U.S. Men’s National Team to Play Exhibition Games in Málaga, Spain
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (March 13, 2023) – USA Basketball announced the U.S. Men’s National Team will play two games in Málaga, Spain, as part of the USA Basketball Showcase in preparation for the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup.
The U.S will head to Spain following several days of training camp in Las Vegas in early August (details TBA).
In Málaga, the Americans will be hosted by the Spanish Basketball Federation (La Federación Española de Baloncesto) for a pair of contests against the Slovenian National Team on Aug. 12 and the Spanish National Team on Aug. 13. The slate of games will also see Spain tip off vs. Slovenia on Aug. 11.
The USA Basketball Showcase Spain will mark the U.S. men’s first visit to the country since winning the 2014 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Madrid.
“We are thrilled to confirm plans to take the USA Basketball Showcase to Málaga. The U.S. will face strong competitors in both Spain and Slovenia,” said Jim Tooley, CEO, USA Basketball. “Thank you to the Spanish Basketball Federation, which is celebrating 100 years, for the invitation back to Spain, a country where the U.S. national team has great memories. We look forward to using the USA Basketball Showcase to prepare for the World Cup and engage with fans on our way to Manila.”
Today’s news follows last week’s announcement of the USA Basketball Showcase Abu Dhabi in which the U.S. and the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced they will jointly put on three games in Abu Dhabi. The U.S. will play the national teams of Greece and Germany on Aug. 18 and 20, respectively, with Greece and Germany set to tip off on Aug. 19.
Additional USA Basketball Showcase details, including additional games, rosters, ticket sales, broadcast information and training camp dates, will be announced later.
The U.S. officially qualified for the 2023 FIBA World Cup last month. One of seven teams set to represent FIBA Americas in the 32-team field, the USA will play all its games in Manila as the tournament is set for Aug. 25-Sept. 10, in Indonesia, Japan and The Philippines. The World Cup draw is set for April 29, 2023, in Manila. For more information, click here.
| 2023 USA BASKETBALL SHOWCASE U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM | ||
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
| Aug. 12, 2023 | Slovenia | Malaga, ESP |
| Aug. 13, 2023 | Spain | Malaga, ESP |
| Aug. 18, 2023 | Greece | Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Aug. 20, 2023 | Germany | Abu Dhabi, UAE |
ADDITIONAL LEADERSHIP QUOTES:
Jorge Garbajosa, president, La Federación Española de Baloncesto: “It’s an honor for the Spanish Basketball Federation to announce USA Basketball as a partner for the big tournament of our Centenary, which will take place in Málaga in August. We’re convinced that the games between Spain, the United States and Slovenia will shape the best basketball tournament in the world, be the best show for the fans and a perfect tool to increase the passion for our sport. It’s going be a huge event and we are looking forward to seeing everyone in Andalucía to celebrate the first and successful 100 years of basketball in Spain.”
MEDIA INFORMATION:
Creative assets, including the recording today’s Zoom media availability with Grant Hill, USA Basketball men’s national team managing director, will be uploaded here (courtesy USA Basketball).