2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was the 15th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by Japan and held from 19 August to 3 September 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Japan Basketball Association (JABBA) and the 2006 Organising Committee.
FIBA バスケットボール世界選手権 2006 FIBA Basukettobōru Sekai Senshuken 2006 | |
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Tournament details | |
Host country | Japan |
Dates | 19 August – 3 September |
Officially opened by | Akihito |
Teams | 24 (from 5 confederations) |
Venue(s) | 5 (in 5 host cities) |
Final positions | |
Champions | ![]() |
Runners-up | ![]() |
Third place | ![]() |
Fourth place | ![]() |
Tournament statistics | |
Games played | 80 |
MVP | ![]() |
Top scorer | ![]() (25.3 points per game) |
For the first time since 1986, the World Championship was contested by 24 nations, eight more than in 2002. As a result, group rounds were conducted in four cities, with the knockout rounds being hosted by Saitama City.
Spain won the tournament by beating Greece 70–47 in the championship final. Spain won all nine games they played. Spain's gold medal in this tournament was the first medal Spain had ever won in a FIBA World Championship. Pau Gasol also became the first Spaniard to win the MVP award. It was the first time a country has won all nine of its games since 1994 when the United States won all nine games and took the gold medal home. The bronze medal was won by the United States, who defeated Argentina, 96–81, in the third place game, after a semi-finals loss to Greece. Up to 2019, including the 2014 tournament, it has been the only tournament where neither Yugoslavia or the USA have reached the final. The 2006 tournament marked the final appearance of Serbia and Montenegro as they broke up into the independent nations of Serbia and Montenegro after a successful independence referendum in Montenegro in May.
Seventeen years after the 2006 edition, Japan will once again host the FIBA World Championships, now called the World Cup in 2023 in Okinawa along with the Philippines and Indonesia.
Venues
Hamamatsu | Sapporo | |
Hamamatsu Arena Capacity: 5,100 |
Sapporo Arena Capacity: 6,400 | |
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Hiroshima | Saitama | Sendai |
Hiroshima Green Arena Capacity: 6,900 |
Saitama Super Arena Capacity: 21,000 |
Sendai Gymnasium Capacity: 6,100 |
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Qualification
There were 24 teams taking part in the 2006 World Cup of Basketball.
- Host nation: 1 berth
- 2004 Summer Olympics: 12 teams competing for 1 berth, removed from that country's FIBA zone
- FIBA Africa: 12 teams competing for 3 berths
- FIBA Oceania: 2 teams competing for 2 berths
- FIBA Americas: 10 teams competing for 4 berths
- FIBA Asia: 16 teams competing for 3 berths
- FIBA Europe: 16 teams competing for 6 berths
- Wild card: 4 berths
Qualified teams
Event | Date | Location | Berths | Qualified |
---|---|---|---|---|
Host nation | 1 | ![]() | ||
2004 Olympics | August 15–28, 2004 | ![]() |
1 | ![]() |
2005 FIBA Africa Championship | August 15–24, 2005 | ![]() |
3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2005 FIBA Oceania Championship | August 17–21, 2005 | ![]() |
2 | ![]() ![]() |
2005 FIBA Americas Championship | August 24–September 4, 2005 | ![]() |
4 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2005 FIBA Asia Championship | September 8–16, 2005 | ![]() |
3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
EuroBasket 2005 | 4–22 September 2005 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wild cards | 4 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||
TOTAL | 24 |
Squads
At the start of tournament, all 24 participating countries had 12 players on their roster.
Competing nations
The following national teams competed:
![](../I/2006_FIBA_WC_qualifying.png.webp)
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
---|---|---|---|
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![](../I/FIBA_WC_2006_Teams.png.webp)
Japan qualified as the host country, and Italy, Puerto Rico, Serbia and Montenegro, and Turkey gained FIBA wild-card invitations.[1] Argentina qualified as the champion of the 2004 Olympics. The remaining 18 countries qualified through their continents' qualifying tournaments (six from Europe, four from the Americas, three from each of Asia and Africa and two from Oceania).
The draw for the 2006 World Championship was held in Tokyo on 15 January 2006. In the preliminary rounds, Group A played at Sendai, Group B at Hiroshima, Group C at Hamamatsu and Group D at Sapporo. The Medal Rounds were played at Saitama.
