HANOI (Vietnam) - It is an exciting time to be a basketball fan in Vietnam. The country is currently hosting the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi and the men’s basketball team will be playing in their first ever FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers later in the month.

"My vision for Vietnam basketball is to be one of the best well known basketball communities in the world."

Basketball is not be the biggest sport in Vietnam - yet - but the development over the recent years has certainly been intriguing, promising, and most importantly, exciting. It is especially exciting for those who have been deeply involved in the basketball scene in Vietnam like entertaining youngster, Tran Dang Khoa.

"Basketball in Vietnam has come such a long way. When I first arrived in Vietnam, basketball was not widely followed. More than five years later, there is basketball just about everywhere you go in Vietnam. Outdoor courts and gym are filled with kids playing basketball," said Khoa.

The 25-year-old traces his roots to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but grew up in Washington, USA where his love for the game blossomed. It was not until 2016 when he attended a try-out for the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA) and eventually made the jump to play professionally at a young ago of 19 years old.

Khoa could feel that basketball was quickly on the rise in Vietnam even back in his earlier days of playing professional basketball in the country.

"We have our own league, basketball camps, training camps, and more open courts for people play or practice," he had said back in 2019. "It feels awesome being able to be at the starting point of the growth of basketball and helping Vietnam get on the map. And like I said, it’s always great to represent something so big for the country."

Vietnam are currently ranked 141st in the FIBA World Ranking presented by Nike, which would make them among the lowest ranked teams in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 Pre-Qualifiers. That ranking is one of the things that the Vietnam national team are hoping to change, as well as the outsider’s perspective of what Vietnam basketball is like.

"This is the first time ever for Vietnam to participate in the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers," Khoa emphasized. "It’s a big opportunity for us to show the progress of basketball in Vietnam. Our goal is to qualify out of the first round but more importantly we just want to play our best basketball and try to continue and improve with every new basketball experience."

The national team talent pool is deep of young and promising talents. Khoa, himself, has been dazzling fans with his flashy handles and outspoken style of play whether it’s in the domestic VBA league or regional competitions like the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). However, he’s not the only talent that Vietnam are looking forward to watch as they grow and develop into brighter and bigger stars.

From players like Christian Juzang, Dinh Thanh Sang, Dinh Thanh Tam, Chris Dierker, or Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh, there’s a lot to like about the current status of the Vietnam national team pool, and even more to be excited about its future.

“I think the Vietnam national team is developing to be a contender in Asia,” proclaimed Khoa. “We are not there yet but I believe we are on the right track. Right now we are slowly moving up the international ranks and drawing attention from our peers.”

They’ll be drawing attention from at least three of their peers at the First Round Pre-Qualifiers when they go up against Thailand, Malaysia, and Mongolia in Group D. The games will be played from June 2-4, where three of the best ranked teams in the Group will advance to the second round. It’s the first step towards the Asia Cup Qualifiers and Asia Cup 2025 itself.

As Vietnam have only played in the Asia Cup twice and not since 1965, advancing forward from this early stage of the competition would mean so much to Khoa and Vietnam.

“It would feel really great to achieve something for the national team because it’s something bigger than me, he said. “It’s for the generations that are coming up next to give them hope. With Vietnam basketball continuing to rise, the Asia Cup is a big opportunity for us as a nation.”

“My vision for Vietnam basketball is to be one of the best well known basketball communities in the world. There’s still a long way but I think anything is possible because I never would’ve thought we'd be where we are now. It would be an honor to compete in the Asia Cup and battle with the best in Asia.”

FIBA