NBA players guess FIBA World Cup results / News - Basketnews.com

The USA came in first with six first places and five second places. France and Spain tied for second place with seven total selections for the Top 3.

Credit: AP, USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit AP, USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

Since the inaugural FIBA Basketball World Cup in 1950, just 15 national teams have reached the podium.

Kenny Lofton Jr.

Team:Memphis GrizzliesPosition:PF, CAge:20Height:201 cmWeight:127 kgBirth place:Texas, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Soviet Union, Spain, Turkey, and the USA are the only countries to clinch at least one top-three finish.

Just six of those countries - Argentina, Brazil, the Soviet Union, Spain, and the USA - have claimed the title at least once.

There was a variety of opinions expressed at the NBA All-Star Weekend by players interviewed by the NBA about which countries would finish in the top three when the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is played this year in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

Some are betting on new countries to claim a medal for the first time. Eleven countries got votes and three favorites emerged from this ballot - USA, France, and Spain.

Player USA France Spain Canada Australia Germany Slovenia Finland Greece China Serbia Lauri Markkanen 1 2 3 Scottie Barnes 2 1 3 Franz Wagner 2 3 1 Josh Giddey 2 1 3 Paolo Banchero 1 2 3 Jabari Smith 1 2 3 Jaden Ivey 1 3 Jalen Duren 1 3 2 Kenneth Lofton Jr. 1 2 3 Andrew Nembhard 2 3 1 Scoot Henderson 3 2 1 Mojave King 2 3 1 Sidy Cissokho 2 1 3 TOTAL 1 6 2 2 2 1 TOTAL 2 5 2 4 1 TOTAL 3 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 1

USA

The Americans have won five World Cups in their history, including two of the last three. While the USA lost in the Quarter-Finals in 2019 to France, the country bounced back with an Olympic gold medal triumph in Tokyo. No matter who is in the team, the USA will be a force.

France

Les Bleus reached the podium at each of the last two FIBA Basketball World Cups, were silver medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, and runners-up at a star-studded FIBA EuroBasket 2022. Still searching for their first world title, this could be the year that an incredibly talented France team that's likely to have Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama, achieves glory.

Spain

Even after a generational change, Spain have been so good that it has climbed to the top of the FIBA World Ranking. Not only did the team coached by Sergio Scariolo win the second world title in the country's history in 2019 when Ricky Rubio was the tournament MVP, it prevailed in one of the most competitive FIBA EuroBaskets ever staged last year.

Lauri Markkanen

MIN:34.43PTS:25.62 (59.59%)REB:8.64As:1.86ST:0.64BL:0.58TO:1.92GM:66ProfileNBA2022/2023

Rest of the best

No one should discount the possibilities of other countries that NBA players mentioned above. Canada, Australia, and Serbia have multiple players in the league that will help make their countries dangerous, just as Giannis Antetokoumpo (Greece), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), and Dennis Schroder (Germany) will do for their respective national teams. And even China, with Aleksandar Djordjevic at the helm, will be a very competitive team.

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