Group stage
Group A
Venue: Sendai Gymnasium, Sendai
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
5 | 5 | 0 | 464 | 339 | +125 | 10 | Round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
5 | 3 | 2 | 353 | 329 | +24 | 8 | |
3 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 371 | 393 | −22 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
4 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 409 | 352 | +57 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
5 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 357 | 451 | −94 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
6 | ![]() |
5 | 1 | 4 | 336 | 426 | −90 | 6 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
Notes:
- Head-to-head record: Nigeria 2–0, Serbia and Montenegro 1–1, Lebanon 0–2
19 August 2006
Venezuela ![]() |
72–82 | ![]() |
Serbia and Montenegro ![]() |
75–82 | ![]() |
Argentina ![]() |
80–70 | ![]() |
20 August 2006
Nigeria ![]() |
77–84 | ![]() |
Lebanon ![]() |
72–107 | ![]() |
France ![]() |
65–61 | ![]() |
21 August 2006
Argentina ![]() |
96–54 | ![]() |
Serbia and Montenegro ![]() |
104–57 | ![]() |
France ![]() |
64–53 | ![]() |
23 August 2006
Nigeria ![]() |
64–98 | ![]() |
Venezuela ![]() |
65–90 | ![]() |
Lebanon ![]() |
74–73 | ![]() |
24 August 2006
Serbia and Montenegro ![]() |
79–83 | ![]() |
Lebanon ![]() |
72–95 | ![]() |
France ![]() |
81–61 | ![]() |
Group B
Venue: Hiroshima Green Arena, Hiroshima
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
5 | 5 | 0 | 476 | 336 | +140 | 10 | Round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
5 | 4 | 1 | 421 | 384 | +37 | 9 | |
3 | ![]() |
5 | 3 | 2 | 451 | 406 | +45 | 8 | |
4 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 345 | 393 | −48 | 7 | |
5 | ![]() |
5 | 1 | 4 | 322 | 393 | −71 | 6 | |
6 | ![]() |
5 | 0 | 5 | 326 | 429 | −103 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
(H) Hosts
19 August 2006
Germany ![]() |
81–70 | ![]() |
Angola ![]() |
83–70 | ![]() |
Spain ![]() |
86–70 | ![]() |
20 August 2006
Japan ![]() |
62–87 | ![]() |
New Zealand ![]() |
56–80 | ![]() |
Panama ![]() |
57–101 | ![]() |
21 August 2006
Angola ![]() |
95–73 | ![]() |
Germany ![]() |
71–92 | ![]() |
Japan ![]() |
78–61 | ![]() |
23 August 2006
Spain ![]() |
93–83 | ![]() |
Panama ![]() |
63–81 | ![]() |
New Zealand ![]() |
60–57 | ![]() |
24 August 2006
Angola ![]() |
103–108 (3OT) | ![]() |
New Zealand ![]() |
86–75 | ![]() |
Japan ![]() |
55–104 | ![]() |
Group C
Venue: Hamamatsu Arena, Hamamatsu
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
5 | 5 | 0 | 404 | 358 | +46 | 10 | Round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
5 | 4 | 1 | 370 | 358 | +12 | 9 | |
3 | ![]() |
5 | 3 | 2 | 413 | 353 | +60 | 8 | |
4 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 370 | 349 | +21 | 7 | |
5 | ![]() |
5 | 1 | 4 | 399 | 392 | +7 | 6 | |
6 | ![]() |
5 | 0 | 5 | 310 | 456 | −146 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
19 August 2006
Brazil ![]() |
77–83 | ![]() |
Greece ![]() |
84–64 | ![]() |
Turkey ![]() |
76–74 | ![]() |
20 August 2006
Qatar ![]() |
66–97 | ![]() |
Australia ![]() |
68–76 | ![]() |
Lithuania ![]() |
76–81(OT) | ![]() |
22 August 2006
Lithuania ![]() |
106–65 | ![]() |
Greece ![]() |
72–69 | ![]() |
Turkey ![]() |
73–71 | ![]() |
23 August 2006
Australia ![]() |
57–78 | ![]() |
Qatar ![]() |
69–76 | ![]() |
Brazil ![]() |
80–91 | ![]() |
24 August 2006
Australia ![]() |
93–46 | ![]() |
Lithuania ![]() |
79–74 | ![]() |
Greece ![]() |
76–69 | ![]() |
Group D
Venue: Sapporo Arena, Sapporo
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
5 | 5 | 0 | 543 | 428 | +115 | 10 | Round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
5 | 4 | 1 | 386 | 367 | +19 | 9 | |
3 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 434 | 433 | +1 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
4 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 424 | 455 | −31 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
5 | ![]() |
5 | 2 | 3 | 432 | 440 | −8 | 7[lower-alpha 1] | |
6 | ![]() |
5 | 0 | 5 | 355 | 451 | −96 | 5 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
Notes:
- Head-to-head record: Slovenia 1–1 (1.04 GAvg), China 1–1 (0.99 GAvg), Puerto Rico 1–1 (0.97 GAvg)
