FIBA World Cup 2019: Power Rankings heading into the quarter-finals
After a thrilling 10 days of action, the group stage of the FIBA World Cup 2019 is now in the books. The field has been narrowed from 32 teams to just eight, with Argentina, Serbia, Spain, Poland, United States, France, Australia, and the Czech Republic advancing to the knockout phase.
A number of big teams such as Italy have missed out following underwhelming performances, while Giannis Antetokounmpo will also be missing as his Greek side failed to beat the Czech Republic by the 12 point margin needed to advance.
While all eight of the remaining teams will be hopeful of mounting a challenge over the next six days, it is fair to state that certain nations are better positioned to leave China with the trophy. So, ahead of the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup, here are how the five favorites to take home the title.
#5 France
The French possess one of the best rosters at the World Cup, although the team has struggled to hit top form in China. While they have recorded easy wins over Jordan and the Dominican Republic, they needed plenty of luck in wins over Germany and Lithuania.
A poor defensive performance in Game 5 against Australia also resulted in a surprise loss and France now face a tough path to the Final as they will face the Americans before a potential semi-final matchup with Serbia.
With a roster brimming with NBA talent such as Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and Nicolas Batum, the French can beat anyone when playing to their full potential, although it will be difficult for them to put together three big performances in a row to secure the title.