ABIDJAN/MONASTIR (Cote d'Ivoire/Tunisia) - The race for the five tickets available for African countries for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup has tightened up, and it has prompted teams to select some of their best talented player.

While Africa basketball fans are familiar with the names of most of these outstanding players, there are a few faces that are yet to make their names heard and talked about across African arenas. 

From August 26-28, the remaining twelve teams, will compete in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Monastir (Tunisia), where ten players are set to break out in Window 4 of the World Cup African Qualifiers. 

In no particular order, find below10 breakout players to watch out for in the upcoming Window 4 of African Qualifiers later this month.  

Jonathan Kuminga (DR Congo)

DOB: October 6, 2002
Height: 2.02m (6ft 8in)
Position: Guard/Small Forward
Club: Golden State Warriors (NBA)

 

Recently crowned NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, Kuminga  was expected to debut for his native DR Congo in Window 3 of the African Qualifiers in July, but personal reasons forced him to return to Kinshasa while the team was holding a training camp in Alexandria, Egypt. 

"He's likely to play for us this time", A source told FIBA.basketball.

With the 21-year-old on the roster, DR Congo see their frontcourt massively improved and able to matchup against South Sudan, Cameroon and Tunisia - their next opponents.

Brancou Badio (Senegal)

DOB: February 17, 1999
Height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)
Position: Guard
Club: Maxi Manresa (Spain's ACB)

After sitting out the last window of the African Qualifiers, Badio is set to return in August.

An astute ball handler with an ability to catch-and-shoot, the Senegalese guard could be a massive addition to run the Lions' offence.

In the first round of Group D of the African Qualifiers in February,  he made his presence felt with a contributions of 6.7 points and a team-high 6 assists per game. 

Mayan Kiir (South Sudan)

DOB: January 1, 1998
Height: 2.06m (6ft 9in)
Position: Forward
Club: Cobra Sports (Basketball Africa League)

Aggressive on both ends of the floor, Kiir continues to work hard for his opportunity to debut for the high-flying South Sudan. 

If selected for Window 4, South Sudan gain a massive physical and talented presence near the basket.

Physically gifted, Kiir was one the best players who missed out on the BAL playoffs in April while playing for South Sudan's Cobra Sports.

Bruno Fernando (Angola)

DOB: August 15, 1998
Height: 2.06m (6ft 9in)
Position: Forward
Club: Houston Rockets (NBA)

If he stays healthy, Fernando, who recently renewed his contract with the Houston Rockets, could make his first appearance with the Angolan uniform since the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The first Angolan to play in the NBA, Fernando has joined the former African champions training camp in Portugal a couple of weeks ago, and is said to be a breath of fresh air to the team's rotation.

Paul Eboua (Cameroon)

DOB: February 15, 2000
Height: 2.02m (6ft 7in)
Position: Small Forward
Club: Vanoli Cremona

Eboua continues to make his name talked about in the Cameroon's rotation thanks to his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor. 

His playing time continues to increase, and he is likely to be one of the weapons the Indomitable Lions will try to use to boost their World Cup Qualifiers campaign. 

Maxence Dadiet (Cote d'Ivoire)

DOB: March 2, 1999
Height: 1.92mm (6ft 3in)
Position: Guard
Club: AS Kayserberg 

His game-winning tap-in against host Angola in Window 1 of the African Qualifiers is probably one of the highest moments of his national team career, but Dadiet has remained a solid contributor to the 'Elephants'.

No player has spent more playing time than Dadiet in the 'Elephants' rotation so far. The 23-year-old currently leads Cote d'Ivoire with a team-high 12.3 points per game in 25.4 minutes per game. He has also contributed 3 assists per encounter thus far.

Ibrahima Diallo (Guinea)

DOB: May 30, 2004
Height: 1.70 (5ft 6in)
Position: Point Guard
Club: Little Elm HS (USA)

Diallo continues to make his name heard around basketball arenas on the continent of Africa for some good reasons.

As recently as last week, Diallo was named to the 2022 FIBA U18 African Championship All-Tournament team thanks to his unique style of running a team's offense.

As one of the youngest players to have played in the current World Cup African Qualifiers, Diallo had his name talked about in Window 3 of the African Qualifiers when he buried 2-of-4 three-pointers in a close game against hosts Cote d'Ivoire.

Josh Okogie (Nigeria)

DOB: September 1, 1998
Height: 1.92m (6ft 3in)
Position: Guard
Club: Phoenix Suns (NBA)

Before making his debut for Nigeria at 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Okogie featured for the USA in the 2017 FIBA U19 Basketball in Cairo. 

However, this will be his first appearance on the continent of Africa with the Nigerian uniform on. 

A vital member of the D'Tigers squad that secured the only ticket available for African teams for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Okogie's addition speaks volumes about the former African champions' intentions in the race for the five tickets available for Africans teams for next year's World Cup.

Khalifa Diop (Senegal)

DOB: January 15, 2002
Height: 2.12 (6ft 11in)
Position: Center
Club: Herbalife Gran Canaria (Spain's ACB)

Picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022 NBA Draft, Diop is set to spend a season with Herbalife Gran Canaria in Spain's ACB League.

A product of Senegal's youth program, Diop has played for his country in the February's second window of the World Cup African Qualifiers, where he had limited playing time - he totalled 10 points in three games -.  But a lot is expected from him, especially with Senegal trying to reenter the race for the five tickets on offer African teams for next year's World Cup.

Anyiarbany Makoi (South Sudan)

DOB: July 3, 2000
Height: 1.93 (6ft 4in)
Position: Guard
Club: Sidney Kings

Makoi sat out the last window of the World Cup Qualifiers, but his numbers recorded in the first three games speak for themselves. 

If he is selected for the next three games, South Sudan's offence could be even more lethal to opponents. 

His quickness to attack the basket gives South Sudan a massive lift as he showed in the first three games of the African Qualifiers where he 

The 21-year-old finished with a an Efficiency rating of16 in his first three games of the African Qualifiers.

Disclaimer: The final rosters of teams that will play in Window 4 have not been not finalized at the time of publication. The names listed are purely speculated based on the training camp rosters that have been announced by the National Federation and participation in previous windows and other competitions.

FIBA