PITESTI (Romania) - The FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B returns to Romania, a country that previously hosted the tournament in 2019 and 2022. Each edition has showcased emerging talent, with multiple players going on to become Europe’s future stars.
In this list, we've selected 10 standout prospects who are sure to put on a show at Pitesti.
Make sure to check out our list of players to watch in the Division A tournament, taking place in Belgrade, Serbia.
Samu Adler - Finland
Guard
Birth Date: August 10, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Salon Vilpas (FIN)
Despite his young age, Adler is already considered one of the gems of Finnish basketball, having already made his debut for the senior national team at just 17 years old during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. The 17-year-old is a versatile combo guard who contributes with his scoring, being able to create his own drives and hit three-pointers off the catch. While he's not a primary initiator, he can create shots for teammates and make the right reads within the flow of the offense.
Finland has reached the podium in each of their last two appearances in Division B, and they will look to return once again to Division A with Adler as one of the top players on the roster.
Borna Katanovic - Croatia
Small Forward
Birth Date: June 13, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.97m (6ft 6in) Club: KK Cibona (CRO)
It will be just the second time that Croatia competes in Division B, having won the title in their only previous appearance in the tournament back in 2017. To make a quick return to Division A, they'll need a winning pedigree and that's exactly what they have in Borna Katanovic.
The 18-year-old wing has experience in these situations, having led Croatia to a Division B title at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2023, where he was also named MVP of the tournament. Katanovic, who is coming off a successful season as a rotational player for Cibona in the Adriatic League, will bring his versatile scoring arsenal to Pitesti.
His ability to create his own shot from multiple levels of the floor, whether it is jumpers off the dribble or powerful drives to the basket, should be one of the keys for a Croatian team looking to stay perfect in Division B and make a quick return to the top tier.
Roman Avdejev - Estonia
Center
Birth Date: February 2, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in) Club: Reinar Halliku Korvpallikool (EST)
Estonia will have the MVP of last year's FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B tournament on the roster, and they will hope that Avdejev can be as dominant as he was during their gold medal run at Skopje, where he averaged 12.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Avdejev provides a two-way presence in the paint for Estonia, being able to finish around the basket, create his own shot via post-ups, rebound, and protect the rim.
He's also shown an intriguing combination of footwork, handles, and fluidity that allows him to get by defenders on the perimeter and drive to the basket.
Last year's 17th-place finish tied Estonia's worst-ever result in a Division B tournament, but their hopes of turning the page should be high. With Avdejev's recent success it wouldn't be a surprise to see Estonia earn a promotion spot in Pitesti.
Gabor Lukacsi - Hungary
Guard
Birth Date: October 19, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Club: NKA Pécs (HUN)
Hungary will return one of their top players from last year's tournament in Lukacsi, whose averages of 10.4 points and 5.0 assists led the team in Skopje. Lukacsi is a versatile offensive weapon. His shifty, fluid ball-handling ability, and his ability to change speeds and directions with the ball allow him to create shots for himself. He's also a capable primary playmaker, being able to find open teammates.
Hungary will aim for their first promotion to Division A in this year's tournament, and they certainly have the talent to be one of the contenders in Pitesti.
Mate Khatiashvili - Georgia
Point Guard
Birth Date: November 7, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.92m (6ft 4in) Club: Saski Baskonia (ESP)
Despite his young age, Khatiashvili will bring valuable experience to this Georgian squad. He was one of the top players in the team's bronze-medal run at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B in 2023 and last year he made an all-around impact at the U16 Division A tournament, averaging 17.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Khatiashvili, who has already made his debut for the Georgian senior national team at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, is a tremendously shifty and creative ball-handler who can get downhill with a great combination of speed and body control.
He also shows enough touch to finish floaters and other tough shots around the basket. Additionally, he's a threat from three-point range, having shot 40.4 percent from beyond the arc in both of his U16 appearances.
Despite their recent success at the U16 level, Georgia is yet to play in Division A at the U18 level, with an 8th-place finish as their best-ever mark in Division B. With Khatiashvili on the roster they will have a huge opportunity to translate that success at the U18 level.
Djordje Djukanovic - Montenegro
Power Forward
Birth Date: December 13, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Club: KK Lovcen 1947 (MNE)
At just 16 years old, Djukanovic will be one of the youngest players in attendance, but his productivity in previous competitions speaks for itself. He averaged 13.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game at the 2023 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division A, and last year he took a leap, dominating the U16 Division B, averaging 12.0 points and 14.0 rebounds en route to an All-Star Five nod in Skopje.
An undersized but strong power forward, Djukanovic is able to score around the basket and shows tremendous toughness and motor as a rebounder. He has also shown flashes of a three-point shot.
Montenegro is always a team to watch in Division B, having finished in the top five in all but one of their nine appearances in the division. Their recent history, combined with talent on their roster, suggests that they should be one of the candidates to win it all in Pitesti.
Joost Dalgaard-Duus - Denmark
Guard
Birth Date: March 21, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: CB Zentro (ESP)
Dalgaard-Duus has been productive in both of his appearances with Denmark in FIBA competitions. He averaged 15.9 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three at the 2023 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B, and last year he was part of Denmark's rotation at the U18 Division A tournament. The 1.98m wing uses his combination of optimal positional size, fluid ball-handling, polished footwork, and touch on the move to get by defenders on the perimeter, finish plays around the basket, and convert jumpers off the dribble.
With his multi-level scoring ability, Denmark will attempt to make a quick return to Division A, where they competed for the past two years.
Codrut Dinu - Romania
Point Guard
Birth Date: February 26, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Club: CSM Ploiesti (ROU)
Romania will return their leading scorer from last year's tournament. Dinu also led the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B in 2023 in points per game, earning an All-Star Five nod in the process. The 18-year-old has already debuted for the Romanian senior national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers and has impressed in the Romanian league over the past few seasons with his scoring ability.
Dinu is a gifted shot creator who utilizes his fluid ball-handling and quick footwork to create separation for pull-up jumpers and drives to the basket.
Romania has found success in recent competitions, earning promotion at both the U20 and U16 levels last year. They will aim to build on that momentum and hope the home-court advantage helps them get back to Division A for the first time since 2007.
Logi Gudmundsson - Iceland
Small Forward
Birth Date: January 14, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.90m (6ft 3in) Club: Breidablik (ISL)
Gudmundsson was an impactful player in last year's edition of the tournament, averaging 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds for an Iceland team that finished 12th.
The 18-year-old guard is an aggressive scorer who can get downhill with his combination of size, strength, ball-handling ability, and open-court speed. Gudmundsson also shows flashes of passing on the move and shooting off the catch—skills that could be instrumental for an Iceland team looking to return to Division A after their only participation at the top level back in 2006. If they reach their goal in Pitesti, Gudmundsson's aggressive scoring will be one of the keys.
Apolo Caetano - Portugal
Point Guard
Birth Date: April 12, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in) Club: FC Porto (POR)
Caetano was Portugal's leading scorer at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B in 2023, and he averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 assists for the Portuguese squad that finished seventh in last year's U18 Division B tournament. The 1.80m guard stands out with his creativity. He's a fluid and shifty ball-handler who is extremely comfortable driving through traffic and is able to generate open shots for teammates with creative passing deliveries.
Portugal has been one of the most consistent teams in Division B in recent years, and this year they'll have Caetano as one of the key players in their quest for their first-ever promotion to Division A.
FIBA