USA launch Basketball WC defence against Czechs

SHENZHEN, China: A United States team packed with NBA stars will begin its bid for an unprecedented third Basketball World Cup title in a row with a clash against debutants the Czech Republic.

Team USA, who have named the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in their 2019-2020 roster, will be strong favourites to retain their crown at the August 31-September 15 showpiece in China.

Saturday’s draw in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen pitted a biggest-ever 32 teams from five continents and placed the USA in Group E in Shanghai alongside the Czechs, minnows Japan and Turkey — the team the USA beat in the 2010 final.

Shanghai and Shenzhen are among the eight host cities, along with Beijing, which will stage the final.

Former NBA and Team USA star Kobe Bryant, now a World Cup ambassador, told the draw ceremony: “The USA has some really stiff competition.”

Serbia, beaten by the USA in the final in Madrid in 2014, are in Group D with the Philippines, Italy and Angola.

Group H looks particularly competitive, lining up Canada, Senegal, Lithuania and Australia.

France, ranked third in the world behind top-rated USA and then Spain, are in Group G with the Dominican Republic, Jordan and European rivals Germany.

Boris Diaw, who took bronze with France at Spain 2014, said that another title for the USA — who are also the reigning Olympic champions — was not a foregone conclusion.

“I think a lot of teams can pretend to be able to go all the way to the final,” said Diaw, who spent 14 years in the NBA.

There is an added incentive for teams at this World Cup, with seven spots at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics up for grabs.

The top two from each group will go into the second round in China.

Groups as follows:

Group A (In Beijing): Ivory Coast, Poland, Venezuela, China

Group B (Wuhan): Russia, Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria

Group C (Guangzhou): Spain, Iran, Puerto Rico, Tunisia

Group D (Foshan): Angola, Philippines, Italy, Serbia

Group E (Shanghai): Turkey, Czech Republic, USA, Japan

Group F (Nanjing): Greece, New Zealand, Brazil, Montenegro

Group G (Shenzhen): Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Jordan

Group H (Dongguan): Canada, Senegal, Lithuania, Australia.