The FIBA World Cup is here, and if you don't watch a lot of international hoops, you might be wondering which games to turn into. The answer is, obviously, all of them. Like, come on: Watch them all!
But I get it. Games happen during the morning and people have jobs, school, parenting, lives. You can't realistically watch every game. So, which five should you specifically make time for?
Team USA vs. China
- Friday, Sept. 4, 8:15 a.m. ET
There's really not much first-round intrigue when it comes to Team USA, which means a couple of things. First, it means that the American opener is probably the closest thing to a must-watch game in the first round, and second, it means you can spend most of your time watching all the other nations that are competing.
Some reasons to watch this one against China: We get to see what this team looks like without A'ja Wilson. This is now a pretty small roster, with Aliyah Boston being the only true center, which means we'll have to see a lot of Angel Reese and, potentially, Kiki Iriafen at the five as well.
That's particularly interesting because China does have size. 6-foot-9 center Han Xu is the name that WNBA fans will know, and we'll see plenty of her, but there should also be minutes available for one of the most intriguing prospects in the world: 19-year-old center Zhang Ziyu, who stands at 7-foot-3.
Spain vs. Germany
- Friday, Sept. 4, 11:45 a.m. ET
While this one isn't quite as juicy as it would have been had Germany's roster featured a healthy Satou Sabally, there's still plenty of intrigue here for WNBA fans, including the fact that this is the first chance to see a really good Spanish team in action.
Something else to keep an eye on: Iyana Martin, a first-round pick by the Portland Fire this season who didn't end up coming over. She'll spend a lot of time running the Spain offense, and we should get a good sense of what to expect from her once she eventually makes it to America.
And while Germany is without one Sabally, it does have another in Nyara, as well as WNBA players like Leonie Fiebich, Luisa Geiselsoder and Frieda Buhner. It's also a rare chance to see Marie Gulich play basketball. We haven't seen her in the WNBA since the 2020 season with the Sparks, but she remains one of the best non-WNBA players in the world.
Puerto Rico vs. Belgium
- Sunday, Sept. 6, 11:45 a.m. ET
Belgium is one of the best teams in this tournament, and it's almost all because the team has the best non-WNBA player in the world in Emma Meesseman. I can't think of a player better built for international play. Julie Vanloo and Julie Allemand will take turns running this offense, and Belgium will, almost certainly, win this game by a big margin.
So, why highlight it? Because this Puerto Rico roster gives us a chance to watch a few former WNBA players, and it's always fun to remember some players!
Former Rutgers guard Arella Guirantes never lived up to expectations in the WNBA, but she's mostly played well in international play, serving as Puerto Rico's offensive engine. Imani McGee-Stafford will be out there at center, giving fans a chance to watch a hugely popular former player. I'm also personally excited to see Trinity San Antonio play, who was always really fun to watch at Cal Baptist and Grand Canyon.
Belgium vs. Australia
- Monday, Sept. 7, 5:30 a.m. ET
This might be the first-round game that I'm most excited for. I already talked above about this Belgium team, but Australia has a ton of talent as well, even though the loss of Sami Whitcomb from the roster is a huge blow to its chances.
Still, Australia has plenty of interesting names. The Ezi Magbegor-Alanna Smith duo has the potential to be the best non-American frontcourt in this tournament. Jade Melbourne and Stephanie Talbot are solid pieces, even though the Whitcomb loss takes away a huge, reliable source of offense.
This is also likely the only first-round game that can really single-handedly decide a group winner. (Maybe Spain vs. Germany in Group A, though I think the gap there is much bigger in Spain's favor, and we can't expect France or the United States to be threatened in this stage.) The potential stakes here are just heightened in a way they aren't in pretty much any other first-round game.
Nigeria vs. France
- Monday, Sept. 7, 8:30 a.m. ET
This one likely won't be competitive. France is just too good, as they're the most likely team to take down Team USA. It's a lineup full of WNBA stars, including potential Defensive Player of the Year Gabby Williams and Sixth Player of the Year Janelle Salaun. You have Dominique Malonga up front and then a ton of guard depth with Carla Leite, Marine Johannes and Leila Lacan. It's a really strong roster, and it's going to easily win this group over Hungary, Nigeria and South Korea.
You can make arguments in favor of watching any of these games. Hungary has Dorka Juhasz and Yvonne Turner. South Korea has Park Ji-hyun. Nigeria probably has the least high-end talent, but well, I just always like to watch this team.
Amy Okonkwo is a two-time FIBA AfroBasket MVP who is finally getting a chance to play in the WNBA after going undrafted in 2020. Elizabeth Balogun is a name many will remember from her time at Duke. Promise Amukamara is an experienced point guard who plays good defense and can provide a scoring spark. This game might end up not being close, but Nigeria is a team you should watch at least once.
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