BRATISLAVA (Slovakia) - The FIBA U20 EuroBasket, Division B heads to Slovakia for the first time, with Bratislava hosting 21 national teams competing for the title and promotion.
The event once again promises high-level competition, and among the many talented players set to take the floor in Bratislava, we have selected prospects who could play a major role in their teams' campaigns throughout the tournament.
Make sure to also check out the players to watch in the Division A tournament, which will be taking place in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Marko Lukanoski - North Macedonia
Center
Birth Date: March 6, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 2.09m (6ft 10in) Team: KK Madzari 2023 ad (MKD)
Lukanoski will bring experience to North Macedonia, as he will be playing in his third FIBA U20 EuroBasket, but also a winning pedigree, having been a key player in the team's FIBA U18 EuroBasket, Division B 2024 title run, where he was named to the All-Star Five.
Lukanoski operates mostly around the basket, and his combination of size, coordination and soft touch allows him to create his own shot and dominate the boards. In Bratislava, he will step into a primary scorer role for a North Macedonia team looking to bounce back after last year's 17th-place finish, the second-worst result in the nation's history at the competition.
Apolo Caetano - Portugal
Point Guard
Birth Date: April 12, 2007 (19 years old) Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in) Team: Sunrise Christian Academy (USA)
Caetano has been a standout for Portugal ever since making his FIBA debut at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B 2023, and last year he led Portugal in both points and assists per game at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket, Division B. The 19-year-old is a multi-level scoring threat who can get to the rim with his creative, shifty ball-handling and make threes at a consistent rate. He's also a solid passer off the dribble and a pest as an on-ball defender, averaging 3.5 steals per game in last year's tournament.
Portugal has been one of the most consistent teams in Division B, finishing in the top 10 in every tournament since 2017, including a title in 2019. With Caetano as their offensive engine, they will look to earn promotion to Division A for just the second time.
Mihail Kalinov - Bulgaria
Guard
Birth Date: January 08, 2007 (19 years old) Height: 1.83m (6ft 0in) Team: Botev 2012 (BUL)
Kalinov is coming off a breakout season in the Bulgarian league, where he not only established himself as a key starter for Botev 2012, but also as one of the team's most impactful players, averaging 16.0 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 38 percent from three.
Bulgaria has shown steady growth in recent FIBA youth tournaments, earning promotion to EuroBasket Division A at both the U16 and U18 levels in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Kalinov, who was part of both teams, is primed to be a key piece for this U20 squad with his ability to attack the basket, shoot threes, and create for others with his quick, reactive passing.
Yehor Sushkin - Ukraine
Point Guard
Birth Date: May 27, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in) Team: Kyiv-Basket (UKR)
Sushkin was Ukraine's leading scorer and playmaker at last year's FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division A, and he has consistently made an impact for the national team throughout multiple youth competitions. Sushkin is a versatile offensive creator who stands out with his fluid ball-handling, which allows him to beat defenders on the perimeter and get into the paint, where he can either finish around the basket with soft touch or find open teammates when the defense collapses.
Ukraine will look to make a quick return to Division A after being relegated last year, and history is on its side, having finished in the top three in each of its last four Division B appearances. With Sushkin as its offensive engine, Ukraine certainly has the firepower to reach the podium once again.
Oliver Sassella - Switzerland
Guard
Birth Date: May 5, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in) Team: Lugano Tigers (SUI)
Sassella had already seen minutes in previous FIBA youth tournaments with Switzerland before breaking out at last year's FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, where he was the team's second-leading scorer and playmaker while shooting 42.9 percent from three. Floor spacing is his main offensive weapon, as he is a versatile shooter capable of knocking down jumpers both off movement and off the dribble. He's also a solid secondary playmaker who can take advantage of defensive rotations and make passes on the move.
Switzerland reached its best-ever finish in last year's competition, advancing to the Semi-Finals and finishing just one win away from promotion to Division A. This year, they will attempt to finally get over the hump, led by a generation that is coming off a top-eight finish at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup.
Amirani Aroshidze - Georgia
Small Forward
Birth Date: March 9, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in) Team: Asd Psa Basket Campus (ITA)
Aroshidze returns to the Georgian youth national team after an impactful run at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket, Division B 2024, where he averaged 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. He has been a versatile weapon for Georgia, possessing the skills and mobility of a perimeter player, with the ability to put the ball on the floor and hit catch-and-shoot jumpers, while his size and length allow him to contribute as both a rebounder and shot blocker.
Georgia is coming off a disappointing 2025 tournament in which it finished 20th, its worst-ever placement in the competition. With his versatility and two-way impact, Aroshidze should play a key role as Georgia looks to capture its first title since 2011.
Nathan Amoran - Sweden
Forward
Birth Date: February 04, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Team: Sodertalje (SWE)
Amoran will play in his second FIBA U20 EuroBasket, Division B after being a solid contributor for Sweden in last year's tournament, where he finished among the team's top three scorers. Amoran is an off-ball guard who makes an impact offensively with his slashing, spot-up shooting and secondary playmaking, while also generating defensive events at a solid rate.
After spending most of the last decade in Division A, Sweden returned to Division B in 2019 and has yet to earn promotion. Last year's ninth-place finish represented a return to form after a disappointing 15th-place finish in 2024, the nation's worst-ever result in Division B.
Maros Golian - Slovakia
Power Forward
Birth Date: October 06, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 2.07m (6ft 9in) Team: Inter Bratislava (SVK)
Golian has consistently been a strong contributor for Slovakia in youth tournaments, including last year's FIBA U18 EuroBasket, Division B, where the team earned promotion to Division A for the first time in a decade and Golian was named to the All-Star Five. His combination of 2.07m size, length, mobility and touch around the basket has made him a reliable play finisher and an especially tough rebounder and rim protector, as he led last year's FIBA U18 EuroBasket, Division B in blocked shots.
Slovakia has not played in Division A since 1994, and after its recent success at the U18 level, this year's squad, with Golian as its defensive anchor, will look to end that 30-plus-year drought on home soil in Bratislava.
Update: Golian will miss the tournament through injury.
FIBA