MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers is nearing tip off, and the rosters are beginning to take shape. Prominent names from the Asia Cup 2025 will be back to reassert their dominance, while seasoned stars are also expected to make a comeback to their national teams after brief or extended absences. Some players are looking forward to their first appearance for the national team, raring to endear themselves among their new ‘home’ supporters.
Here are 13 key player storylines to watch out for, categorized as per their form, debut and return to national team duty.
Category 1: 'In-Form Stars'
Jaylin Galloway (AUS)
The reigning TISSOT Asia Cup MVP dominated the continental showpiece, including clutch scoring over China in the Final. The 22-year-old winger will be aiming for an encore as the Boomers take on long-standing Oceania rivals New Zealand in the opening window of the World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Sina Vahedi (IRI)
Like Galloway, Vahedi too was named in the Asia Cup All-Star Five, after leading Iran to their first continental silverware in eight years. As commendable as Vahedi’s accomplishments in his maiden Asia Cup appearance may be, the 185 cm / 6'0" guard still has scope for improvement, especially as a distributor. The two assists per game in the Asia Cup don’t quite do justice for 24-year-old, who otherwise seems to relish a ‘score-first’ mentality.
Category 2: ‘Potential Debutants’
Joseph Lin (TPE)
Lin began his professional journey in Taipei back in 2015 and, after a decade, is finally getting close to playing for the national team. The 33-year-old is also known to be Jeremy Lin’s younger brother; so if he can replicate his sibling’s ‘Linsanity’ against Japan, boy, are we in for an absolute treat!
Nonetheless, the 185 cm / 6'1" guard is a talented player in his own right and will potentially be a much-welcomed boost for a rapidly improving Chinese Taipei team.
Jihad El Khatib (LBN)
There's a theme of basketball royalty in this window of the Asian Qualifiers and another one is Jihad El Khatib, son of legendary "Lebanese Tiger" Fadi.
The 20-year-old once bespectacled El Khatib Jr already has an unconventional career trajectory, having represented Türkiye in the FIBA U16 European Challengers 2021. At the senior level, the 203 cm / 6'8" forward is all set to emulate his father's fiery ways in Cedars colors. With another younger sibling also waiting in the wings, Lebanese fans can be confident that the cubs are well and truly retracing the giant pugmarks of their parent.
Ramon Galloway (IRQ)
Currently plying his trade in Lebanon and was featured in last season’s West Asia Super League with Baghdad-based Al-Difaa Al-Jawi SC, Galloway is expected to assume floor general duties for the Iraqi national team.
Iraq struggled in Asia Cup 2025, finishing 14th out of the 16 participating nations. A double digit scorer, Galloway will be counted upon to drastically improve Iraq’s offensive production, from its current 65 points per game, which sits among the bottom three of Continental Cup teams.
Quentin Millora-Brown (PHI)
Like Lin and Galloway, ‘QMB’ is another player who played collegiately in the USA. Millora-Brown, however, also has strong Filipino roots, having played in the collegiate scene in the Philippines as well.
For a hoops-obsessed South East Asian squad always on the lookout for size, the 208 cm/ 6’10" center perfectly fits the roster needs. The 25-year-old also has age on his side, and if his expected debut stint against Guam goes as well as expected, we will be seeing a lot more of Millora-Brown for Gilas Pilipinas in the years to come.
Category 3: 'Returnees'
Alex Ducas (AUS)
The Boomers have continuously paraded high-level talents in the Asian Qualifiers and Ducas is another one of them. Earlier this year, the 24-year-old became only the eighth Australian to ever win a Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 199 cm / 6'6" swingman will now be returning to national duty after three years. Expect the former Asia Cup gold medalist from 2022 to stuff the stat sheet way more than the solitary rebound in the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers.
Wael Arakji (LBN)
Between 2022 and 2023 Arakji became the de facto ‘face’ of Asian basketball, as the talismanic point guard led Cedars’ charge to the Continental Cup silver medal followed by World Cup qualification. However, Arakji would unfortunately have to miss this recent Asia Cup run in Jeddah.
The southpaw is now finally cleared to play, which will lead to fans rejoicing and opponents sweating over his return to the team.
Ahmad Al Dwairi (JOR)
Another seasoned hand with prior World Cup experience, the 210 cm / 6'11" center is back with the Falcons after missing this year’s Asia Cup. Ever since the Asia Cup 2014, the 32-year-old has been a walking double double. Against Syria in the opening window, Dwairi will be back to doing what he does best: clogging the paint and making life miserable for opposing drivers.
Zhou Qui (CHN)
Old-timers who tune into China's upcoming Qualifiers games without first reading this article, might feel like they’ve travelled back in time. After all, Zhou Qui’s most memorable performance came in the gold medal-winning run way back in the 2015 Asia Cup.
A decade removed, the former Houston Rockets center continues to be integral to Team Dragon, albeit slowly ceding ground to the next generation of bigs. After featuring in only one game in the Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers and then missing the main event entirely, it will be exciting to see if the 212 cm / 6'11" center gets back into the mix.
Rhon Jay Abbarientos (PHI)
The 26-year-old guard last wore the Gilas blue almost four years ago, playing limited minutes against India and New Zealand in the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers before playing in Asia Cup 2022.
Whether this translates into meaningful minutes - with a stacked backcourt in Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson and Chris Newsome - remains to be seen. But RJ has proven himself more than worthy of a return to the rotation with his professional resume, having played in Korea and Japan before now playing in the Philippines' PBA.
Behnam Yakhchali (IRI)
Like Zhou Qui and Amjyot Singh (more about him below), Yakhchali has been a familiar face in the Asia Cup circuit since 2014.
Still only 30-years-old, the 191 cm / 6'3" guard led Team Melli in both scoring and assists in the 2025 Continental Cup Qualifiers before missing the main event in Jeddah. With Iran gradually transitioning to younger talents, Yakhchali will need to stay at the top of his game to reimpose himself as the premier floor leader, as the West Asian powerhouse begins its bid for a fourth straight World Cup appearance.
Amjyot Singh (IND)
India's most successful G-League athlete, the 'Sultan of Swat' has been key in the Young Cagers' biggest wins over the past decade. In 2025 though, South Asia's top team finds itself back at the bottom of the hill. Singh missed this previous Continental Cup due to injury, and will be rejoining the national squad after exactly a year. Can the 33-year-old 206 cm / 6'9" power forward turn back the clock and return India to the path of ascendance? The answer will be revealed soon enough.
The opening window games of the World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers will commence from November 27 to December 1. Stream the action on Courtside 1891, with live games and on-demand replays. Blackouts might apply in certain territories.
FIBA