HERAKLION (Greece) - The FIBA U20 EuroBasket is back in a familiar spot. Heraklion was the host back in 2023, where France beat Israel in the Final to claim their second-ever U20 title. Two years later, we're back in Heraklion with France now looking to secure the first-ever three-peat in the competition.
The French will have to compete against 15 other strong teams from across Europe during the nine-day competition in Greece. As is usual for this tournament, some of the top young talents on the continent will be in attendance.
From all the standout players set to take the floor in Heraklion, we highlight 10 prospects who can make an impact in the tournament and carry their teams to victory.
Neoklis Avdalas - Greece
Small Forward
Birth Date: February 4, 2006 (19 years old) Height: 2.06m (6ft 9in) Team: Panathinaikos A.C. (GRE)
The home team is a clear candidate to win it all, as they will have one of the most talented rosters in the tournament, with names like Eleftherios Liotopoulos and Alexandros Samodurov on the preliminary list. Among those names, Neoklis Avdalas is the clear standout. The hype is real for the 19-year-old wing, who was considered a potential pick in the NBA Draft before ultimately withdrawing his name before the deadline. Standing at 2.06m, Avdalas possesses a unique combination of size, ball-handling ability, passing vision, and shooting versatility, which makes him a complete offensive threat, being able to create shots for himself and for others from all levels of the floor. Greece is coming off back-to-back podiums at the U20 level, and with Avdalas on the roster—plus the home-court advantage—it might be enough for Greece to win their fourth U20 title in Heraklion.
Alvaro Folgueiras - Spain
Power Forward
Birth Date: April 1, 2005 (20 years old) Height: 2.06m (6ft 9in) Team: University of Iowa (USA)
Folgueiras was one of the breakthrough players of this year's NCAA season. The former Unicaja Malaga player was named Horizon League Player of the Year after averaging 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for Robert Morris, while shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three. The 20-year-old forward is able to make an impact on multiple levels of the floor with his unique combination of 2.05m size, rebounding ability, versatile defense, and shooting potential. He made a tremendous impact for Robert Morris last year, leading the Colonials to their first NCAA Tournament bid in a decade. Spain will hope that Folgueiras can have a similar impact in Heraklion, as the team is coming off two straight years of missing the Semi-Final, something that had happened only once in the 14 previous editions of the tournament.
Daniil Sypalo - Ukraine
Power Forward
Birth Date: August 16, 2005 (19 years old) Height: 2.11m (6ft 11in) Team: BC Dnipro (UKR)
Ukraine returns to Division A thanks to last year's second-place finish at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, Division B—a campaign in which Sypalo was a key factor. The 19-year-old forward made an impact across the board in Pitesti, averaging 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game, earning an All-Star Five nod in the process. Sypalo possesses a unique combination of 2.11m size, length, and fluidity, which allows him to make an impact around the basket with his finishing and rim protection, but also gives him the versatility to handle the ball on the perimeter and create drives to the basket. He will be the centerpiece of a talented Ukrainian frontcourt that includes names like Nazarii Kulishenko and Desmond Yiamu—a team that can certainly aim not only to avoid relegation but also to make some noise during the competition.
Filip Jovic - Serbia
Power Forward
Birth Date: February 1, 2005 (20 years old) Height: 2.04m (6ft 8in) Team: KK Mega Basket (SRB)
After a standout season for Mega Basket in the Adriatic League, which led to him committing to play at the NCAA level for the Auburn Tigers next season, Jovic is back with Serbia for this year's FIBA U20 EuroBasket, as the team looks for its first U20 title in a decade.
Jovic has been a consistent presence for Serbia in FIBA competitions. He was an efficient contributor for the title-winning team at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023, and last year he led Serbia in scoring, averaging 14.8 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 57.8 percent from the field at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket. With his combination of size, strength, fluidity, and creativity, Jovic will be a key player for Serbia, providing post scoring, efficient play-finishing, and rim protection.
