LAUSANNE (Switzerland) - Global basketball fans will have their sights set on Lausanne this summer for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025, and Switzerland's hoops leaders can't wait for the great exposure especially after celebrating a historic summer in 2024.
Switzerland will be making its debut in the competition, and Federation Secretary General Erik Lehmann is really looking forward to the event.
We are really proud to face the best teams in the world
"We are really proud to face the best teams in the world, but we know it's going to be really, really tough," said Lehmann.
"It's going to be a hard competition for us, for sure. But we are happy. It's a marvelous exposure for the players. It's going to be an incredible experience. We've sold a lot of tickets, so I think it's going to be a big inspiration for our young people in Switzerland and youth basketball players."
One of the leading players for the Swiss team that will be playing from June 28 to July 6 will be Lucas Maniema.
We're not going there as sparring partners
"We're constantly working as a team and a country to get better. We've never been in Division A in a youth EuroBasket, but we're not going there as sparring partners. We have high expectations, and to be able to play at home makes it even better," said Maniema, who has played the last two years in Spain, this past season with Gran Canaria.
Maniema was also part of a historic summer last year for Swiss basketball. He averaged 10.8 points as Switzerland finished sixth at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024, Division B. That was the nation's best-ever result in the competition's history, besting the 11th place from 2010.
"We learned a lot during last summer, but the main things we keep with us is the hunger to go get more. We weren't satisfied with the sixth place and that's what pushes us to get better right now."
The sixth place finish showed Lehmann that the country is getting there.
"The level between the top six in Division B and the bottom of Division A is pretty close - rankings 9 to 16. Division A. I think it's almost the same level. So we're pretty happy about the result."
Looking ahead to their FIBA U19 World Cup debut, Switzerland have been drawn into Group C and will face off against fellow FIBA U19 World Cup debutants Israel in the first game. That will be followed up by games against the Dominican Republic and Jordan.
"I think that every victory we're going to get will be a very, very good result. The level will be amazing. There is going to be so many great teams here. It's crazy," said Lehmann.
Another important player for Switzerland's chances in Lausanne will be Dario Cokara, who could be the starting point guard despite being two years younger than the rest of the competition.
Cokara already etched his name in the country's basketball history books last summer by helping Switzerland take third place at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2024, Division B - securing promotion to the Division A for the first time.
Next summer will be the first time a Swiss men's team plays Division A of a youth EuroBasket. The country's only youth EuroBasket appearances in Division A were at the FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket 1971 and FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket 1976.
Cokara was the team's third-leading scorer last summer with 12.0 points per game, including 21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in the decisive 80-75 victory over Belgium in the Third Place Game.
The development of the youth players in Switzerland is better and better and better.
"We're really proud of the result," Lehmann said. "So now we will play against stronger teams next summer. The development of the youth players in Switzerland is better and better and better. Now we have more players. This year we will play with a completely different team in Division A (at the U16 EuroBasket) with players born in 2009."
Lehmann said the country has become more consistent in its youth development, whereas in the past, they have had a strong generation and then very little for the next four or five years.
One of the biggest reasons for the improved level of Swiss youth players is the Centre National du Basketball Suisse (CNBS). The federation started the academy in 2021 and modeled it after the illustrious INSEP program in France. The CNBS has 16 players between 15 and 18 years old and the team is set in playing in the second division in Switzerland, the Ligue - similar to how INSEP plays in the third division NM1 and cannot be promoted or relegated.
"Our motivation was to create something where the kids are able to practice twice a day - one time individual drills and all the individual development, and one time with the team," said Lehmann, who in 1996 was the French U18 national team coach and worked with INSEP a lot.
In addition to the CNBS, Switzerland has 24 teams playing in a nationwide U16 league and 20 teams competing in a U18 league.
What makes Lehmann and the federation most happy is that the officials are connected to the young players, which is not something that happened before. He does know, however, that the level in Switzerland still needs to catch up with the rest of Europe. And he is okay with many of the country's top players heading to other countries to improve their games.
By now, the players recognize that the system in Switzerland is good
"By now, the players recognize that the system in Switzerland is good. So now they have the choice between France, Germany, other places and Switzerland. And we're happy with that."
Maniema is playing in Spain, star forward Dayan Nessah was also in Spain before heading to the United States to play college basketball. Andrin Njock was also at college last season - though he didn’t play due to injury.
"Due to the CNBS, many young players get better every year. And now more and more Swiss player get to play in other European countries. So the level is rising and people start to see it," said Maniema.
And the CNBS's current top players are also leaving. Cokara, who led the team in scoring this season, will be playing in Paris Basketball’s youth ranks next season along with Melvine Mbamen, who is also on the U19 roster.
Most of the players who will be playing in Lausanne have gone through the CNBS, which is coached by Ivan Rudez, who is also the Swiss U19 head coach.
"You can imagine how hard it is to manage kids, to develop them as basketball players, but also as men. And I think that Ivan is the right person at the right place," Lehmann said of Rudez, who was head coach at Swiss club Geneva Lions from 2012 to 2016 - winning two league championships and one Swiss cup - and then served as Slovakia national team coach from 2016 to 2018.
"He's really good, the players like him and he gives a big discipline to the group, not too much, just the right amount. It's really good."
About Rudez, who is the older brother of former NBA player Damjan Rudez, Namiema said: "Our coach is very experienced and knows how to improve young players to get them ready for the bigger stages."
The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup will also provide the country's youth to witness first hand some of Switzerland's biggest basketball stars. NBA players Clint Capela and Kyshawn George are both Ambassadors for the event. Long-time ex-NBA player Thabo Sefolosha will also be on hand in Lausanne. And then there are acclaimed FIBA and world basketball dignitaries who will be present.
Along with that, Lehmann hopes the Swiss team plays hard basketball with passion and desire, which will help provide inspiration even if they don't win a lot of games.
"That's exactly what we expect. We have no objective, no goal with results, really," he said. "This should be a big inspiration for the youth. We expect to have something new for the basketball institution."
The crowds will be there and the level of excitement will be high. Swiss basketball can already call the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 a success.
FIBA