The 12 Warriors will start their activity on August 25 against Montenegro
The FIBA World Cup 2023 is just around the corner and Mexico returns to the competition after nine years of waiting. The Mexican team will have their sixth World Cup experience in Asia, after securing their spot as the third-place team in their group and above Brazil.
However, the team led by Omar Quintero will not have an easy task, as the draw placed them in Group D alongside Egypt, Montenegro, and Lithuania - the latter two being in the top 20 of the FIBA rankings. Therefore, the Mexican team will aim to replicate their surprising performance in the previous tournament, where they advanced to the second phase and finished 14th out of 24 teams in Spain 2014.
That's why the experts from ESPN and the Basket IQ podcast share three key situations for the success of the 12 Warriors in the international event.
Montenegro, the key rival in the World Cup debut
Fernando Tirado: Being honest, it's practically impossible to win against Lithuania. However, we can give Montenegro a scare. They don't have many stars and only have the experience of one World Cup.
Miguel Ángel Briseño: We need two victories. Assuming we will lose against Lithuania, we must win against Egypt and take a chance against Montenegro. The schedule favors Mexico, starting with the crucial match and ending with an all-or-nothing game.
José Antonio Rodríguez: The precedent against Angola in 2014 makes Egypt appear as a more manageable opponent for the Mexican team. However, the key match is the debut, as they would arrive against Egypt in a very favorable scenario with their destiny in their own hands.
What could we consider a successful World Cup for Mexico?
Fernando Tirado: I find it very challenging for Mexico to advance to the second round; everything is defined in the debut against Montenegro. Mexico will have to perform at their best. They compete among the best in terms of confidence and experience, as few players have as much experience as this team. They face challenging scenarios with great composure.
Miguel Ángel Briseño: Just being in the World Cup is a triumph. Mexico was not expected to qualify. The optimistic prediction is to win against Montenegro and compete for a spot against Egypt. The realistic one is that Mexico leaves empty-handed and fights for the last position. If Mexico advances to the next round, we should consider ourselves well served.
José Antonio Rodríguez: They did it in their last World Cup, where they lost to the United States with Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, and Anthony Davis. It was a very honorable performance. The same would be advancing in this group. It would allow the young blood to experience that adrenaline of reaching that stage. Mexico would then have an important opportunity, depending on the opponent.
Gael Bonilla, the catalyst for the 12 Warriors with fresh blood
Fernando Tirado: With players nearing 40 years old, I don't see many links to bring together the next generation. I think they haven't reached their full potential, despite having a lot of talent. There is a whole lost generation, maybe even two.
Miguel Ángel Briseño: Seven players from the 12 Warriors participated in the 2014 World Cup, although we should have mature players between 20 and 30 years old, like Jorge Gutiérrez and Paco Cruz did at one point. We should enjoy this group of players in their 'The Last Dance'.
José Antonio Rodríguez: He is 20 years old and has good height for defense. He is the link between the young and veteran players. The most important thing for Mexico is to establish something in the processes.
The Mexican national team kicks off their participation on Friday, August 25, at 02:45 hours in the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.