In this Feb 5, 2018 file photo, Kobe Bryant arrives at the 90th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif. Bryant's Granity Studios plans to release five middle grade and young adult novels in 2019 and 2020. (JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP, File)
SHENZHEN - NBA legend Kobe Bryant, along with American best-selling singer/songwriter Jason Derulo, will headline a star-studded show when the FIBA basketball World Cup 2019 draw takes place on Saturday, March 16, in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Bryant, who was unveiled as a global ambassador of FIBA's flagship competition in October, will carry out the draw.
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Prior to the draw, the sixth and final window of the FIBA basketball World Cup 2019 qualifiers takes place from February 21 to 26 to finalize the 32-team field, as 26 teams battle for the final 14 places still on offer.
Former Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant (left) attends a fans meeting titled "Paths to Greatness" in Shenyang, China, on Nov 8, 2016. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
The 18 teams that have already clinched their spots are as follows:
In Africa: Angola, Nigeria, Tunisia.
In the Americas: Argentina, Canada, USA, Venezuela.
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In Asia: (Tournament hosts) China, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand.
In Europe: Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Spain, Turkey.
Yao Ming, former national team player for China and previously for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), talked in an interview about the FIBA's preparation work in Beijing, June 11, 2018. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
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