Cheerleader Girls At The FIBA World Championships 2010

In 1986, the tournament briefly expanded to 24 teams. Four groups of six teams each competed in the preliminary round group stage. The top three teams in each group then competed in the second group stage, followed by a four-team knockout tournament between the top two finishers in each group. The championship contracted back down to 16 teams for the 1990 tournament. The three tournaments between 1990 and 1998 each had two group stages followed by a four-team knockout tournament to determine the medalists. The 2002 tournament expanded the knockout round to eight teams.
The United States, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia have each won a record three tournaments. The Former Republic of Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro later won two titles after Yugoslavia disbanded, but FIBA does not consider the team as Yugoslavia's successor. However, Serbia is the official successor of Serbia and Montenegro, so could tie the other countries with a third title. Similarly, Russia is not the legal successor of the Soviet Union, so cannot improve upon the Soviet Union's three titles. Both Brazil and the United States have competed in every World Championship, the only two teams to do so.
For individuals, three players &ndash Ubiratan Pereira Maciel and Marcel De Souza of Brazil and Phil Smyth of Australia – have appeared in five tournaments. Six different players have won medals in four tournaments. Brazilian legend Oscar Schmidt is the runaway all-time leading scorer, scoring 916 career points in four tournaments between 1978 and 1990. Nikos Galis of Greece is the all-time leading scorer for a single tournament, averaging 33.7 points per game for the Greeks at the 1986 FIBA World Championship. FIBA also names a Most Valuable Player for each tournament. Since the tournament opened to professionals in 1994, NBA players have won three of the last four MVP trophies – Shaquille O'Neal for the United States in 1994, Germany's Dirk Nowitzki in 2002, and Spain's Pau Gasol in 2006.