REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - A number of countries from around the world are seeing the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers as a good chance to see what their top young talent can do at the highest level.

The November window witnessed a number of emerging prospects take their first steps with the senior team. And there are many more talents who could get some action over the course of the next week in the February Qualifiers.

Here is a breakdown of some of the countries who are giving their next generation a possibility to shine on the international stage.

Jonathan Barreiro and Xabi Lopez-Arostegui - Spain

Spain national team coach Sergio Scariolo has nominated five players in his 16-man preliminary roster for the window who have not earned a single cap with the senior team. Two of them are 21-year-old Jonathan Barreiro of Tecnyconta Zaragoza and 20-year-old Xabi Lopez-Arostegui of Joventut Badalona. Both youngsters have become regular parts of their teams' rotations, Barreiro playing at least 20 minutes in six of Zaragoza's last seven games; and Lopzi-Arostegui scoring in double figures four times this season and playing four times in the Basketball Champions League.

Martynas Echodas and Arnoldas Kulboka - Lithuania

Lithuania are also starting to give some youngsters a look and the 20-year-olds Martynas Echodas and Arnoldas Kulboka. Both players have started for Lithuania at the youth national team levels and are starting to make major contributions at senior level clubs. Echodas is averaging nearly 10 points and more than six rebounds for Lithuania powerhouse Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. Kulboka meanwhile has averaged more than 10 points and 5.0 rebounds in the Basketball Champions League for Italian club Capo d'Orlando.

Elie Okobo - France

Elie Okobo actually played one game in the first window, getting three minutes of game time against Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the 20-year-old point guard has blown up since returning to Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez. He has scored in double digits in seven straight French ProA games, including picking up 30 points and eight assists in his most recent game against Chalon. 

Jovan Kljajic - Montenegro

Point guard Jovan Kljajic is far more mature than his 16 years of age, which promoted Montenegro head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic to bring the point guard to his senior national team camp. Kljajic guided Montenegro to second place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 and a berth at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. Kljajic is a leader on Gran Canaria’s second team in the Spanish EBA league. And he has already made his EuroCup debut for the club.

Tim Lambrecht and Haris Bratanovic - Belgium

Eddy Casteels is looking to see what a couple of Belgium’s brightest youngsters have in naming 16-year-old Haris Bratanovic and 20-year-old Tim Lambrecht. The 6ft 10in (2.08m) Bratanovic is playing for Belgian third division side Falco Gent after averaging a double-double at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, Division B last summer. Lambrecht is averaging 3.5 points and 1.0 rebounds for top flight side Oostende and 17.1 points and 9.6 rebounds in Belgium’s second league.

Hu Jinqiu and Fan Ziming - China

After picking up two victories in the November window with Team Red, the World Cup hosts China roles out Team Blue for the February window - with Hu Jinqiu and Fan Ziming expected to play solid role. The 20-year-old Hu is averaging 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 68 percent for Zhejiang Guangsha Lions of the CBA. He has scored at least 30 points five times and has 14 double-doubles this season. The 19-year-old Fan has scored at least 18 points in three of his last five games for Guangzou Long-Lions. Also teaming up with Chinese stars Yi Jianlian and Guo Ailun for the window will be 20-year-old Xu Mengjun.

Dan Fotu - New Zealand

Dan Fotu is the younger brother of New Zealand national team leader Isaac Fotu. Dan Fotu is in the New Zealand Breakers system. The 18-year-old helped New Zealand beat Australia at the FIBA U18 Oceania Championship 2016 but missed the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 with an injury. Dan Fotu’s arrival means New Zealand have two brothers combinations along with Corey and Tai Webster.

Ihab Al-Zuhairi and Rekan Abdalla - Iraq

Ihab Al-Zuhairi dominated things at the Asian youth championships and is now starting to get into the senior team. He played one minute against Iran in the first window but it would be expected he could play a bigger role this time around. But he will not be the youngest on the team as the Iraqi team also includes 18-year-old Rekan Abdalla.

Juan Vaulet and Maximo Fjellerup - Argentina

Juan Vaulet should make his senior national team debut at 21 years of age. Vaulet is averaging 9.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists for Weber Bahia with two double-doubles. He has had highs of 15 points and 13 rebounds. Vaulet will find his Weber Bahia teammate Maximo Fjellerup, who collected seven points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist in nearly 20 minutes in the first two Americas Qualifiers. The 20-year-old Fjellerup is averaging 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals in Argentina but he has tailed off a little, scoring in double figures in just two of the last seven games after hitting double digits in the first 10 games of the season.

Yago Dos Santos and Guilherme Do Carmo - Brazil

Brazil continue to look at getting some youth injected into the team with Yago Dos Santos one of the top youngsters in the country. The 18-year-old point guard is averaging 6.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 rebounds for Paulistano, including a 31-point showing against Bauru in late January. The 5ft 9in (1.75m) point guard averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 rebounds in the November window. New in the team will be Guilherme Do Carmo. The 20-year-old Do Carmo is averaging 2.7 points and 1.1 rebounds for Pinheiros this season, including a game with 13 points.

Emmanuel Omogbo - Nigeria

Emmanuel Omogbo will look to show off his skills for the first time on the international landscape. The 22-year-old has already made his mark at the club level, averaging 11.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals including six double-doubles in his first eight games in his rookie season for Italian club Pesaro. Omogbo collected 21 points and 18 rebounds against Vanoli Cremona.

David Hein

FIBA

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