MUNICH (Germany) - The FIBA Youth EuroBaskets every summer give the continent's top young talent an opportunity to prove themselves.
Going back through the roll of honor at each of the events, you'll find a long list of names who went on to shine on some of basketball's biggest stages.
Yet every tournament has that one player who out-shines the rest - the MVP, a talent who left his mark on the tournament. For some, it's a springboard to stardom; for others, it's a high point in a career still in the works. One thing it is for all of them, the MVP puts their name on the map.
So, what happened to the most recent winners?
Here's a look at the last five winners , how they performed at FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B, and where the game has taken them since.
2024: Roman Avdejev (EST)
Then: Estonia have been taking steps forward in basketball for numerous years now, but 2024 was an important summer as the country got back to Division A at the U16 level. Avdejev averaged 12.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists as Estonia took the Division B title and moved back to Division for the first time since 2019.
Now: Avdejev shined in his first appearance for Estonia. This past season he played for RH Korvpallikool in the Estonian second division.
2023: Borna Katanovic (CRO)
Then: Croatia were in Division B for the first time in 2023 and Katanovic made sure the country moved back to Division A as he collected 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in winning MVP honors.
Now: Katanovic has yet to represent Croatia since then and he played the past season with Cibona Zagreb in the ABA League and Croatian top flight.
2022: Christian Anderson (GER)
Then: Anderson was wildly successful in his first tournament for Germany with 16.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists as the country returned to Division A.
Now: Anderson made history with Germany the following summer; helping them finish third at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 - the country's first-ever U18 podium finish. Anderson then made the All-Star Five as he carried Germany to the U18 EuroBasket crown in 2024. He just completed his first season in college basketball for Texas Tech.
2019: Jeremy Sochan (POL)
Then: Poland were spending their third summer at the Division B level before Sochan carried the country back to the top flight, averaging 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
Now: Sochan made his debut for Poland's senior national team in February 2021 in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers. He later dominated at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 Spain with 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 rebounds. Sochan just finished his third season in the NBA with San Antonio.
2018: Pavel Savkov (RUS)
Then: Russia were going up and down between Divisions A and B and Savkov made sure the country did not go back-to-back summers in the lower level. He collected 15.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in taking MVP honors.
Now: Savkov made his Russian senior national team debut in the February 2021 window of the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers. He moved to Spain in 2018 to play with Baskonia and played in the Spanish first division in 2022-23 with Fuenlabrada and Baskonia. Savkov played briefly in the NBA G-League in 2023-24 and last season earned his first minutes in the EuroLeague with Baskonia.
FIBA