Nkamhoua, Trio of U-M Alums to Represent Countries in FIBA World Cup
8/23/2023 12:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MANILA, Philippines -- University of Michigan men's basketball graduate transfer Olivier Nkamhoua and three U-M alumni will be representing their respective home countries at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The group stage will begin on Aug. 25 before a winner is crowned on Sept. 10.
Nkamhoua will play for his home country, Finland. He was raised in Helsinki before moving to the United States to play basketball at Bishop Walsh High School in Maryland. Nkamhoua competed for the Finland National Team in the 2016 U16 FIBA European Championships as well as throughout the summer of 2022, when he averaged 9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game among four FIBA World Cup European qualifiers and six international friendlies. He will join NBA All-Star and 2022-23 Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen.
Another current Wolverine, Youssef Khayat, was listed on the Lebanon National Team's official roster, but will not participate in the FIBA World Cup due to injury.
In addition to Nkamhoua, three U-M basketball alumni will participate in the World Cup: brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner representing Germany, and Ignas Brazdeikis representing Lithuania.
Franz Wagner will look to build on an already stellar international career. In the 2022 EuroBasket tournament, he averaged 15.2 points and four rebounds over nine games, shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from beyond the arc to lead Germany to a third-place finish, its highest since 2001.
After missing the 2022 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and EuroBasket tournament with an injury, Moritz Wagner will return to international competition for the first time since the 2020 Olympics. The Wagner brothers and Germany are scheduled to face Nkamhoua and Finland in the group stage Tuesday (Aug. 29) at 3:30 a.m. EDT.
Brazdeikis is back representing the Lithuanian national team after a 2022 EuroBasket campaign where he averaged 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds over six games. The Kaunas, Lithuania, native went to high school in Canada before joining the Wolverines for one season in 2018-19. In the 2023 World Cup, Brazdeikis will team up with NBA stars Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas. Lithuania will compete in Group D against Egypt, Mexico and Montenegro.
The 2023 FIBA World Cup will take place in multiple host countries for the first time. Groups A through D will compete in Manila, Philippines, while groups E and F will play in Okinawa, Japan, and groups G and H will play in Jakarta, Indonesia. The quarterfinals through the championship game will be played in Manila at Mall of Asia Arena. Fans can stream FIBA World Cup games on Courtside 1891.
2023 FIBA World Cup
All times EDT
Olivier Nkamhoua (Finland)
• Aug. 25: vs. Australia, 4 a.m.
• Aug. 27: vs. Japan, 8:10 a.m.
• Aug. 29: vs. Germany, 3:30 a.m.
Ignas Brazdeikis (Lithuania)
• Aug. 25: vs. Egypt, 8:30 a.m.
• Aug. 27: vs. Mexico, 8:30 a.m.
• Aug. 29: vs. Montenegro, 8:30 a.m.
Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner (Germany)
• Aug. 25: vs. Japan, 8:10 a.m.
• Aug. 27: vs. Australia, 4:30 a.m.
• Aug. 29: vs. Finland, 3:30 a.m.
