Izuchukwu OkosiThe National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on Wednesday (9 August 2023) announced that the NBA App and NBA.com will carry FIBA’s digital platform, Courtside 1891, allowing fans in 20 countries and territories to purchase the FIBA World Cup Pass and watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
Nigeria will not be part of proceedings as D’Tigers failed to qualify for the tournament.
Beginning with the opening games on Friday, August 25, and continuing through to the Final on Sunday, September 10, Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass will offer fans access to live and on-demand games, extended highlights and top plays.
The addition of the FIBA World Cup Pass into NBA App programming builds on the NBA’s efforts to engage with fans throughout the offseason and widen its scope of basketball content.
Taking place in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will feature 32 participating teams playing in 92 games over 16 days of competition.
On August 25, 2022-23 Kia All-NBA First Team member Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and the Canada men’s National Team will open the Group Phase play against France, led by three-time NBA All-Star and Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves).
On Saturday, August 26, Slovenia, led by four-time NBA All-Star and Kia All-NBA First Team member Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), will begin Group Phase play against Venezuela.
The USA men’s National Team, which features 2023 NBA All-Stars Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), as well as 2022-23 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), will open Group Phase play against New Zealand.
Defending world champion Spain will tip off its title defense against one of Africa’s representatives, Cote d’Ivorie, on August 26.
The NBA will announce the complete list of NBA players participating in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 once all final national team rosters are set.
Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass is available for purchase at NBA.com/WorldCup, and the complete game schedule is available at NBA.com/fiba/world-cup/2023/schedule.
The coverage available on Courtside 1891 complements the extensive live broadcasts that will be made by FIBA’s broadcast partners in over 190 territories across the world.
Fans will be able to follow both live telecasts and dedicated analysis through their national broadcast partner, with the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 on track to have the biggest and broadest distribution ever.
Up to date details of local broadcast distribution arrangements will be made available on the official FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 website.
Countries and territories included are Angola, Argentina, Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
In Nigeria and some parts of Africa however, some local television and pay television channels are still expected to broadcast the World Cup to its teeming audience.
The 19th edition of FIBA’s flagship event, the FIBA Basketball World Cup, will take place for the first time across three host nations in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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