- Team USA enters the FIBA World Cup as the clear favorites to win the international event in Southeast Asia.
- Spain and the USA have split the last four FIBA World Cup titles, with Team Spain winning the latest tournament in 2019.
- Team Canada, led by Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have the second-best odds to win their first-ever FIBA World Cup.
Team USA is expected to win their first FIBA Basketball World Cup since 2014, at least according to oddsmakers at BetUS. As we approach tip-off in Southeast Asia (Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, to be exact), the Americans have the shortest odds to win the international contest. Currently, Team USA has -110 odds to win the FIBA World Cup 2023 title.
The USA may not have LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Steph Curry, but they are still favored to win the FIBA World Cup 2023. Most NBA players use August as one final month of vacation and relaxation before training camp begins. Therefore, it can be difficult to convince elite veterans to represent the USA in international competitions at this time of the year.
Nevertheless, the USA is not going to Asia without a group of exceptional talent. Jalen Brunson, Paolo Banchero, Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves, and Tyrese Haliburton are all participating in the FIBA World Cup. In addition to this being a special opportunity to play for your country, younger players have a chance to gain invaluable experience.
Some of the players on the American side are on the verge of star status in the NBA. Banchero’s impact on the Orlando Magic will be profound over the next several years. The 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year averaged 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Brunson had a breakout campaign in his first season with the Knicks and should be a significant contributor in the upcoming NBA campaign.
Jalen Brunson was perfect in Team USA's win vs. Spain 🎯
-22 PTS
-9/9 FG
-4 AST pic.twitter.com/mFXwJEaPtw— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 13, 2023
Spain Not Expected To Repeat
Team Spain is typically one of the teams to beat in international basketball events. However, oddsmakers do not think highly of them going into the 2023 FIBA World Cup. According to BetUS, Spain is +1200 to win the event. Australia, France, Slovenia, and Canada all have better FIBA World Cup 2023 odds.
In 2019, the Spaniards beat Argentina in the championship match easily by a score of 95-75. Marc Gasol led Spain with 14 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. The Gasol brothers have been instrumental in Spain’s success over the last two decades.
However, Marc and Pau Gasol’s basketball careers have expired, which leaves a gaping hole in Spaniard basketball.
New Era of Spaniard Basketball
Santi Aldama is the focal point of this roster. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Aldama with the No. 30 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Aldama showed improvement in his sophomore campaign after playing in 77 games. In 2022-23, he averaged 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. The Hernangomez brothers, Juancho and Willy, will be asked to provide help in the front court.
7-foot-3 center Aday Mara is slated to be a lottery pick next year, but he is not on the World Cup roster. The UCLA freshman is currently getting acclimated to his new life in Los Angeles and preparing for the upcoming college basketball season. The next face of Spaniard basketball could be Mara’s responsibility.
7-foot-3 Aday Mara showed off his exceptional skill level and feel for the game at the U18s as a devastating PNR and post target with polished footwork and mesmerizing passing ability, while showing significant room for improvement defensively.
STORY: https://t.co/uOhOvqlGQT pic.twitter.com/UxcNujpoXt
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) August 9, 2023
Despite winning the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 title, Spain will be dealing with better talent at the FIBA World Cup. They are coming off a 98-88 loss to the USA in exhibition play this past weekend. Team USA shot the lights out on 67 percent shooting from the field, including 56 percent from three.
Team USA vs. Team Canada Projected In Final
If the FIBA World Cup odds line up correctly, we will have an all-North American final between the USA and Canada. With NBA talent on both sides, it would certainly be an entertaining final matchup. At +600, the Canadians have the second-best odds to win the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Canadian basketball has come a long way since Kelly Olynyk was the best player on their FIBA World Cup 2010 roster. Olynyk returns to Team Canada 13 years later, but there is a lot more to be excited about now.
Jamal Murray is the 6th player to average 20+ PPG and 10+ APG over a five game span in a single NBA Finals.#Nuggets | #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/TvVp0SmSMK
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 13, 2023
Jamal Murray, who was integral to the Denver Nuggets’ NBA title run, leads a talent-laded Canadian side. Along with Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a career-high season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In his second NBA season, Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
Other NBA contributors include RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, and Oshae Brissett, among others. Purdue’s Zach Edey, who is favored to win the 2023-24 Wooden Award for the best collegiate player, will also represent Canada at the FIBA World Cup 2023. Meanwhile, Cory Joseph and Olynyk’s presence is providing solid veteran leadership to a young locker room.
The FIBA World Cup 2023 officially tips off on August 25, with the title game scheduled on September 10.
