Hoops Habit
Fansided

FIBA World Cup 2019: Previewing Group D

By Nathan Burleyson

Photo by Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Photo by Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images /

Angola

Angola’s national team is also making an appearance in Group D. They are 39th overall in the FIBA world rankings. In the qualifying rounds, they topped a group consisting of Egypt, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the second round, they placed second in their group falling only to Tunisia once. They are one of five African teams in the World Cup.

The country took first place at the African Games in 2015, placed seventh at the FIBA Africa Championship in 2017 and placed 17th overall at the FIBA World Cup in 2014.

The country has not qualified for the Olympics since Beijing in 2008. The team returns to China for this World Cup, hoping to make a surprise in Group D.

The team is coached by an American from Vermont, Will Voigt. The idea of a random white guy from Vermont ending up coaching the Angolan national team is warranting of interest by itself. Voigt also coached the Nigerian national team for a quick stint in 2015-16.

He leads a team of professionals in African basketball leagues including six of the players playing on the same club domestically.

One thing this team does have is a large number of players who have played full-time with one another. When it comes to smaller countries, a lot of talent is retained within the area. Players do not go all over the country to play for other leagues.

Angola is in the top three within the FIBA Africa rankings, and have proven themselves to be one of the top African countries consistently over the past decade.

Angola opens up its FIBA World Cup run against Serbia on Saturday. They will then play Italy on Monday and finish their group play run against the Philippines on Wednesday.