Kobe Bryant reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Draw completed in front of 8000 spectators at Shenzhen Bay Arena here on Saturday.
Thirty-two national teams have been distributed into eight groups. The host China was placed in Group A with Venezuela, Poland and Cote d'Ivoire. The United States, the defending champion, will begin with matchups against Turkey, the Czech Republic and Japan in Group E. World's second-ranked Spain will meet Puerto Rico, Iran and Tunisia in Group C. France drew the Dominican Republic, Germany and Jordan in Group G. Canada drew one of the toughest groups on paper with Australia, Lithuania and Senegal.
Teams were slotted into one of eight groups:
Group A: Venezuela, Poland, China and Ivory Coast
Group B: Argentina, Russia, South Korea and Nigeria
Group C: Spain, Puerto Rico, Iran and Tunisia
Group D: Serbia, Italy, Philippines and Angola
Group E: USA, Turkey, Czech Republic, Japan
Group F: Greece, Brazil, Montenegro, New Zealand
Group G: France, Dominican Republic, Germany, Jordan
Group H: Lithuania, Australia, Canada, Senegal
The tournament will be hosted in China's eight cities, running from Aug 31 to Sep 15, 2019.
Kobe Bryant reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
China's head coach, Li Nan reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Stephon Marbury reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Yao Ming (R), president of the Chinese Basketball Association reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Singer Jason Derulo reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Singer Jason Derulo reacts before the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Italy during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Russia during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
China's head coach, Li Nan reacts during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
American singer Jason Derulo performs during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
FIBA President Horacio Muratore speaks during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Italy during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Photo taken on March 16, 2019 shows the view of the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Spain during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Photo taken on March 16, 2019 shows the view of the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Argentina during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
American singer Jason Derulo performs during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
American singer Jason Derulo performs during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant (L), World Cup Ambassador hands over the World Cup Trophy to Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of France during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador reacts during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant , World Cup Ambassador picks up a ticket during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant, World Cup Ambassador shows a ticket of Spain during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Horacio Muratore, FIBA President speaks during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant (L), World Cup Ambassador hands over the World Cup Trophy to Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant (L), World Cup Ambassador and Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association react during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association reacts during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Kobe Bryant (L), World Cup Ambassador and Yao Ming, president of the Chinese Basketball Association react during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)
Photo taken on March 16, 2019 shows the view of the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Photo taken on March 16, 2019 shows the view of during the draw ceremony of 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)