Basketball: All-Stars sit out World Cup

LeBron James is among USA no-shows for the World Cup. Photo /AP

Some of basketball’s top names missing from USA team to compete for title in Spain

A new name but an old battle for the Basketball World Cup. The 2014 World Cup, formerly known as the Basketball World Championship, will start in Spain this weekend, but a number of the sport's leading names are again missing.

Steven Adams was not the only NBA player to opt out of this year's tournament, with All-Stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony and championship winning guard Tony Parker also deciding to skip the event to focus on preparing for their upcoming club seasons.

It is not a new phenomenon. Ever since the United States was allowed to start picking professionals for the 1994 world championships, prominent players have said no thanks.

The problem for organisers is that players view the Olympics as basketball's pinnacle international tournament. Only two members of the gold medal winning USA squad from London will play in Spain.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is trying to change perceptions. As well as rebranding its tournament, the next event will be held in 2019 not 2018 so it is no longer played in the same year as the Football World Cup. There have also been suggestions that basketball become an age-group tournament at the Olympics, like men's football is.

But FIBA's ultimately at the behest of the NBA, with new commissioner Adam Silver recently stating the future availability of the league's players is a hot topic.

The tipping point for the NBA may have come at the start of this month, when Indiana Pacers forward Paul George broke his leg while playing an exhibition game for the USA. Outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has called for the NBA players and owners to get together and create their own World Cup.

So with the potential of the basketball landscape looking markedly different in 2019, fans of the international game should perhaps treasure the fact that 50 NBA players will suit up in this year's World Cup.

The USA are favourites to defend their world title, with hosts and 2006 champions Spain, who boast six NBA players, expected to be the Americans' biggest challenger.

The Tall Blacks are in the same pool as the Americans, Turkey, the Dominican Republic, Ukraine and Finland.