MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023 starts in just more than two weeks and teams, federations and fans alike are dreaming of what could happen from June 24-July 2. Here is a look at why each team could win the tournament in Hungary. 

This is a breakdown over two articles, starting with Volume 1, goind through the teams in an alphabetical order. 

Argentina

Dylan Bordon

Argentina have only reached the podium twice - taking third back in the first U19 World Cup in 1979 and then again in 1991. They have reached the Quarter-Finals in two of the last three editions but the last top four showing came in 2011. This summer’s group has a lot of the components needed for a successful team. Dylan Bordon was already a good playmaker but he only got better by playing for Gran Canaria’s second team in the Spanish third division LEB Silver. Lucas Giovannetti played in Spain’s fourth flight for Estudiantes Madrid but the outside marksman was exposed to a great level at the ANGT event. And Juan Bocca was in the Obradoiro system in Spain as well.

Much of the Argentina team has been learning the game abroad, including Lucas Fresno at Stellazzurra of Italy, Benjamin Marchiaro and Mauro Villa, who played for Argentina legend Luis Scola’s team Varese in Italy. Santiago Trouet, Giovanetti’s former teammate at Estudiantes and Francisco Espinosa and Alonso Easterling all played in the United States while Alonso Easterling is a US-raised inside-outside threat, and big man Bautista Giralt was at the NBA Academy Latin American in Mexico.

The Argentina team also has some experience at the global stage with Giovanetti, Bocca, Maximo Lomello and Juan Respaud all playing at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022. Add it all up and Argentina could give a scare to a favorite in a knockout game.

Brazil

Reynan Santos

Brazil are back at the U19 World Cup for first time since 2013 and they have an exciting group of talents that could soon make their way into the senior national team. The leader for sure of this team will be Reynan Santos, who was named MVP of the FIBA U17 South American Championship 2022 and then made the All-Star Five of the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022 as Brazil took second place on the continental level. The strong, athletic guard Reynan made a big step forward this season with Sesi Franca and even played 7 games in the Basketball Champions League Americas.

But this team is much more than just Reynan. Samis Calderon is an intriguing athletic forward who was named Best Defensive Player of the 2023 Basketball Without Borders Global camp. Eduardo Klafke is a major outside threat and played at the NBA Academy Latin American along with Calderon, Breno Silva and Gabriel Ferreira. Guilherme Tesch can light it up at times from the outside and knows the USA game from spending a third season in the US college prep system at IMG Academy. Enrico Borio is a big wing who can also play inside and outside and starred in high school in Florida, USA.

Leandro Cardoso Inacio is another superb athlete who can play as an undersized big while Richard Morina has already played professionally in Italy’s top flight with Trento. Brazil could also feature a 2006-born 7-footer as Gustavo Guimaraes has helped his team to the Florida state high school championship. Put it altogether and Brazil fans cannot just be happy about being back at the U19 World Cup but dream of the trophy.

Canada

Elijah Fisher

Canada have reached the Quarter-Finals in the last five U19 World Cups, including winning the tournament in 2017 and taking third place in 2021. A major contributor for the North Americans two years ago hopes to lead the country higher up the podium in Hungary.

Elijah Fisher averaged 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 2021 and head coach Patrick Tatham will likely rely on the shooting guard again - especially after he was a major leader on the team at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022.
Center Michael Nwoko nearly averaged a double-double last summer and should be a difficult force to handle in the post.

Add to that 7-foot-7 giant Olivier Rioux, 7-foot center Cyril Martynov as well as shooting ace TJ Hurley plus David Simon, recipient of BioSteel Player of the Year award for Canada's top high school player and 2006-born Efeosa Oliogu among others and Canada will be stacked. It's really just about getting all the moving parts to work together as quickly as possible.

China

Yang Hansen

China have a big name in world basketball but the results at the U19 World Cup haven't been there - just one Quarter-Finals appearance in 11 appearances and just two wins in 2015 and only one victory in 2019, when they finished last.

But this group of Chinese could change the country's fortunes, led predominantly by center Yang Hansen and his outstanding playmaking abilities. China’s second main weapon will be Dan Houran, who was named MVP of the Chinese high school championship and is a high-flying wing from Inner Mongolia and stands 2.09 meters with a wingspan of 2.15 meters.

He Jianxuan is a big point guard who has played high school basketball in Canada and showed he can also score - with 53 points and 13 three-pointers in a game. Li Xinyi is a stretch big who has played high school basketball in USA and has basketball genes as his mother Shao Rui played at a high level.

Guard Wei Zhao is basically a European guard having grown up in Italy and playing in the youth ranks for Varese, the club owned by Argentina legend Luis Scola. Guard Ma Mingkun appeared in 8 games for Shenzhen in the Chinese Basketball Association this season while Wang Haoran played in one game for the team. Another reason China could challenge is Wang “Barry” Junjie, who has made a name for himself at the NBA Global Academy and shined at the Basketball Without Borders Global camp.

