Several NBA stars are set to take to the court in Taiwan this summer as New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang Gymnasium hosts warmup games for three national teams ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Taiwan is to host games involving Olympic silver medalists France, as well as Lithuania and Latvia in preparation for this year’s World Cup, to be cohosted by Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, a statement released by the T1 League said on Monday.
The top eight finishers at the World Cup, which begins on Aug. 25, are also to secure qualification for next year’s Paris Olympics.
Photo: AP
The warmup games have been co-organized by Bros Sports Marketing Co and the T1 League, which credited the success of bringing the teams to Taiwan to the league’s two Lithuanian players, Edgaras Zelionis (New Taipei CTBC DEA) and Mindaugas Kupsas (Kaohsiung Aquas).
Both Lithuanians have been selected for the league’s All-Star Game on Feb. 28.
“Taiwan and Lithuania have been sharing a great bond, plus the DEA’s addition of Edgaras this season, so the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office contacted us around January to see if we were willing to host the World Cup warmup games,” T1 League secretary-general Edward Chang said.
Lithuania has long enjoyed a high status in European basketball due to its storied history, Chang said, adding that it had invited the other two nations to join soon after having the Taiwan side’s nod.
The schedule for the warmup games is to be announced on Friday, the statement said.
In addition to winning the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, France finished third in the last two FIBA World Cups, while Lithuania also made it to the semi-finals in 2010 and 2014.
Local fans will likely be able to catch a glimpse of NBA All-Stars, including France’s Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lithuania’s Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) and Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis (Washington Wizards).
Fans may also get a chance to see 19-year-old Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, whose dexterity and shooting caliber has made him a wonder on the floor. He is widely tipped to be picked first overall in June’s NBA draft and has been described as “more like an alien” than a “unicorn” by leading all-time NBA scorer LeBron James.
Unicorn or alien, Taiwan fans might soon be able to find their own answers in New Taipei City in August.
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