A Guide to the Lebanon Men’s Basketball Team
The Lebanon men’s basketball team, known by fans as ‘Cedrus Libani’ (The Cedars) are one of the Middle East’s top national teams. Heralding from one of the seven sub-zones that make up FIBA Asia, Lebanon have finished as runners-up at the FIBA Asia Cup four times and just made its fourth appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Discover everything there is to know about the Lebanon men’s basketball team with the help of this comprehensive guide from the team at Courtside 1891.
2024 Olympics - Men's Basketball
The Lebanon men's basketball team are confirmed as one of the 24 nations that will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024, which you can stream live with Courtside 1891. The tournaments are currently scheduled for July 2-7 2024.
The Cedrus Libani will travel to Valencia, Spain, debuting against a struggling Spain team before closing their group stage against African powerhouse Angola. They will need a big performance if they are to punch their tickets to the Summer Games.
How Did Lebanon Do At The FIBA World Cup 2023?
Here are the key stats from Lebanon's FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign:
- → Final Standing: 23rd
- → Results: Played 5 Won 2 Lost 3
- → Top Points Scorer: Omari Spellman 78 PTS (15.6 PPG)
- → Top Assist Provider: Wael Arakji 23 AST (6.0 APG)
- → Most Efficient Player: Wael Arakji 19.3 EPG
Lebanon continued their recent good tournament form, following up a silver medal at the 2022 Asia Cup with two positive results in the classification rounds over Cote d'Ivoire and Iran. Those wins did come after a gruelling Group H run against Canada, Latvia and a French team that was also still searching for its first win.
Big big man Omari Spellman was sensational in spells while talisman Wael Arakji warmed into the tournament, having a 29-point game on 11/17 shooting against France before returning to put up 21 points against Iran in their final World Cup 2023 game. Check out the highlights from that Middle East showdown, below.
Team Presentation Video
Increase your Lebanon knowledge with the help of this Team Discovery Video that was produced prior to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, which covers the team’s greatest achievements, legendary players and current stars.
Team Presentation - Lebanon - FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023
Current Star Players
Lebanon announced their definitive roster for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Omari Spellman, Lebanon's top scorer at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, is featured. The former Atlanta Hawk and Golden State Warrior, a talented power forward that can punish teams from the perimeter, will be a key contributor to the Cedar Libani's cause.
Spellman will hope Sergio El Darwich and Karim Zeinoun will be able to deliver from three-point range if the Lebanese are to pull an unrealistic-looking upset.
The biggest absence from Mirodrag Perisic's squad is Wael Arakji, a two-way threat that also acted as a floor general for the Cedrus Libani.
Legends of the Team
The current Lebanon roster is loaded with talent. But, for many fans of Lebanese basketball, Fadi El Khatib remains the GOAT.
El Khatib, nicknamed "the Lebanese Tiger", was the team’s anchor throughout the 2000s. A score-first small forward, he represented the national team at three FIBA Asia Cups, where he claimed three silver medals and appeared on the FIBA Asia Cup All-Star team twice. He also played for Cedrus Libani at three FIBA Basketball World Cups. To date, he remains the highest-scoring Lebanese player on the World Cup stage.
Domestically, he dominated the Lebanese League. He won the championship 11 times and claimed eight Lebanese Cups. His playing career spanned 23 years.
Previous Successes and Tournament Wins
Basketball Lebanon has competed in the FIBA Asia Cup since 1999. In 10 appearances at the tournament, they’ve claimed four silver medals. They’ve also finished fourth twice.
Lebanon most recently claimed silver in 2022, when they lost a tense final against Australia 75-73. Star guard, Wael Arakji, took his game to a new level, producing inspired basketball when it mattered the most.
Arakji entered the World Cup having been forced to miss the end of his domestic season with a calf injury. It has been a similar journey for fellow backcourt partner, Ali Mansour, who was also out of action for one month with a broken bone in his knee. Lebanon were able to include both players in their World Cup squad but it is fair to say neither were 100% fit, which hindered their chances of getting out of a blockbuster Group H that featured Canada, France and Latvia.
How to Watch Lebanon Men's Basketball
With Courtside 1891, worldwide fans can watch Lebanon compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (FOQTs) 2024. We stream every game of FIBA international tournaments as well as other competitions from around the world.
As FIBA’s premium streaming partner for the World Cup, Courtside 1891 provided access to every 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup game! Watch the competition's biggest games and best moments on-demand on our FIBA Basketball World Cup page.
The best way to make sure that you never miss a single second of the upcoming action is to download our app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, or sign up to our website platform. Please be aware that, due to broadcasting rights and restrictions, access to some games might be restricted depending on your location. See our where-to-watch page for full details of upcoming competitions.
Looking for the latest results from the world of basketball? Head over to the Courtside 1891 Game Center. Here you’ll also find matchup times in your country as well as easy-to-access game highlights you can watch when you register with Courtside 1891.