Jan Vide - Slovenia
Guard
Birth Date: January 15, 2005 (20 years old) Height: 1.99m (6ft 6in) Team: Loyola Marymount University (USA)
Vide is an unstoppable scorer with a tremendous pedigree in FIBA youth competitions, as he was the leading scorer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and finished in the top three at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023. Standing at 1.99m, few players in his age group possess his combination of size, physicality, ball-handling ability, and touch from multiple levels of the floor.
Vide, who spent last season playing for Loyola Marymount at the NCAA level, can struggle with shooting efficiency and turnovers at times. Slovenia will hope to surround him with enough complementary talent to build upon last year's second-place finish—the team's first Final appearance in two decades.
Killian Malwaya - France
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: August 4, 2005 (19 years old) Height: 1.97m (6ft 6in) Team: Champagne Basket (FRA)
France is on a dominant run at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, coming off back-to-back titles and having finished top five in each of the last six tournaments. The preliminary list is once again stacked with talented names such as Amael L'Etang, Illan Pietrus, and Theo Pierre-Justin. Among those names, we highlight Malwaya, who was already a key part of two top-four finishes for France at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023.
Standing at 1.97m, Malwaya utilizes his elite positional size and athleticism to make an impact on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he's able to create his own drives with a solid combination of quickness and power, while defensively he can cover multiple positions with his size and mobility. His two-way impact should be key for a French squad aiming for the first-ever three-peat in the U20 ranks.
Mantas Juzenas - Lithuania
Forward
Birth Date: November 16, 2006 (18 years old) Height: 1.99m (6ft 6in) Team: KM Zalgiris (LTU)
Juzenas has been an important piece of Lithuania's youth national teams in recent years. Last year he averaged 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket, making an impact with his versatile shooting, ability to cut, attack closeouts, and flashes of versatile defense.
Lithuania will be looking for their first U20 title since 2012, and they'll have a talented roster with names like Justas Stonkus, Mantas Kocanas, and Nedas Raupelis. In that setting, Juzenas' ability to play and make an impact without the ball in his hands will be one of the keys for Lithuania.
Martin Kalu - Germany
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: January 28, 2005 (20 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Team: College of Charleston (USA)
Kalu broke out at the FIBA U16 European Challengers in 2021, where he averaged 27.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. While his production hasn't quite eclipsed those numbers since, he's remained an intriguing prospect. Last year, in his first full season at the professional level, he showed a versatile game for Braunschweig, making an impact with his three-point shooting, aggressive slashing, and relentless perimeter defense.
Now committed to play for the College of Charleston at the NCAA level next season, Kalu will be one of the key pieces of a German squad that, with names like Joshua Bonga, Esli Edigin, Roy Krupnikas, and Kalu on the roster, could finally reach that elusive first U20 title at Heraklion.
Elisee Assui - Italy
Small Forward
Birth Date: January 3, 2006 (19 years old) Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in) Team: Itelyum Varese (ITA)
Assui made his debut for Italy in last year's FIBA U18 EuroBasket, where he certainly made an impact, averaging 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds. Despite standing just 1.91m, Assui plays bigger than his size—thanks in part to his strong frame—and is able to finish drives around the basket with both power and soft touch. He also contributes with his rebounding, his ability to convert three-pointers off the catch, and his ball movement.
With his ability to impact the game without the ball in his hands, Assui could prove to be a key factor for Italy in their quest to win their first U20 title since 2013.
Omer Mayer - Israel
Point Guard
Birth Date: October 8, 2006 (18 years old) Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Team: Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
As of this article's publication, Mayer's participation at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket is still to be determined due to a recent finger injury, but after what we saw at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, we can't afford to leave him off the list. Mayer finished as one of the top three scorers in the tournament, averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 38.2 percent from three.
Mayer is a lethal multi-level scorer who keeps the ball on a string, allowing him to create drives and pull-up jumpers with near-equal success. The Purdue commit also uses the gravity he generates as a scorer to create shots for teammates. Should Mayer be in attendance in Heraklion, he will be the centerpiece for an Israel team that has seen recent success in the competition, reaching the Final four times over the past six editions.
FIBA