Rui Hachimura described his excitement of leading a resurgence of interest in Japanese basketball following the national team's recent success.

Hachimura averaged 21.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in leading Japan to its first World Cup appearance in 13 years.

"Basketball's getting bigger in Japan and I want to be the guy, the face of it. I'm so excited about it. I want to be the guy who can be the whole well-rounded athlete for Japan," said Hachimura.

Hachimura added that he feels outside pressure from sneaker companies eager to develop his brand.

"Shoe companies tell me I'm going to be big. It's a bit of pressure. People expect me to be great, but it's not a big deal for me. I just have to do whatever I can on the basketball court and the rest will take care of itself."

Japan are in Group E with the USA, Turkey, and Czech Republic.

Adam Silver said he's talked to Yao Ming about how trade tariffs could potentially affect the NBA's business in China. Yao is currently the chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Silver said he and Yao discussed the potential of using basketball as a diplomatic effort to soften the tension between two countries due to their history of working together to develop the game.

“This is something Yao and I have discussed, where we can use basketball maybe in the way ping-pong was used in the days of Richard Nixon, that there could be something called ‘basketball diplomacy.’ And it is an area where our two countries have excellent history of cooperation, where we work closely with the Chinese Basketball Association on player development, referee development," said Silver.

This summer's World Cup of Basketball will be played in China. The Chinese national team will also compete in the Las Vegas summer league.

Silver added that the NBA is also in the process of building developmental academies in China. 

Nick Nurse has reportedly agreed to coach the Canadian men's basketball team at this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Nurse replaces long-time head coach Jay Triano.

Canada are in Group H with Lithuania, Australia and Senegal.

Rudy Gobert discussed his excitement on representing France at this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.

"We want to have a great run, and try to fight for the tops spots (at the World Cup). Nothing is impossible, we want to fight for the best and we would like to write another great page in France’s basketball history. The level of the competition is going to be very high, so a lot of teams can reach the top three spots," said Gobert. 

Gobert recalled the feeling of winning the bronze medal at the 2014 tournament, saying that getting another medal is his goal for France this time around.

"We had some very good games and we reached a medal. It's already been five years, and we want to do something great again this summer in China. When you win a medal or a title with the national team, that's such a special and amazing feeling. I want more of those."

Amadou Gallo Fall was named the first president of the newly formed Basketball Africa League.

The BAL is scheduled to begin play in 2020 with 12 teams across the African continent. The league will consist of approximately 40 games and conclude with a championship in May.

The NBA expects to reach more than 2.5 million players under the age of 16 through Jr. NBA programs in 21 countries on the continent.

"We're looking forward to now building the entire ecosystem. And that is what we think the Basketball Africa League is going to allow us to do in continuing to provide tremendous young talent across the continent to showcase themselves. We need to continue to grow to create an entertainment property for our fans across the Africa region," said Fall.

RJ Hampton has signed a contract with the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League.

Hampton is the No. 5 prospect in the class of 2019. Hampton's decision comes as a surprise after he cut his college recruitment list in recent days to Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech. He had also previously considered scholarship offers from Duke, Kentucky and others.

Hampton becomes the first American player to willingly forgo college for playing international basketball, unlike players such as Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay and Terrance Ferguson, who signed overseas amid concerns regarding their academic or amateur status.

"My No. 1 goal is to play in the NBA," Hampton told ESPN. "I wanted to be an NBA player before I ever wanted to be a college player. This is about getting ready for the next level faster and more efficiently.

"Both of my parents went to college. My mom got her master's degree. Education is a big thing in our family, but this is about focusing 100 percent on basketball. You can always go back to college, but there's only a short window as an athlete where you can play professional basketball, and I want to take advantage of that. I think that challenging yourself on a daily basis is the best way to improve."

Nikola Jokic announced that he will play for Serbia in the 2019 FIBA World Cup this summer.

"I am very pleased with everything I did in the NBA this season. I had a great year in which I performed at the All-Star Game and was selected [to the All-NBA first team]. For me, the cherry on top of this whole season would be a medal with the national team. I am fully prepared to do my best to achieve this goal," said Jokic. 

Jokic already has won 2 medals for the Serbia national team.

The FIBA World Cup begins on August 31st. 

CSKA defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 91-83 to win the 2019 EuroLeague title.

Will Clyburn was named EuroLeague MVP, scoring 20 points in the final after scoring 18 in the semifinals.

Clyburn went 7-for-10 on three-pointers.

Ben Simmons announced that he will play for the Australian national team in this summer's FIBA World Cup in China.

"Ni Hao China! Thanks for all the support this season, it was a tough way to go out. I'm happy to say I'm looking forward to representing my country Australia in the upcoming @FIBA World Cup in China! Stay tuned," Simmons wrote on his Weibo page.

Australia are in the group stage alongside Canada, Senegal and Lithuania.