BRA - Brazil name preliminary squad for World Championship

RIO DE JANEIRO (FIBA World Championship) - Brazil have named a 13-man squad to begin training for the FIBA World Championship.

San Antonio Spurs star Tiago Splitter is included after sorting out his contract with the NBA team and he is joined by Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets forward Nene, and the Toronto Raptors' Leandro Barbosa.

The players are due to begin training on Tuesday and will remain at the camp in Rio until August 4 before playing a tournament against Angola, Uruguay and Venezuela.

"We have all gathered to start working," said coach Ruben Magnano. "It is our first meeting, and we have showed the same desire as when we met earlier in Europe, the United States and Brazil.

"We are in a good position and everyone can add value to the team. We want to have a good preparation. We have everything we need to do well in the World Championship."

Brazil preliminary squad for FIBA World Championship: Hattil Steps, Anderson Varejao, Nene, Tiago Splitter, Marcus Vieira, Guilherme Giovannoni, Jordan Burger, Marcelo Machado, Leandro Barbosa, Alex Garcia, Marcelo Huertas, Paul Boracini, Raul Neto Togni.

FIBA