AHMEDABAD (India) - There will always be a batch so exceptional in any FIBA youth competition and fans and observers alike see the 2012 class of the U18 Asia Cup as arguably the best of the modern times.
That's because of the amount of bona fide superstars that the Ulaanbaatar showpiece managed to yield, which remain prominent even to this day. We take a look at the most successful quintet 14 years after.
Wael Arakji, LBN
After leading Lebanon to the Quarter-Finals in Mongolia, Wael Arakji would blossom into one of Lebanon's biggest stars. He powered the Cedars to the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 Final, in the process winning TISSOT MVP honors.
He's also made noise in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, most especially in 2023 when he almost single-handedly beat a global powerhouse in France, pouring 29 points against the four-time Olympic silver medalists.
Aside from national team triumphs, the lefty guard has earned tremendous success at the club level. A many-time champion domestically, Arakji has won titles in FIBA WASL and in the BCL Asia - all with Al Riyadi.
Lest we forget that he's a globetrotter, too. The 2025 WASL MVP has played in the Basketball Africa League with US Monastir, as well as in China's CBA with the Beijing Royal Fighters, Qatar, and in Saudi Arabia with Al Ula.
He even played in the NBA Summer League back in 2019 with the Dallas Mavericks, where he was teammates with another contemporary of his in eventual Japanese standout Yudai Baba, which we will discuss below.
Yuta Watanabe, JPN
Of all the players from this batch, Yuta Watanabe might arguably have the most prolific career. From starring in the youth level, he's now become one of the most renowned Japanese athletes, thanks to a solid NBA career.
After completing his collegiate career with George Washington University, he'd go on to play six seasons in the league with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Toronto Raptors, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Phoenix Suns.
And he wasn't just any ordinary player. With the Nets, he became one of the league's best shooters when he once led the league in three-point shooting percentage. He ended the 2022-23 season with a 44.4-percent clip.
In 2024, he decided to leave the NBA and go back home, signing with the Chiba Jets of the B.League. Not only did he continue a solid pro career, but Watanabe's homecoming also made him more available for the men's team.
Now he's one of Japan's cornerstones in FIBA play, having competed in the biggest of stages that basketball could offer. The 31-year-old played in the World Cup twice, and two times as well in the Summer Olympics.
Behnam Yakhchali, IRI
Behnam Yakhchali is easily one of the best scorers that Asia has seen and Iran have benefitted from his exploits in the global stage. With him, the program has won two Asia Cup medals, including a silver in 2017.
Fans, though, don't just see him as a national team star.
Yakhchali has built himself a dream career as a pro, having won not only domestically in the Iranian Super League but in the FIBA club level as well when he helped Petrochimi win the BCL Asia crown in 2018.
The 31-year-old has also played outside of his home country, too. He began in China with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, and then in Germany with the Rostock Seawolves, Mitteldeutscher BC, and Gladiators Treves.
Yakhchali most recently played for Team Melli in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Choi Junyong, KOR
After standout stints in the U18 Asia Cup and in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, Choi Junyong would become a reliable piece for the Korea men's team, having competed in four Asia Cups and in the 2019 World Cup.
Choi was part of the squad that took home the bronze in the 2017 Asia Cup in Beirut.
Aside from national team success, Choi has won as a pro. The 2022 Korean Basketball League MVP has won four league crowns, including one in 2024 which enabled him and Busan KCC Egis to qualify for BCL Asia.
Just recently, the 32-year-old announced that he's leaving his ball club to go to the United States and pursue his dream of playing in the NBA through the G-League. It would be interesting to see how it would pan out.
Yudai Baba, JPN
Since solid stints at the youth level, Yudai Baba has enjoyed success especially as a pro. He's travelled the world for basketball and won championships both in the B.League and in Australia's NBL.
After winning twice in Japan with Alvark Tokyo, which was highlighted by a Finals MVP campaign in 2019, the athletic guard would strike gold Down Under just two years later with Melbourne United.
He actually played for Melbourne until the 2022 season although his time wasn't just spent solely in Australia. Baba saw action for the Texas Legends of the G-League a total of three times from 2019 to 2023.
Since 2023, the 30-year-old has been with the Nagasaki Velca, and all his experiences have enabled him to become a key member of the Japan men's team, in which he's been a part of since 2017.
So far, Baba has competed in two World Cups, two Olympics, and two Asia Cups. And the native of Toyama will definitely remain a big part of the traditional Asian contenders for many more years to come.
FIBA