The start of the 2023 World Cup, which will be held between the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan from August 25 to September 10, with the final stage held in Manila, less and less. A competition that will also be characterized by numerous absences, with several important players who have lost in recent weeks. ForItalbasketfor example, no Daniel Gallinarirecovering from an injury he suffered with the national team last summer that saw him miss all of last season, Marco Belinelli but also Nico Mannion.
Among the teams that recorded the most passes, of course, Serbiafor free Nikola JokicNew NBA MVP with the Nuggets Vasily Michicwho also came to the US in the summer with a three-year contract with the Thunder, Nikola Kalinich, Alexey Pokushevsky and last Nemanja Nedovich. A similar situation for Greecewho must do without his star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Slukasmoved from Ola to Pan in the summer, e Nick Calathes.
There France hoped to have Victor Vembanyama but the first pick in the 2023 draft decided to take a break from his rookie NBA season, promising to be there at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Also missing Frank Ntilikinawho was replaced by a Virtus Bologna player Isaiah Cordinierwhile it is not at its best and availability is still doubtful Matthias Lessor, the protagonist of last Euroleague season. For Spaincoach Scariolo can count on the Hernangomez brothers, both of whom have returned to Europe in recent weeks, and there will be no naturalized ones there Lorenzo Brownwhose presence a year ago was decisive at the EuroBasket, e Ricky Rubiowho decided to take a break from basketball to deal with some mental issues.
The absent also flock to Lithuania. It’s not from the NBA Domantas Sabonisand from the Euroleague they will not be there Grigonis AND Gedraytis. And there are even less favorable line-ups in the title race, which fixed important misses: from Japan, without Rui Hachimurato the Dominican Republic, which convinced Karl-Anthony Towns that he would not be joined Al Horford AND Chris Duarteto Latvia coach Luka Banka, where Kristaps Porzingis plantar fasciitis was treated. It’s still Andrew Wiggins, Benedict Maturin AND Brandon Clark for an already talented Canada, Vlatko Cankar for Slovenia Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Isaiah Hartenstein AND Nick Weiler-Babb for Germany Schorder.