Several NBA players will head over to Manila for the tournament.
It’s just six days before the FIBA World Cup tips off.
As the tournament begins, 32 countries from around the world are set to compete for the coveted Naismith Trophy and a shot at international glory.
With that in mind, here's an overview of some of the captivating players—from Group A to D—worth watching during the tournament.
Group A: Jordan Clarkson and Karl Anthony Towns
Jordan Clarkson
All eyes will be on JC as he leads Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup.
During the Asian Qualifiers, Clarkson averaged 25.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. If that’s any indication of how he will play for the Philippines, then Gilas fans will be in for a treat.
The goal for the Philippines is to qualify for the next round of the tournament or even the Olympics—a tough task but a doable one.
Karl Anthony Towns
KAT is back with the Dominican Republic for the first time since 2013.
The Minnesota Timberwolves center will definitely be a star attraction in the FIBA World Cup given his capabilities to score from almost anywhere on the court. Gilas will definitely have its hands full with this three-time NBA All-Star
Group B: Kyle Anderson and Bogdan Bogdanovic
Kyle Anderson
Make way for Kyle Anderson—or should we say Li Kaier.
Anderson has been training with the Chinese team for about a month now and has had some solid performances so far in tune-ups.
Of course, the goal for Anderson and China is to make it to the next round and possibly secure the best Asian team finish in the tournament, which would be rewarded with an outright Olympic spot for Paris in 2024.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
With Nikola Jokic skipping the FIBA World Cup, Serbia will have to rely on the hot shooting of the Atlanta Hawks swingman.
The 30-year-old Bogdanovic, who is already familiar with a Filipino crowd, will have to carry the load on offense for a Serbian team looking to get back to the podium like in 2014. The thing is, he is actually capable, as he is averaging 14.2 points in his NBA career so far on 39% shooting from beyond the arc.
Group C: Jalen Brunson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Jalen Brunson
Brunson has been an absolute star for Team USA in its tune-up games leading up to the FIBA World Cup.
If he continues his stellar play, along with his other NBA peers, Team USA should have the tournament in the bag.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Many PBA fans were probably surprised about RHJ being selected as Jordan’s naturalized player for the FIBA World Cup in place of many-time national team member Dar Tucker.
But given his performance during the PBA Governors’ Cup, it isn't really surprising as Hollis-Jefferson showed his NBA pedigree, doing it on both ends for the TNT Tropang Giga and leading the franchise to the title opposite Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Justin Brownlee.
Group D: Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Vucevic
Jonas Valanciunas
There are some players that complement the FIBA game well—and Lithuania’s Valanciunas is one of them.
The Lithuanian team is hoping for an encore to the 30-year-old's remarkable performance at EuroBasket 2022, where the big man consistently churned out double-doubles to help Lithuania advance to the round of 16.
With Domantas Sabonis out of the Lithuanian national team, Valanciunas will have to become the main man for the European squad.
Nikola Vucevic
Vuc, who is already in the Philippines for Montenegro's tune-up game with Gilas, will be at the forefront of his nation's FIBA World Cup campaign.
At 32 years old, Vucevic continues to excel at a top-tier level, averaging 17.7 points and 11 rebounds in the previous NBA season.
With the Chicago Bulls center leading the way, Montenegro will be hoping to qualify for the next stage of the tournament.
(MDB)