There were 16 teams taking part in the 2002 World Cup of Basketball. Since the 2000 Olympic champions United States had direct access to the World Championship as the host nation, the Olympic berth was replaced by an extra qualifying spot assigned to FIBA Americas below.
At the start of tournament, all 16 participating countries had 12 players on their roster.
Competing nations
The following nations' teams competed:
Preliminary round
The top three teams in each group advance to the second round, into either Group E or F. The fourth place team in each group moves onto the 13th–16th classification.
Group A
Source: FIBA archive Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
August 29, 2002
August 30, 2002
August 31, 2002
Group B
Source: FIBA archive Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
August 29, 2002
August 30, 2002
August 31, 2002
Group C
Source: FIBA archive 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
August 29, 2002
August 30, 2002
August 31, 2002
Group D
Source: FIBA archive Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal average; 4) head-to-head number of points scored.
August 29, 2002
August 30, 2002
August 31, 2002
Second round
In this stage, the results in the preliminary rounds are combined and the teams who met previously do not play each other a second time. The teams that advanced from Group A and Group B are combined into Group E and teams that advanced from Group C and Group D are combined into Group F.
The top four from each group advance to the knockout stages; the bottom two advance to the Ninth-to-twelfth-place playoffs.
Group E
Source: FIBA archive 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:
^ a bHead-to-head record: Puerto Rico 1–0 Spain
^ a bHead-to-head record: FR Yugoslavia 1–0 Brazil
September 2, 2002
September 3, 2002
September 4, 2002
Group F
Source: FIBA archive 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