5 NBA stars who won’t feature in FIBA World Cup 2023: Players, teams and more
The FIBA World Cup 2023 is set to take place this summer in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10. With that, many fans are anxiously waiting to find out which players they will be able to see in action when things tip off.
With the Team USA FIBA World Cup 2023 roster set, the focus has now begun to shift to players who are surprisingly and notably left off the list. Given that many players jump at the opportunity to represent their country, the fact that some of the NBA's biggest names are missing is very noteworthy.
Without further ado, let's jump right in and take a look at five NBA stars who won't join their teams at the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Five stars missing FIBA World Cup 2023
#5: Giannis Antetokounmpo
We're kicking things off with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who seems likely to miss the FIBA World Cup 2023 because of a leg injury. While he hasn't officially been ruled out yet, it sounds as though Antetokounmpo is still trying to get back to 100%.
This week, Shams Charania reported that Antetokoumpo is uncertain to play after a 'cleanup procedure' on his knee two weeks ago. Given how important he is to the Bucks organization, it's safe to say the team is unlikely to let him join Greece if he isn't 100%.
#4: Jayson Tatum
While it isn't uncommon that Team USA's biggest stars skip out on the FIBA World Cup, Jayson Tatum was a staple of the 2019 team. Given that, many were expecting him to return for the FIBA World Cup 2023 considering he's just 25 years old.
After coming up short in the Eastern Conference finals to the Miami Heat, Tatum seems focused on preparing for the upcoming NBA season.
#3: Victor Wembanyama
As the No. 1 draft pick this year, Victor Wembanyama has a packed schedule. In addition to the fact that he just recently finished his season with the Metropolitans 92, Wembanyama is also preparing to play in the NBA summer league. Given his schedule, Wembanyama has opted out of the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Fortunately for Team France, Rudy Gobert will play, despite initially sounding as though he would sit out this year's tournament.
#2: Joel Embiid
2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid is another name who could have made a massive impact in the FIBA World Cup. Despite that, after Embiid was ruled out for Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs with an LCL Sprain, he has seemingly decided to forgo the World Cup.
With dual citizenship for Team USA and France, Embiid will now look ahead to deciding where to play for the 2024 Olympics.
#1: Nikola Jokic
With Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets winning the 2023 NBA championship, the Finals MVP would have had quite a quick turnaround if he were to jump into the World Cup. While his presence would be massive for Serbia, Jokic has stated that if he were to play, he would give the team his all.
Since then, it sounds as though the Finals MVP is somewhat on the fence still. Reports have indicated that he has a family commitment, and as a result, should he miss the World Cup, his absence would be a crushing blow.
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