exchange my title of MVP against a gold medal in China ». In its wake, the Greeks can claim something.