19 August 2006
Puerto Rico ![]() |
100–111 | ![]() |
Slovenia ![]() |
96–79 | ![]() |
China ![]() |
69–84 | ![]() |
20 August 2006
Senegal ![]() |
79–88 | ![]() |
Italy ![]() |
80–76 | ![]() |
United States ![]() |
121–90 | ![]() |
22 August 2006
Puerto Rico ![]() |
90–87 (OT) | ![]() |
Italy ![]() |
64–56 | ![]() |
Slovenia ![]() |
95–114 | ![]() |
23 August 2006
Senegal ![]() |
83–100 | ![]() |
Puerto Rico ![]() |
82–90 | ![]() |
United States ![]() |
94–85 | ![]() |
24 August 2006
Slovenia ![]() |
77–78 | ![]() |
Italy ![]() |
73–72 | ![]() |
United States ![]() |
103–58 | ![]() |
Knockout stage
Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama
Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
26 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 79 | |||||||||||||
29 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 62 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 83 | |||||||||||||
26 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 58 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 90 | |||||||||||||
1 September | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 84 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 74 | |||||||||||||
26 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 75 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 87 | |||||||||||||
29 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 75 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 89 | |||||||||||||
26 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 67 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 68 | |||||||||||||
3 September | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 71 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 70 | |||||||||||||
27 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 47 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 95 | |||||||||||||
30 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 64 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 73 | |||||||||||||
27 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 56 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 68 | |||||||||||||
1 September | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 62 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 101 | |||||||||||||
27 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 95 | Third place | ||||||||||||
![]() | 113 | |||||||||||||
30 August | 2 September | |||||||||||||
![]() | 73 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 85 | ![]() | 96 | |||||||||||
27 August | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 65 | ![]() | 81 | |||||||||||
![]() | 78 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 77 | |||||||||||||
Round of 16
26 August 2006 10:00 |
Argentina ![]() |
79–62 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 21–16, 16–13, 22–15, 20–18 | ||
Pts: Oberto 23 Rebs: Oberto 10 Asts: Sánchez 5 |
Pts: Dickel 15 Rebs: Bradshaw 5 Asts: Dickel 4 |
26 August 2006 13:00 |
Italy ![]() |
68–71 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 20–17, 15–19, 14–14, 19–21 | ||
Pts: Rocca, Di Bella 15 Rebs: Di Bella 9 Asts: Soragna 5 |
Pts: Macijauskas 15 Rebs: Javtokas 8 Asts: Kalnietis 2 |
26 August 2006 17:00 |
Turkey ![]() |
90–84 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 20–19, 24–17, 16–24, 30–24 | ||
Pts: Erdoğan 24 Rebs: Gönlüm 8 Asts: Arslan 3 |
Pts: Nachbar 18 Rebs: Nachbar 8 Asts: Bečirovič 5 |
26 August 2006 20:00 |
Spain ![]() |
87–75 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 20–10, 23–21, 23–21, 21–23 | ||
Pts: Gasol 19 Rebs: Gasol 15 Asts: Calderón 4 |
Pts: Miličić 18 Rebs: Miličić 15 Asts: Popović 4 |
27 August 2006 10:00 |
Germany ![]() |
78–77 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 25–22, 23–22, 14–14, 16–19 | ||
Pts: Nowitzki 23 Rebs: Nowitzki 9 Asts: Nowitzki 5 |
Pts: Ibekwe 22 Rebs: Ibekwe 10 Asts: Muoneke 4 |
27 August 2006 13:00 |
United States ![]() |
113–73 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 27–23, 32–6, 29–20, 25–24 | ||
Pts: Johnson 18 Rebs: Bosh 9 Asts: Hinrich 5 |
Pts: Bogut 20 Rebs: Mackinnon 7 Asts: Bruton 4 |
27 August 2006 17:00 |
France ![]() |
