MIES (Switzerland) - There have been so many national team standouts who cut their teeth at past editions of the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup and have used it as a launch pad for senior stardom.
In the first two-part of our series looking at some of the biggest stars to have played in the competition, we count down from spots 20-11.
20. Awa Fam - Spain (2022)
The rising star helped to pace Spain's run to the 2022 title game and stepped away having shown her power-packed game and skills, which harvested a silver medal and near tournament double-double. That came along with other accolades in youth competitions.
Fam has become one of the best young players in Europe, was outstanding on senior tournament debut at FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 and is being tipped to be one of her country's leaders for the next decade and beyond.
19. Kia Nurse - Canada (2012)
Nurse fueled Canada’s best ever finish with bronze in Amsterdam in 2012, scoring almost 14 points per game. She then went on to star for the senior team in a big way, including being MVP of the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2015.
Playing at two editions of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2014 and 2018, she is also is three-time Olympian having appeared at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
18. Maria Conde - Spain (2014)
Conde played only a modest role for her country at the 2014 edition. She was 5th on the roster in minutes and points, but still came close to gold in a 77-75 Final defeat to USA.
The winger has since become a leader for Spain and is a double Olympian having played at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She has three FIBA Women's EuroBasket tournaments on her resume and will lead her country at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026.
17. Alanna Smith - Australia (2012)
Smith stepped out for the Sapphires in Amsterdam in 2012, adding a modest 5.6 points per game for her team. But she would eventually establish herself as a member of the Opals and one that makes some seriously important contributions.
Winning silver at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018, making an Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, the forward missed out on winning bronze at the 2022 Worlds on home soil in Sydney. But she bounced back with a brilliant showing at Paris 2024 to land Olympic bronze.
16. Himawari Akaho - Japan (2014)
Appearing in Pilsen and Klatovy in 2014, Akaho didn't make a significant splash with less than two points per game. However she became a central pillar of the record-breaking Japan team that famously won silver at Tokyo 2020 and after appearing at Paris 2024, has become a double Olympian.
A defensive powerhouse and often an unsung hero who doesn't get deserved recognition, she was FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2021 MVP and has two FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup appearances on her resume as well.
15. Paige Bueckers - USA (2018)
Bueckers pulled the strings with almost five assists per game in Belarus and that was quite the first global dance. But she went on to go one better for USA at U19 in Bangkok a year later when she was also crowned MVP.
She had to wait quite some time to get an opportunity at the senior level, impressing at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament in San Juan. She didn't disappoint and along with her 3 million Instagram followers, will be looking to lead her nation at the big show this September in Berlin.
14. Raquel Carrera - Spain (2016 and 2018)
Having played young at the 2016 edition on home soil in Zaragoza, Carrera went to Belarus two years later and posted a towering effort with 14 points per game. Now a senior standout for Spain, she has won silver at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 and 2025.
Having missed out on Paris 2024 with an injury, she was not able to add to her first Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020. But a FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup debut is incoming and she could be Spain's driving force.
13. Bridget Carleton - Canada (2014)
The winger top scored for her team in Pilsen and Klatovy in 2014 when she amassed more than 14 points per outing. Carleton has since become the focal point and main scoring option for Canada due to her shooting skills.
A two-time Olympian, 20 she has also appeared at the past two editions of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, including famously making the All-Star Five at Sydney 2022 as Canada made the Semi-Finals.
12. Sabrina Ionescu - USA (2014)
The shooting ace won gold with USA in 2014, although Ionescu was just 7th in minutes played and 8th in scoring. After a meteoric rise to prominence on and off the court and now sat at 1.4 million Instagram followers. Her profile is huge. That was boosted further with the historic three-point contest against Steph Curry.
She balled at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 in Australia where she won the title and then sealed an Olympic debut at Paris 2024 where she also won gold with USA.
11. Sika Kone - Mali (2018)
One of the best African ballers around, the forward finished as the 2018 top scorer in Belarus and accumulated a tournament double-double of 16.9 points and 10.9 boards per game. She also excelled at two editions of the U19 Worlds, taking Mali to a historic place in the Semi-Finals in 2021 and making the All-Star Five.
Terrific on debut at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 in Sydney with the senior side, she posted a remarkable double-double tournament. She has also played multiple FIBA Women's AfroBasket tournaments and will lead Mali at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026.
In part two, we will take a look at the stars who occupy the Top 10.
FIBA