Trophy Tour runs through Mexico City

MEXICO CITY (Mexico) - The Trophy Tour presented by J9 was treated to a near royal reception in Mexico City, which is appropriate since this bustling metropolis is known as the City of Palaces.

There were press conferences, opportunities for fans to see the biggest prize in international basketball and plenty of photos taken at famous locations after its arrival on July 7.

One press conference was held outside the Centro Commercial Polanco Mall and the Soumaya Museum, with Mexico's Basketball Federation president Modesto Robledo, national team coach Omar Quintero and players Moises Andriassi, Juan Reina, Hector Hernández, Fabian Jaimes, Victor Valdes, Gael Bonilla and Raul Olalde, all present

Fabian Jaimes, Omar Quintero, Hector Hernandez and Gael Bonilla in the Centro Commercial Polanco Mall

Fans were able to take photos with the Naismith Trophy

Soumaya Museum

The trophy was displayed in front of the Soumaya Museum, which was founded nearly three decades ago.

The museum has over 66,000 works from 30 centuries of art including sculptures from Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, 19th- and 20th-century Mexican art, as well as works by European old masters and masters of modern western art such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dali, Bartolome Esteban Murillo and Tintoretto.

On the second day, the trophy did the rounds. In the morning, it was the subject of conversation at the Sevilla Palace Hotel, where the Chancellor of Mexico City, Marcelo Casaubon, and the Mexico national team players were present.

Chancellor of Mexico City, Marcelo Casaubon, and national team players at the Sevilla Palace Hotel

High-scoring Mexico star Pako Cruz and the Naismith Trophy

Next, the trophy was taken to Xochimilco Canals, which has been dubbed "the Venice of Mexico."

Xochimilco Canals is a Unesco World Heritage Site that has a lot of pre-Hispanic flair.

Xochimilco Canals

With its colorful trajineras (tourist boats) and traditional floating gardens called chinampas, it is one of the main attractions of the capital.

Xochimilco Canals

The trophy was taken to another two iconic spots in Mexico City: The Angel of Independence, and the Monument to the Revolution.

Trophy displayed before the Trophy of Independence

The Angel of Independence is a victory column that commemorates the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence.

The Monument to the Revolution opened in 1938

The Monument to the Revolution, located in the Plaza de la Republica, near the heart of the major thoroughfares Paseo de la Reforma and Avenida de los Insurgentes in downtown Mexico City, opened in 1938.

The monument has the tombs of the revolutionary and post-revolutionary heroes Pancho Villa, Francisco Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Plutarco Elías Calles and Lazaro Cardenas.

Mexico, who played at the 2014 World Cup in Spain and made it to the Round of 16 before falling to eventual champions USA, will compete this summer in Group D, in Manila, with Lithuania, Egypt and Montenegro.

FIBA