MUNICH (Germany) - Mario Hezonja headlines the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers First Round Awards after earning the MVP honors, with the All-Star Five and Rising Star also announced.
Introduced for the first time, the awards recognize the top performers from the First Round, with players required to appear in at least four of the six games to be eligible.
Most Valuable Player
Croatia star Mario Hezonja has spearheaded an impressive revival for his national team, helping his country put recent disappointments behind them with a 5-1 finish in Group E and a return to the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
After guiding Croatia through the World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers, Hezonja continued his outstanding form in the Qualifiers, leading a team that has rediscovered its confidence and momentum on the international stage.
Appearing in all six games during Croatia's run, Hezonja averaged 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game and posted the European Qualifiers' first triple-double, bagging 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the 123-50 thumping of Cyprus.
All-Star Five
As the First Round MVP, Hezonja also headlines the All-Star Five, which includes Nico Mannion of Italy, Türkiye star Tarik Biberovic, Poland's Mateusz Ponitka and Tornike Shengelia of Georgia.
Nico Mannion was a key factor in Italy's offense through his five games that he played, and as a result, they head into the Second Round with a 5-1 record from the First Round. Mannion averaged a team-high 16.8 points, with his standout performance being a 27-point effort in the final game against Lithuania. He also dished out 4.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds.
Tarik Biberovic led Türkiye to an unbeaten run in the First Round, highlighted by two key wins over fellow powerhouses Serbia, with Biberovic the star in both games. He had 22 points and 3 steals in the 82-78 road win, before dropping 21 points, 5 boards and 5 assists in a 94-86 victory in Istanbul. Biberovic averaged 17.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals over his five games.
Mario Hezonja was the crown jewel in Croatia's qualification round and the leader of the All-Star Five. The MVP averaged 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals over all six games, leading his side to a 5-1 mark.
Mateusz Ponitka flirted with a double-double average during Poland's undefeated run in Group F. Ponitka averaged 17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals in six games, with two games in which he scored 20 points or more.
Tornike Shengelia was a monster for Georgia in the Qualifiers, with his 37 points and 10 rebounds in the overtime victory over Spain being a particular stat that Georgian fans everywhere will remember for a long time. The veteran averaged 21.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks in a stat-stuffing campaign.
Rising Star
At just 17 years old, Slovenia's Stefan Joksimovic is giving Slovenia fans a glimpse into what could be a bright future if he is any part of it.
The teen sensation played in all six games for Slovenia in the Qualifiers, averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in just 15 minutes per game, with his best game coming in their finale against Sweden, where he had 22 points on 3-for-7 shooting from three-point land. Certainly one to watch.
FIBA