2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers Smart Power Rankings: Volume 1

MIAMI (United States) – The first window of the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers will take place this week and it’s time to check on how each time arrives and what are their odds.

For this first edition of the Power Rankings, we’ll take into account the announced rosters for each national team, the countries they’ll face and their chances in each group.

These are the rankings for February:

1. USA 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 3
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 1

As is usually the case in these type of Qualifiers, they’ll bring an alternate roster and will have to build from scratch with their designated head coach, Jerome Allen. However, they possess so much talent that, independently of who suits up, you always must count them among the favorites. This time around they’ll have 4 players with NBA experience that have also been performing at a high level in the G League: Jordan Bell, Michael Carter-Williams, Stanley Johnson and Elfrid Payton. The Americans will start the group facing Cuba, their weakest opponent on paper.

2. BRA 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 2
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 12

The South American giants will lean on point guard Yago Santos and power forward Bruno Caboclo, both playing great in Euroleague with Red Star and Partizan, respectively. Head coach Gustavo Conti also called several young players from Brazil’s NBB and the G League, who will try to prove their worth against an unexperienced team like Paraguay. With their depth, it seems like Brazil should have an easy road in Group B.

3. ARG 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 1
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 7

After a disappointing year where they failed to qualify to the World Cup and the Olympic Qualifiers, the Argentinians still possess a solid talent base under head coach Pablo Prigioni, who will be overseeing the whole project but won’t be sitting on the bench due to his NBA duties. Campazzo, Deck, Brussino, Bolmaro and Delía are the leaders of a team hungry to prove they’re still part of the elite, and Chile is slated to be the ones to suffer their wrath in these first 2 games.

4. CAN 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 4
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 6

Canada, just like the United States, won’t have their NBA stars but will bring a core of players performing well in several of Europe’s top leagues and that proved during the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers that they’re a dangerous squad – remaining undefeated until the last game. Some of the veterans returning are Kyle Alexander, Trae Bell-Haynes, Kaza Kajami-Keane, Phil Scrubb and Kyle Wiltjer, enough to handle Nicaragua without much fuss.

5. DOM 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 8
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 18

Dominican Republic belongs to Group C, the toughest on paper thanks to the presence of Canada and Mexico. They’ll start their slate against Mexico, a tough squad, but the Dominicans have plenty of firepower to meet the challenge. Most of the core from last year’s World Cup, where the team finished 14th, is back for this window, including point guards Andrés Feliz and Jean Montero, both playing well in Spain’s ACB. The biggest mystery will be new head coach David Díaz, who’s been an assistant for many years but is now at the helm for the first time.

6. PUR 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 6
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 16

The boricuas will have several new faces, but many young players that could’ve joined the squad won’t be available. It seems like head coach Nelson Colón wants to see who he can count on in the short term. The danger for the first window is that they’ll be facing Bahamas, a team that brings a solid mix of youth and experience, and that in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers gave them a lot of trouble.

7. MEX 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 5
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 25

They’ve found a stability under head coach Omar Quintero that they’d been lacking for a long time. Mexico qualified to the 2022 AmeriCup and the 2023 World Cup, and they’ll play in this summer’s Olympic Qualifiers. In this event, vying for a spot in the 2025 AmeriCup, they’ll try to keep the streak going and are totally capable of doing it with their current squad. Canada and Dominican Republic will make it tough for them, but they’re still likely to be one of the 3 teams advancing.

8. VEN 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 7
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 22

They couldn’t win a single game at the 2023 World Cup and rounded out a disappointing performance. That brought changes at the helm and the arrival of head coach Daniel Seoane, who will make his FIBA debut. Seoane knows the group well because he’d been an assistant in previous year but will now have to lead a changing of the guard. With the team’s best players all over 34 years of age, he’ll have to add young blood while trying to remain competitive. Both games against Colombia, a team on the rise recently, will be excellent tests.

9. URU 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 10
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 50

Uruguay is the early favorite to take second place in Group B behind Brazil, and the team that could challenge them is Panama. These countries will face each other during this window and the outcome could decide how the group goes. Under head coach Gerardo Jauri, in his second stint at the helm of the national team, Uruguay will lean heavily on a crop of talented perimeter players. They’ll also need to give extra effort on the boards, where Kiril Waschmann is their only natural center.

10. BAH 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: Did not qualify
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 57

The Caribbeans are coming off their best performance ever at the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Argentina. There, they eliminated the host nation behind great showings from NBA stars Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton. Now, without those players, they’ll need Tavario Miller, Travis Munnings, Kentwan Smith and Kai Jones to take a step forward and keep the momentum going against Puerto Rico.

11. COL 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 9
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike Nike: 56

Colombia, like never before, has a good number of players in top overseas leagues and the national team is much better for it. For these Qualifiers, they’ll have all their stars (Hansel Atencia, Jaime Echenique, Andrés Ibargüen, Romario Roque and Juan Tello) to make things tough on Venezuela, their first opponent, and dream about a spot in AmeriCup and second place in Group A.

12. PAN 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: 11
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 55

With new head coach Gonzalo García in charge, Panama is ready for a new beginning. They have a solid core with guys like Josimar Ayarza, Tony Bishop, Javier Carter, Trevor Gaskins and Ernesto Oglivie and if they manage to find chemistry, they can be very competitive. They’ve already had great matchups against Uruguay, their first opponent, and they’re ready for another exciting battle.

13. CHI 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: Did not qualify
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 62

They’re expected to be the weakest team in a Group A that also features Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia. In recent years, thanks to the improvements in their domestic league and several players going overseas, they’ve been expecting better results that haven’t yet materialized. They have a tough start to these Qualifiers against Argentina, but they’re more than capable of making things tough for both Colombia and Venezuela.

 

 

 

14. NCA 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: No clasificó
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 73

The odds in Group C, where they’ll face Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico, aren’t great for Nicaragua. However, they’re already qualified to the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup as the host nation, so they won’t be under pressure to win games. They will, however, need to look competitive and prove that their Pre-Qualifier wins against U.S. Virgin Islands and Cuba weren’t a fluke.

15. CUB 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: Did not qualify
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 70

Cuba features exciting players like Jasiel Rivero, Karel Guzmán and Yoanki Mencia, among others, but this group still hasn’t been able to perform with the national team. It’s yet to be seen who will be available, but starting off against United States already puts them in a tough spot from the jump.

16. PAR 

FIBA AmeriCup 2022: Did not qualify
FIBA World Ranking, presented by Nike: 80

Paraguay, in the Pre-Qualifiers for this tournament, got a pair of important victories, but they’re still winless in their last 17 games at this level. Group B (Brazil, Uruguay and Panama) isn’t looking any easier for them, but nonetheless they’ll try to end their negative streak.

Note: Power rankings are completely subjective and in no way represent true or accurate systems of qualification. All the comments are the writer’s own.

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