MIES, Switzerland (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - In February 2014, the Naismith Trophy was on display at the NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans and created a huge buzz as a number of international stars talked with great excitement about playing at this summer's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain (30 August-14 August) for the right to lift the ultimate prize in the international game.

On Thursday 10 April, with its flagship event less than 150 days away, FIBA resumes the Trophy Tour as the Naismith Trophy embarks on a journey to travel around the world and make stops in the countries of a number of participating national teams at Spain 2014.

At each stop, FIBA, the host national federation and the event partners will use the presence of the Naismith Trophy to promote the World Cup and the participation of the host national side in it with a rich programme of activities aimed at celebrating basketball, including: enabling fans to have their picture taken with it; displaying it publicly in landmark locations; having it appear on television; inviting past and present national team players to appear with it while also sharing their memories and expectations for this summer’s World Cup.

The Trophy Tour tips off with an American leg that starts in Puerto Rico's capital of San Juan and the city of Ponce (Thursday 10-Sunday 13 April), followed by stops in Mexico City, Mexico (Tuesday 22-Wednesday 23 April) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Tuesday 29-Wednesday 30 April).

Afterwards, the Trophy Tour will head over to Europe where it will travel together with the Road Show 2014. It will embark on a two-month long journey, starting at the Euroleague Final Four in Milan, Italy (Thursday 15-Sunday 18 May). From there it will make stops in Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Finland, Lithuania and France.

Additional Trophy Tour stops in Asia and Africa are planned for late July and early August with the exact dates and cities to be confirmed.

Here is the current schedule of the Trophy Tour.

Trophy Tour
10-13 April - San Juan, Puerto Rico
22-23 April - Mexico City, Mexico
29-30 April - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Trophy Tour/Road Show 2014
16-18 May (10am-8pm) - Milan, Italy
23-25 May - Ljubljana, Slovenia
30 May-1 June - Belgrade, Serbia
6-8 June - Athens, Greece
13-15 June - Istanbul, Turkey
20-22 June - Zagreb, Croatia
4-6 July - Helsinki, Finland
11-13 July - Palanga, Lithuania
18-20 July - Paris, France

Updates, exact locations and information about the Trophy Tour can be found on www.fiba.basketball/spain2014.

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About the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup

The first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup will take place in Spain from 30 August to 14 September 2014.

The Group Phase will be played in Bilbao, Gran Canaria, Granada and Sevilla (30 August-4 September). The Final Phase will take place in the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona and in the Palacio de los Deportes in Madrid (6-14 September).

The FIBA Basketball World Cup, known from 1950 until 2010 as the FIBA World Championship, is the flagship event of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

The winners of the FIBA Basketball World Cup get to celebrate their crowning moment by holding aloft the Naismith Trophy, named after the inventor of basketball, Dr James Naismith.

Go to www.fiba.basketball/spain2014 to find out more.