MIES (Switzerland) - Many of the top players in the world shined for the first time on the global stage at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. They have been wowing fans with their promise and talent since the inaugural event in 2010.
Here is a review of the Top 20 biggest names, how they performed in the event and what they have done as professionals.
Here is the first installment with places 20-16 plus Honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions
Cameron Boozer - USA - 2024
Dash Daniels - Australia - 2024
Dante Exum - Australia - 2012
Bruno Fernando - Angola - 2014
Hugo Gonzalez - Spain - 2022
Killian Hayes - France - 2018
Jaylen Hoard - France - 2016
Ron Holland - USA - 2022
Mikael Jantunen - Finland - 2016
Theo Maledon - France - 2018
Koa Peat - USA - 2022, 2024
Ben Simmons - Australia - 2012
Kai Sotto - Philippines - 2018
Silvio De Sousa - Angola - 2014
Justice Winslow - USA - 2012
20 - AJ Dybantsa - USA - 2024
2024 ranking: previously unranked
Dybantsa started his USA Basketball career with a first place finish at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2023. The forward then dominated at the 2024 U17 World Cup as USA ran away with a seventh straight undefeated title. Dybantsa averaged 14.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals for the tournament in grabbing a spot on the All-Star Five.
Dybantsa showed his all-around game in the big opening game versus title challengers France with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. He followed that up with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists against Guinea and 11 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in a win over China.
The Round of 16 was a rout of Philippines and he picked up 7 points and 4 assists and then was back to his old production in the Quarter-Finals against Canada with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. He contributed 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in the Semi-Finals against New Zealand before finishing the event with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists against Italy in the Final.
Dybantsa won another global title the following summer with USA Basketball as he was named Most Valuable Player with the Americans hoisting the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 trophy. He tallied 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals for the Americans.
Dybantsa finished his high school prep career with Utah Prep and then spent this past season at Brigham Young University. He ended up averaging 25.5 points to lead Division I college basketball in scoring to go along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals. He was named as a consensus First Team All-American and won the Julius Erving Award in 2026 as the nation's top small forward. Dybantsa also was named to the First Team All-Big 12 and the Big 12 Freshman of Year. Dybantsa is expected to be selected as the number one overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
19 - Dzanan Musa - Bosnia and Herzegovina – 2016
2024 ranking: 16 (-3)
Musa came to the 2016 U17 World Cup after having guided Bosnia and Herzegovina to the title at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2015 - arguably the country's biggest sports achievement in history. Musa was the MVP of the continental championship and the wing showed why in Zaragoza.
He averaged 34.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals to garner a spot on the All-Star Five. Musa collected two double-doubles with 30+ points in the group stage and then tallied 34 points in the Round of 16 against Australia. But his production was not enough as Bosnia and Herzegovina lost 75-72 in the first knockout game.
Musa took out his anger on Chinese Taipei in the 9-16 Classification as he dropped 50 points on the Asian side - setting a new FIBA U17 World Cup single game scoring record that still stands. Musa averaged 33.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in the final two games as Bosnia and Herzegovina finished ninth.
Later that summer, Musa starred in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2016 and also debuted with the senior national team at the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers. Musa regularly played for his country in qualifiers for a number of events and then was a major leader for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022, averaging 21.4 points.
He could not help the country reach the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and also missed out on the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024 as Bosnia and Herzegovina lost in the Final of the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 Poland-Estonia. Musa also played at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers - though he missed the EuroBasket 2025 - and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
He debuted as a pro at the club level with Croatian team Cedevita Zagreb and was drafted in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft and played two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. Musa returned to Europe in 2021 and guided Spanish side Rio Breogan to the Copa del Rey in 2021-22 for the first time in more than 30 years. He joined Real Madrid in 2022 and helped the club to win many trophies since.
18 - Mario Hezonja - Croatia - 2012
2024 ranking: 20 (+2)
Hezonja came into the U17 World Cup 2012 as one of the brightest stars in the game, having played a major role for Croatia at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2011 the previous summer. He was then only 16. One year later, as expected, Hezonja dominated in Kaunas, pouring in 20.8 points to go with 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.3 steals and was named to the All-Star Five.
The wing opened the tournament with big double-doubles (24 points and 13 rebounds, 21 and 11) and had his best showing in the final group game with 30 points against Spain. Croatia ended up losing to Australia in the Semi-Finals despite 28 points from Hezonja. The team bounced back to beat Spain again with Hezonja tallying 23 points to take third place in the competition. That remains the only podium finish for Croatia in the U17 World Cup history.
Hezonja joined Spanish powerhouse Barcelona at age 17 in 2012 and was selected fifth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He played five seasons in the NBA before returning to Europe in 2021, playing with Spanish giants Real Madrid since 2022.
Hezonja also always answers the call for the Croatian senior national team, debuting at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 at age 19. He helped the country advance through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2016 and played at the 2016 Rio Olympics and also played at the 2015 and 2022 FIBA EuroBaskets and the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 Türkiye. In addition, Hezonja appeared in qualifying games for a number of tournaments such as the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers, FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers and FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
17 - Jean Montero – Dominican Republic - 2018
2024 ranking: 18 (+1)
Montero started to show the makings of one of his country's future leaders at the U17 World Cup in 2018. The then 15-year-old guard scored 15.4 points with 39.1 percent three-point shooting and averaged 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 4.1 steals. Dominican Republic lost all three games in the group stage and then lost to United States in the Round of 16.
The team turned it around and won their final three games to finish ninth overall. Montero had a performance for the ages in the 9-12 Classification as they beat Mali 110-108 in triple-overtime with the guard collecting 33 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 steals. And Montero finished the tournament with 14 points, 3 assists and 6 steals in a win over Serbia to take ninth place.
Despite being just 16 years old, Montero travelled with the senior national team to China for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 but did not make the final cut for the squad. He debuted for the senior squad in the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers and already started taking more leadership in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers.
The dynamic guard impressed at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and then starred at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Greece. He also played at the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
Montero started his professional career in 2019 with Spanish club Gran Canaria. He still is playing in Spain, being a leader for Valencia while also being a three-time Spanish league Best Young Player. Montero was All-Liga ACB First Team in 2025.
16 - Zaccharie Risacher – France - 2022
2024 ranking: Honorable mention
Risacher was one the leaders at the FIBA U16 European Challengers 2021 in his first appearance for France. On the global stage for the first time at the U17 World Cup, the forward combined for 14 points in the first two games. He finally broke out against New Zealand in the final Group Phase game with 19 points to go with 2 rebounds and 2 blocks.
In the Knockout Phase, Risacher had 13 points and 5 rebounds versus Japan and then showed his all-around game in the Quarter-Finals against Slovenia with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He contributed just 2 points in the loss to Spain in the Semi-Finals though he added 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Risacher rebounded well in the Third Place Game and helped France go home with hardware in picking up 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in a win over Lithuania.
The next summer, Risacher played at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023 - helping France to second place for a second straight junior World Cup. Risacher made his France senior national team debut at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers and then played a major role at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 with 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
Risacher, whose father Stephane Risacher won silver with France at the 2000 Olympics, came up in the ASVEL Villeurbanne youth ranks and played on loan for JL Bourg in 2023-24. He was named the French league Best Young Player in 2024. Risacher was then selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2025.
Stay tuned for the rest of the Top 20 players to ever play at the U17 World Cup.
FIBA