Egpyt

Seifeldin Hendawy

Egypt have missed the last two U19 World Cups and have never finished better than 11th, but they hope to continue a recent trend for African countries after Mali finished second in 2019 and Senegal reached the Quarter-Finals for the first time in history in 2021.

The northern Africans have four players playing abroad who will likely be looked upon as leaders for the team. Seifeldin Hendawy has played at three big FIBA competitions already - FIBA U16 African Championship 2021, FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and FIBA U18 African Championship 2022. The former Al Ahly player also competed at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp and plays for Angolan club Petro de Luanda in the Basketball African League and collected 4 points and 6 rebounds in 17 minutes over 4 games.

The Egyptian U18 captain Belal Elshakery has been playing high school basketball in the United States and also was part of the FIBA U16 African Championship 2019-winning team and played last summer at the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup 2022. Ibrahim Zahran played alongside Elshakery at the 3x3 U18 World Cup and also plays in the USA at Frank Phillips College. His father and brother both are big names in the game. The other USA-based player is Abdulrahman Helwa, who is a gifted scorer who can attack the basket and knock down shots.

Adam Elhalawany was the MVP of the FIBA U16 African Championship 2019 while Karim Elgizawy helped Egypt win the title at the FIBA 3x3 U17 Africa Cup 2022. And Hassan Amer is the younger brother of Hagar Amar, the captain of Alexandria Sporting Club and MVP of the FIBA Women’s Africa Champions Cup 2023.

France

Zacharie Perrin

France will go into the U19 World Cup as one of the title contenders though many might be wondering what if. Okay, of course, having Victor Wembanyama on this team would be amazing but head coach Lamine Kebe is missing some others as well. But let's focus on the players who will be with the squad.

Zaccharie Risacher was a late arrival in the team camp as he was playing with professional side ASVEL Villeurbanne in the French league Semi-Finals. But he will be the main weapon for the French, who finished second in 2021 after third placed showings in 2007 and 2019.

Risacher will be just one problem for France opponents as Alexandre Sarr returns to Europe after another season with the Overtime Elite program and more experience of playing against elite physicality from the USA. Zacharie Perrin will be out to prove himself after leaving the University of Illinois late in the season to come back to Europe. Romain Parmentelot and Romain Hoeltzel will be in charge of running the show as playmakers with Melvin Ajinca and Noah Penda will be ready to help out in any way possible at both ends.

Hungary

Peter Csataljay

Hungary will be relying on a team of players plying their trade at home with a 2004-born generation that finished 14th at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2022 Division B. The Hungarians played solid defense, giving up just 63.9 points per game and only in the game for 13th place did they allow more than 73 points. But the team averaged only 62.3 points on offense in collecting wins over Slovakia, Switzerland and Georgia.

Kornel Csuti, Robert Meszlenyi, Benjamin Keleman and Peter Csendes all helped Hungary take first place in the FIBA U18 European Challengers 2021 in the 19-25 Phase with Csuti, Keleman and Meszlenyi all playing on the U18 team last summer as well.

Hungary won the 19-25 Final of the FIBA U16 European Challengers 2021 as well with Balint Szoke leading the team in scoring, rebounds and assists with Daniel Antalics, Balazs Arva-File, Patrick Hogye and Adam Pleesz. Antalics and Pleesz were both on the U18 team last summer.

In addition, Peter Csataljay was the leading scorer of the U18 team in 2022 and will be a major part of any success for the hosts. There is also the duo of high-flying Robert Sagodi and Bence Kohazi, who helped Hungary to third place at the 2021 FIBA 3x3 U17 Europe Cup.

Japan

Yuto Kawashima

Japan are making back-to-back U19 World Cup appearances for the first time and the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2022 runners-up are hungry to make history. Rui Hachimura helped the country reach a best-ever 10th place in 2017. But Yuto Kawashima and co. feel more is possible.

Kawashima is the team leader - having already played at the U19 World Cup in 2021 - but he will not have to carry the team alone. Not that Kawashima can’t do that as his skill level is too high for Japan and he spent the end of last season at the NBA Global Academy in Australia. Last summer he dominated at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and now he plans on doing the same in Hungary.

Kawashima will receive major help from his NBA Global Academy teammate Akira Jacobs, who failed to really shine at the FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2022 as he got injured in the second game. He definitely forms a strong one-two punch with Kawashima.

One could argue there is actually a one-two-three-four punch along with Taiga Okada, who spent his third season in Spain and also participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global camp; and Lolo Rudolph, an American Japanese LoLo Rudolph, gives them a point guard who understands the US style of basketball and strength and athleticism at the playmaker spot.

Rudolph was also at the recent Basketball Without Borders Asia camp as was Teruchika Naito, who also played at the FIBA 3x3 U17 Asia Cup 2022 alongside Eijiro Ogawa and Shuntaro Buto.

Disclaimer: Some of the players mentioned above may not be selected for their respective country's final roster.

Next time we will look at the other eight teams in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023 and why can win the tournament.

 FIBA