Players We Can’t Wait To Watch During 2023 FIBA World Cup

Some of basketball’s best players will compete in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which will be held in different venues across Indonesia, Japan and The Philippines in late August and early September. The 32-team field will feature familiar names from the NBA, as well as other intriguing players who are known throughout the basketball landscape.

Since he arrived in the NBA, Giddey’s feel for the game has been apparent. He has an excellent knack for knowing when to shoot, while continuing to get in the lane to pass the ball to open teammates. His teammates in Australia won’t hesitate to run the floor with Giddey handling the rock, because there’s a good chance he’ll find them.

Perhaps no player in the NBA ascended as much in the 2022-2023 campaign as Gilgeous-Alexander. He went from being considered a very talented prospect to a bonafide superstar last season, and will look to continue his rise during the international tournament. He has an excellent chance to put his stamp on a huge stage.

Fans will remember Edey from Purdue’s shocking loss in the 2023 NCAA college basketball tournament in March 2023, but he is looking to put that experience behind him. The gargantuan center will return to campus for another season of college basketball, but it will be fun to see him test his game against legitimate professionals during the FIBA World Cup.

Although he was born in the United States, Anderson recently obtained Chinese citizenship, which makes him eligible to represent the country of his father’s ethnicity. Athletes competing for China must go by a Chinese name, so Anderson will be known as “Li Kai’er” throughout the tournament.

He’s getting up there in age, but Horford has shown multiple times over that his basketball intelligence can still put him in the right place at the right time. It’s going to be interesting to see if the Dominican Republic leans on the 37 year-old for heavy minutes during the tournament, or whether he’ll be a de facto coach from the sidelines.

There’s been a lot of speculation that the Minnesota Timberwolves might want to move on from Towns, but he remains a member of the team that drafted him. Before the NBA season, he’ll have a chance to dazzle on the international stage. Fans might see Towns handling the ball quite a bit, which is something he doesn’t always get to do in NBA games.

After his breakout season in the NBA last year, Markkanen has leaned heavily into his Finnish roots during the offseason. All men in Finland must serve time in the army, which the Utah Jazz star fulfilled earlier this summer. He’ll try to lead his team to a surprising finish in the tournament, and will be guarded by some of the best defensive players in the tournament.

Even though he’s fallen out of the New York Knicks’ rotation, Fournier seems to step up his game when he’s competing for his native France. The guard played very well during the 2020 Olympics, and is not afraid of the spotlight during global competition. He’ll be one of the veterans that will look to lead France to a FIBA title.

Even though many in basketball circles know just how tantalizing Wagner’s skill set is, there are still a lot of fans who don’t see a lot of his games with the Orlando Magic. The unique ability of the German point-forward will be on full display, and he’ll have a chance to suit up once again with his brother Moritz.

It’s always fun to see one of the best players in the world take his responsibility to his home country seriously, which Antetokounmpo certainly does. The Greek Freak lays it all out on the line for the Milwaukee Bucks, and his pedal to the metal approach should allow Greece to be competitive during the tournament.

Fontecchio was able to crack the Utah Jazz rotation at times last season, but should have a chance to spread his wings a bit more with Team Italy. The Italians will be without Danilo Gallinari this summer, who is working his way back from a serious knee injury. That should allow Fontecchio to be deployed as one of the go-to options on the team.

Hachimura’s career was teetering on the brink of irrelevancy last season, but a mid-season trade to the Los Angeles Lakers changed that trajectory. He had an impressive performance for them during the playoffs, which compelled the front office to give him a new contract. Hachimura will look to play with the regained confidence for his native Japan.

Had he not been traded to the Boston Celtics in June, many would have overlooked Porzingis’ presence in the FIBA World Cup. However, interest in the big man will be heightened, as fans will look to see the shot-blocking presence he offers, plus the skill to stretch defenses from well beyond the three-point line.

Many fans might not realize that Clarkson has represented The Philippines during international basketball competitions for quite some time. The pure scorer should have a chance to put up some huge numbers during the FIBA World Cup, and might be amongst the tournament leaders in that department.

Clarkson’s teammates on the Filipino roster has been mentioned from time to time as a potential NBA prospect. Sotto stands 7’3”, and at 21 years of age, still has dreams of making it to the league. He plays professionally in Japan, and will need to turn some heads during the FIBA World Cup if he wants NBA scouts to take notice.

Much has been made about the type of shape Doncic enters NBA seasons in, but he’ll be in game-ready fitness this summer as he competes for Team Slovenia. He’s on the short list of players who could singlehandedly drag his team to the later stages of the event, and should deliver some memorable moments during the run.

It didn’t seem like too long ago that Rubio was one of the young up and comers on a perennially dangerous Spanish team. He’s now one of the elder statesman, but his style of play has always lent itself well to international competition. He may have lost a step or two since his prime, but Rubio will keep the ball moving on offense.

While it’s usually more fun to talk about offense during basketball games, the United States will need to ramp up its defense if they want to win the FIBA World Cup. Kessler should help immensely in that regard, as he proved to be one of the NBA’s elite shot-blockers as a rookie with the Jazz last season.

Another key player for the United States will be Brunson, who showed everyone what he could do last year in a leading role with the New York Knicks. It seems like the ball will be in his hands a lot during the tournament, which is bad news for defenders who will try to keep the guard out of the scoring column.

He had a role with the Chicago Bulls for six seasons, but it’s possible that Felicio’s time in the NBA may have come to an end. He hasn’t suited up since 2021, but has a chance to make it back as a reserve in his early thirties. More immediately, Felicio will focus on being a rim protector for his native Brazil.