Ghanaian born Italian basketball player, Awudu Abass has made the final roster for Italy’s Senior Men’s Basketball Team for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

This year’s World Cup takes place on Saturday, August 31 in China and ends on September 15 with 32 nations competing in the tournament for the first time.

The United States of America is the defending champion and a record five African nations will feature in the competition in Asia. Angola, Nigeria, Tunisia, Senegal and Ivory Coast are representing Africa.

26 year old Abass was born in Italy to a Ghanaian father and Nigerian mother and represented Italy at the U-20 European Championship in 2013. Italy won gold in the competition.

Abass joins the likes of Gigi Datome and veteran NBA players Danilo Gallinari of Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs Shooting Guard Marco Belinelli on Italy’s World Cup quest.

The 6 foot 7inch Abass who can play the Shooting Guard position won the Serie A Basketball League in 2018 with Olimpia Milano before joining Brescia Leonessa where he averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Italy is in Group D alongside Serbia, Philippines and Angola. Only the top two nations progress to the next stage of the competition.