By Victor Kanayo
After 12 years reign, the United States Of America has finally dropped in the FIBA ranking, surrendering global number one spot to Spain.
The new FIBA rankings were released, and for the first time since 2010, USA was not No. 1 in the world.
In 2017, FIBA announced a change in the way it would create its rankings, weighing international games played, dating back to the previous six years.
Therefore, the USA’s win at the 2014 World Cup isn’t included in the process, while Spain’s victory at the 2019 World Cup played a major role in the change.
In fact, USA finished all the way down in seventh place during the last World Cup, making the team vulnerable to dropping.
Spain’s victory in the EuroBasket tournament allowed them to gain more ground while the USA stayed idle.
In the Africa, former champions, Nigeria, retained its stranglehold on the top spot in Africa following the latest FIBA rankings released by FIBA.
The 2017 winners of the FIBA AfroBasket for Men remained tops as Nigeria held on to the 19th spot in the world (460.1) with Tunisia as the closest in 22 position on the world table and second in Africa having dropped two spots (447.5).
Senegal dropped a spot to be at 37 in the world and third in Africa (329.9) while 11-time African champions Angola is at number 41 in the world and fourth in Africa courtesy of their two-spot drop from the last ranking (310.6).
Cote d’Ivoire is at number 45 on the world ladder dropping one spot and is fifth in Africa (306.1).
