- August 30th, 2019, 3:08 am
#2286
For all of their starry absences, the United States will be the favorite to retain their FIBA World Cup when the 2019 edition tips off on Saturday in China. But an alternative victor isn't that difficult to imagine.
Within the competition's largest-ever field of 32, there are a clutch of potential contenders including 2006 winners Spain, the experienced and talented Australia and formidable Serbia.
EDITOR'S PICKS
The B-team World Cup? FIBA aims to prove it's so much more than that
Why Team USA has no margin for error at the FIBA World Cup
Over 1 billion expecting eyes will be on the hosts. Even lower-ranked challengers like Jordan and Tunisia will have goals to fulfill, with the sub-plot of seven berths at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo also up for grabs.
The World Cup may lack some of the stardust of those Games but it still promises to deliver 16 days of fascinating top-quality basketball -- until the winner is crowned in Beijing on Sept. 15.
Here's ESPN.com's look at the eight opening-round groups -- and some analysis and predictions of how the tournament might unfold, including a champion that's not you-know-who...
Clippers Paul George Jersey
Celtics Kemba Walker Jersey
Within the competition's largest-ever field of 32, there are a clutch of potential contenders including 2006 winners Spain, the experienced and talented Australia and formidable Serbia.
EDITOR'S PICKS
The B-team World Cup? FIBA aims to prove it's so much more than that
Why Team USA has no margin for error at the FIBA World Cup
Over 1 billion expecting eyes will be on the hosts. Even lower-ranked challengers like Jordan and Tunisia will have goals to fulfill, with the sub-plot of seven berths at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo also up for grabs.
The World Cup may lack some of the stardust of those Games but it still promises to deliver 16 days of fascinating top-quality basketball -- until the winner is crowned in Beijing on Sept. 15.
Here's ESPN.com's look at the eight opening-round groups -- and some analysis and predictions of how the tournament might unfold, including a champion that's not you-know-who...
Clippers Paul George Jersey
Celtics Kemba Walker Jersey