LAUSANNE (Switzerland) - And then there were eight teams left in the running for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 as we have reached the Quarter-Finals stage. That is the perfect time to re-examine who are the leading candidates for the Most Valuable Player.
Who will follow in the footsteps of Izan Almansa, who was named the top player at the 2023 edition after guiding Spain to the title? We looked at the eight Quarter-Finals teams in Lausanne and ranked the players who are most likely to leave Lausanne with the MVP award.
But before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight - this tournament has delivered. Surprises, upsets, drama… the FIBA U19 World Cup has had it all. And amid the chaos, new heroes have emerged. In fact, eight players in this edition of the MVP Ladder weren’t even on the radar in Volume 1 (in the graphic, they’re marked with an "E" for entrance). That’s right - fresh faces are shaking things up, and the race for MVP is suddenly wide open. Let’s get into it.
Honorable mention - Koa Peat - USA
With the balance of the USA team, it's hard to pick just one star. And the way Koa Peat has played, it's hard to not include him in a list of players who are dominating the competition. The forward is USA's leading scorer at 15.5 points while also contributing 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
#10 Zak Smrekar - Slovenia
Slovenia are back in the top eight of the world for the first time since 2003 and Zak Smrekar is a big reason for that. The forward is the team's leading scorer with 14.8 points and he is also contributing 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per contest.
#9 Jordan Charles - Canada
Canada just keep reaching the Quarter-Finals - this is their 7th straight appearance in the top eight - and Jordan Charles has been a major reason for that happening in Lausanne. The guard ranks second on the team in scoring with 12.5 points while leading the Americas side with 4.8 assists and chipping in 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
#8 Dayan Nessah - Switzerland
Who would have thought that Switzerland would be playing in the Quarter-Finals of their first ever U19 World Cup? Crucial to the host country's fairytale run has been Dayan Nessah, who leads the team in scoring (17.3 points per game) and rebounds (9.3 per game) and is second in assists with 4.3 per contest.
#7 Tama Isaac - New Zealand
New Zealand are into the Quarter-Finals for the first time in history and that is in large part to the masterful work of Tama Isaac. The point guard leads New Zealand with 14.8 points per game and is second in rebounds with 6.5 boards per contest. Isaac's 6.8 assists on average ties him for first with all players in the tournament and he also had grabbed 1.8 steals per game.
#6 Omer Mayer - Israel
Omer Mayer has played heroic for the debutants Israel, who have moved into the Quarter-Finals in their maiden appearance in the tournament. The guard leads the competition in scoring with 23.7 points per game, including scoring a tournament-best 33 points against Cameroon in the Round of 16. Mayer also has picked up 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.
#5 Jacob Furphy - Australia
Australia have ended their drought of finishes outside the top eight and reached the Quarter-Finals for the first time since 2015. Jacob Furphy has been outstanding for the Emus as he leads the team with 21.3 points to go with 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
#4 AJ Dybantsa - USA
Those expecting AJ Dybantsa to completely dominate the competition may think he is having a disappointing tournament but the player projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has been fantastic in his role within the team concept. He is averaging 14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game... in just 14 minutes of action.
#3 Christian Anderson - Germany
Christian Anderson has struggled at times scoring the ball - shooting just 40 percent from the field - but he is clearly the main man running the show for Germany. The point guard is still averaging 14.5 points to go with 4.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, which is tied for the most in the competition. Anderson also has swiped 1.3 steals per game.
#2 Hannes Steinbach - Germany
This is more about Hannes Steinbach playing incredible basketball than his Germany teammate Christian Anderson falling behind him. Steinbach leads all players in the competition in efficiency at 29.5 per game while he is ranked ninth with 18.3 points and second with 13.0 rebounds per game. The power forward also has contributed 2.3 assists and 1.0 blocks per contest while shooting 71 percent from the field.
#1 Mikel Brown Jr - USA
Mikel Brown Jr. has done a great job running things for USA as the guard ranks first on the team in assists with 6.3 per game. He also is second on scoring with 15.3 points to go with 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
*The MVP Ladder rankings are entirely subjective and are in no way a true and accurate FIBA ranking system. All comments are purely those of the author and the purpose is to entertain the fans.
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