68–62 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 17–6, 17–18, 15–11, 19–27 | ||
Pts: Jeanneau 16 Rebs: Piétrus 7 Asts: Jeanneau 5 |
Pts: Almeida 13 Rebs: Gomes 7 Asts: Cipriano 7 |
Quarterfinals
29 August 2006 16:30 |
Spain ![]() |
89–67 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 28–11, 19–19, 18–12, 24–25 | ||
Pts: Gasol 25 Rebs: Gasol 9 Asts: Navarro, Rodríguez 3 |
Pts: Lavrinovič 17 Rebs: Kleiza 14 Asts: Kleiza 5 |
29 August 2006 19:30 |
Argentina ![]() |
83–58 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 25–16, 18–7, 32–17, 8–18 | ||
Pts: Nocioni 21 Rebs: Delfino 8 Asts: Sánchez 6 |
Pts: Akyol 11 Rebs: Peker 6 Asts: Demirel 4 |
5th–8th classification
Classification round | Fifth place | |||||
31 August | ||||||
![]() | 84 | |||||
2 September | ||||||
![]() | 95 | |||||
![]() | 56 | |||||
31 August | ||||||
![]() | 64 | |||||
![]() | 75 | |||||
![]() | 73 | |||||
Seventh place | ||||||
3 September | ||||||
![]() | 77 | |||||
![]() | 62 |
Semifinals
Seventh place playoff
Fifth place playoff
Semifinals
Third place playoff
Final
3 September 2006 19:30 |
Greece ![]() |
47–70 | ![]() |
Scoring by quarter: 12–18, 11–25, 11–11, 13–16 | ||
Pts: Kakiouzis 17 Rebs: Kakiouzis 9 Asts: Papaloukas, Diamantidis 3 |
Pts: Garbajosa, Navarro 20 Rebs: Jiménez 11 Asts: Garbajosa, Rodríguez 4 |
Saitama Super Arena, Saitama Attendance: 18,500 Referees: Carl Jungebrand (FIN), Terry Moore (USA), Pablo Alberto Estévez (ARG) |
![](../I/Basketball_WC_2006_Final_7.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Basketball_WC_2006_Final_6.jpg.webp)
Since the inaugural competition in 1950 the five competing countries for the title had always been two of Argentina, United States, Soviet Union, Brazil and Yugoslavia, one of which always being either United States or Yugoslavia. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia took its place in the finals of 1994 and 1998, and after the breakup of Yugoslavia, FR Yugoslavia took its place in the finals of 1998 and 2002. The 2006 final was the first and only one in which none of these five teams competed.
The final was an unexpectedly one-sided affair, with Spain dominating from the beginning and limiting Greece to just 47 points, fewer than the Greeks had scored in any single game in the tournament, and less than half what Greece had scored against the US in the semifinals. Spain won despite having lost power forward Pau Gasol, who was ultimately named the tournament's most valuable player, to injury in a semifinal match against Argentina.
Final standings
![](../I/2006_FIBA_World_Championship_final_rankings.png.webp)
- Teams that were eliminated at the round of 16 are officially tied for 9th.
- Teams that were 5th at their preliminary rounds are officially tied for 17th.
- Teams that were 6th at their preliminary rounds are officially tied for 21st.
Rank | Team | Record |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
9–0 |
2 | ![]() |
8–1 |
3 | ![]() |
8–1 |
4 | ![]() |
7–2 |
5 | ![]() |
6–3 |
6 | ![]() |
6–3 |
7 | ![]() |
5–4 |
8 | ![]() |
5–4 |
9 | ![]() |
3–3 |
![]() |
2–4 | |
![]() |
2–4 | |
![]() |
4–2 | |
![]() |
2–4 | |
![]() |
2–4 | |
![]() |
2–4 | |
![]() |
2–4 | |
17 | ![]() |
1–4 |
![]() |
1–4 | |
![]() |
2–3 | |
![]() |
2–3 | |
21 | ![]() |
0–5 |
![]() |
0–5 | |
![]() |
0–5 | |
![]() |
1–4 |
Awards
2006 World Championship winner |
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![]() Spain First title |
Most Valuable Player |
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![]() |
All-Tournament Team
Leading scorers
No. | Player | Team | PPG |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Yao Ming | ![]() | 25.3 |
2 | Dirk Nowitzki | ![]() | 23.2 |
3 | Pau Gasol | ![]() | 21.3 |
4 | Carlos Arroyo | ![]() | 21.2 |
5 | Larry Ayuso | ![]() | 21.2
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Referees
For the World Championship, FIBA selected 40 professional referees.
Group A
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Group B
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Group C
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Group D
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Sponsorship
External links
![](../I/Commons-logo.svg.png.webp)