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Ranking the 10 biggest threats to Team USA at 2023 FIBA World Cup

By Holden Walter-Warner

BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 18: Rudy Fernandez of Spain celebrates with teammates while holding The Nikolai Semashko Trophy on the podium following their victory in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 final match between Spain v France at EuroBasket Arena Berlin on September 18, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 18: Rudy Fernandez of Spain celebrates with teammates while holding The Nikolai Semashko Trophy on the podium following their victory in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 final match between Spain v France at EuroBasket Arena Berlin on September 18, 2022 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images) /
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Langston Galloway #41 of the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team and Tyrese Haliburton #4 and Jalen Brunson (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Langston Galloway #41 of the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team and Tyrese Haliburton #4 and Jalen Brunson (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is weeks away and once again, the United States will be one of the heavy favorites in the event. Team USA is always viewed with the utmost respect as the dominant force in world basketball for decades.

Team USA isn’t actually atop the world rankings entering the tournament, though. Even if the Americans emerge as the betting favorite before things tip off on Aug. 25, the United States is going to have its hands full.

This year’s World Cup is taking place across three countries: the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. The final is scheduled to take place on Sep. 10.

As the 2023 FIBA World Cup approaches, which teams are going to challenge Team USA’s path to glory this summer?

The United States is tied with the defunct nation of Yugoslavia for the most FIBA World Cup titles with five. But they didn’t win the most recent iteration of the event in China in 2019 – that title belongs to Spain.

In fact, the Americans are coming off their worst performance at a World Cup, crashing out in the quarterfinals at the hands of France. Team USA ultimately finished in seventh place, besting (worsting?) their sixth-place finish from 2002.

Revenge will be on the mind for Team USA this summer, and they certainly have the roster to get it. Players include Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Anthon Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Who stands in Team USA’s way? Here are the ten biggest title threats to the Americans at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.