Image Source Jonathan Cellona for ABS-CBN News

FIBA to include star-studded roster from the NBA; first game to run today at the Phil Sports Arena

August 25, 2023 Philippines Sports

More than 50 current NBA players, along with ; FIBA World Cup opener to be held in the Philippine Sports Arena in Pasig Metro Manila today; 32 national teams to vie for the FIBA championship from today until Sept 10 in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

Article originally appeared in ABS-CBN News.

A record 55 current NBA players are featured on national team rosters for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 that will be held in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

The NBA announced on Friday that the World Cup will feature a record 106 combined current NBA players, NBA draftees, and players with NBA experience, up from 103 in 2019.

Twenty-seven of the 32 participating national teams have at least one current NBA player, NBA draftee or a player with NBA experience. Outside of the United States, which features a tournament-high 12 NBA players, Australia has the most current NBA players (nine), followed by Canada (seven) and Germany (four).

There are also ten former NBA All-Stars competing in the World Cup: Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves; USA), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves; France), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers; USA), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans; USA), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies; USA), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves; Dominican Republic) and Nikola Vučević (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro).

The Orlando Magic, Jazz, Thunder and Timberwolves each feature a league-high five players, while the New York Knicks and Mavericks each have four players in the tournament. There are 54 players with NBA G League experience on national team rosters.

There are 87 former Basketball Without Borders (BWB) campers on national team rosters. BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has been conducted annually since 2001 and has seen 112 former campers advance to the NBA or WNBA.

The World Cup will run from August 25 to September 10