Serbia is counting on their NBA basketball stars to make a splash at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. The Sacramento Kings' Bogdan Bogdanovic, Memphis Grizzlies' Marko Guduric, Philadelphia 76ers' Boban Marjanovic, and Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic are all playing for Serbia. The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in China on Aug. 31-Sept.15.
Serbia will face Italy, Angola, and the Philippines in Group D.
This will be Serbia's sixth World Cup tournament and the team Serbia will be competing for their third World Cup title following 1998 and 2002.
Serbia is currently in fourth place in the FIBA World rankings.
Serbians were silver medalists in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, losing the final in Madrid against the US.
Italy
This will be Italy's first World Cup tournament in 13 years.
Italy has vied in World Cup tournaments a total of eight times, seeing their biggest successes in 1970 and 1978 with the number four spot.
They did not make the cut for the last two World Cup tournaments.
They are currently in ninth place in the FIBA World rankings.
NBA players Marco Belinelli of the San Antonio Spurs and Danilo Gallinari of the Los Angeles Clippers will play for Italy in China.
Philippines
The Philippines has competed in five World Cup tournaments, scoring their greatest success in 1954 by taking the number three spot.
They are currently in 31st place in the FIBA World rankings.
The Philippines are one of the six Asian countries competing in this tournament.
Angola
Angola has competed in seven World Cup tournaments, scoring their best success in 2006 by taking the number nine spot.
They are currently in 39th place in the FIBA World rankings.
Angola is one of five African countries competing in the tournament.
Group D fixtures:
Aug. 31:
Angola - Serbia
Philippines - Italy
Sept. 2:
Serbia - Philippines
Italy - Angola
Sept. 4:
Italy - Serbia
Angola - Philippines