Team Greece will face Team US in the group stage of the basketball world cup that will take place in August.
The two teams were drawn in the same group with New Zealand and Jordan and are regarded as favorites to progress to the next round.
The US will open World Cup play against New Zealand on August 26, then face Greece and likely Giannis Antetokounmpo on August 28, and conclude group-stage play August 30 against Jordan.
The Americans are the four-time defending Olympic champions who finished seventh at the most recent World Cup in 2019.
Defending World Cup champion Spain is in Group G, with Iran, Ivory Coast and Brazil as its opening opponents. France is in Group H, along with Canada, Latvia and Lebanon.
The US beat an Antetokounmpo-led Greece 69-53 at the last men’s World Cup in 2019.
The top two teams from each of the eight first-round groups advance to a second round of group play, which determines the quarterfinalists. If seeds hold, the US and Greece would play Lithuania and Montenegro in the second round with the top two teams advancing to the quarters.
Basketball World Cup to be hosted in east Asia
The quadrennial World Cup, which is Aug. 25-Sept. 10, is co-hosted this year by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
The top two teams from North and South America — out of the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela — will qualify for the 2024 Paris Games.
The rest can still make it to Paris through one of four last-chance, winner-take-all qualifying tournaments, likely to take place in June 2024.
The US World Cup roster is not expected to be named until after the NBA Finals.
Greece is the only basketball team to have defeated the US during 2005–2016
Greece have appeared eight times at the FIBA World Cup, with their best result coming in 2006 as runners-up, after beating the US 101–95 in the tournament’s semi-final.
Greece has taken part in the EuroBasket 28 times, winning the tournament twice; while also coming away with one silver (1989), as well as two bronze medals (1949, 2009).
Some of the team’s highlights at the competition were beating the Soviet Union 103–101 in the final in Athens to win their first title in 1987, and defeating Germany 78–62 in the final in 2005.
Greece has competed four times at the Olympic Games, their best results being fifth-place finishes on three occasions (1996, 2004, 2008).
Greece is the only national team in the world to have defeated the US during Mike Krzyzewski’s era (2005–2016), as the latter had an undefeated record both before and after the 2006 FIBA World Cup semi-final, all major competitions included.
Source: greekreporter
