Top 30 Stars to watch: 30-21

MANILA (Philippines) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is just around the corner as FIBA's flagship event starts off this Friday.

It's hard even to fathom how many stars will represent their country in the competition. Some have proven that leading their national team brings out the best of them, while others will be tested in the unique environment of international hoops.

Here's a look at the first 10 players out of our Top 30 that will shine in a competition among the world's best:

30. KOSTAS PAPANIKOLAOU (GREECE)

SMALL FORWARD

Birth date: July 31, 1990 (33 years old)
Height: 203cm / 6'8"
Club: Olympiacos (Greece)

Always one to keep the offense moving, Kostas Papanikolaou won't blow you away with huge scoring totals, yet he will do whatever it takes to give his team the best chance to win.

The 33-year-old will participate in this third World Cup as an invaluable veteran leader for Greece in its rebuilding phase.

29. YUTA WATANABE (JAPAN)

SMALL FORWARD

Birth date: October 13, 1994 (28 years old)
Height: 206cm / 6'9"
Club: Phoenix Suns (USA)

Whenever Watanabe puts on a Japan jersey, he turns into a mean scoring machine. The agile lefty was in the Top 10 in scoring during the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament in 2021 with 17.7 points per game.

Local fans surely will expect much of the same, with the Japanese having another opportunity for a successful campaign on their home soil.

28. JUANCHO HERNANGOMEZ (SPAIN)

FORWARD

Birth date: September 28, 1995 (27 years old)
Height: 205cm / 6'9"
Club: Panathinaikos (Greece)

Last time we saw him in an official game for Spain, the athletic forward closed out the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 with an amazing 27 points in the Final against France (7-9 from three).

He has been a deadly three-point threat in every major FIBA competition, which includes winning the title back in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

27. KYLE-ANDERSON - LI KAIER (CHINA)

FORWARD

Birth date: September 20, 1993 (29 years old)
Height: 206cm / 6'9"
Club: Minnesota Timberwolves (USA)

Kyle Anderson - Li Kaier has been such a reliable NBA role player that it will be very intriguing to see how the wiry forward steps into a bigger role for China.

Kaier's strengths as a somewhat position-less forward who plays at his own pace and brings the best out of his teammates will make up an interesting duo with Zhou Qi at center.

26. JAREN JACKSON JR. (USA)

CENTER

Birth date: September 15, 1999 (23 years old)
Height: 211cm / 6'11"
Club: Memphis Grizzlies (USA)

The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year might be USA's best option for shutting down the paint. However, his sole international experience came in the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016.

Jackson's versatility and three-point range pose a nightmare for opposing centers, yet only time will tell how successfully he will adapt to international basketball.

25. JOSH GIDDEY (AUSTRALIA)

FORWARD

Birth date: October 10, 2002 (20 years old)
Height: 200cm / 6'7"
Club: Oklahoma City Thunder (USA)

We officially are on Josh Giddey Triple-Double watch! Preparation games have shown more than glimpses of what the promising Aussie is capable of. Surely, a cast of well-known veterans will help Giddey in his major tournament debut.

However, the combination of his height, maturity, and slick passing might just mean that he's already prepared to take over. He could very well be Australia's best player at the end of the competition. Sorry, Patty!

24. MARCELINHO HUERTAS (BRAZIL)

POINT GUARD

Birth date: May 25, 1983 (40 years old)
Height: 190cm / 6'3"
Club: Lenovo Tenerife (Spain)

Plenty of people have participated in a record number of five World Cup tournaments. We aren't certain that the rest of them looked as good as Huertas does at the age of 40, though.

Brazil's dazzling point guard looks to join that select group, while still being able to turn heads with imaginative passing or just take over as a creative scorer.

23. MIKAL BRIDGES (USA)

SMALL FORWARD

Birth date: August 30, 1996 (26 years old)
Height: 198cm / 6'6"
Club: Brooklyn Nets (USA)

Mikal Bridges must have been created in a lab. The perfect prototype for a 3&D wing, who also has developed some pretty neat scoring chops!?

Bridges could prove to be a load to deal with for any opposing perimeter player and more than complement any other high-scoring USA star as a great two-way player.

22. JORDAN CLARKSON (PHILIPPINES)

GUARD

Birth date: June 7, 1992 (31 years old)
Height: 198cm / 6'6"
Club: Utah Jazz (USA)

We got a taste of Jordan Clarkson's scoring prowess last summer when he averaged 25.0 points per game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.

A lack of any shyness about pulling up from deep and the ability to always create a shot for himself makes Clarkson a low-key candidate for the Top Scorer honors.

21. WALTER TAVARES (CAPE VERDE)

CENTER

Birth date: March 22, 1992 (31 years old)
Height: 220cm / 7'3"
Club: Real Madrid (Spain)

We all know what Tavares has been capable of as, perhaps, the best rim protector in European club basketball. Moreover, his averages of 16.7 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game in the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 weren't too shabby either.

Now the Cape Verde hero faces a completely new challenge in the small country's maiden World Cup.

*The  World Cup Top 30 players to watch rankings are entirely subjective and are in no way a true and accurate FIBA ranking system. All comments are purely those of the author for the entertainment of the fans.

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