TBILISI (Georgia) - Serbia's Nikola Kusturica earned FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2025 MVP honors, joining an elite group of winners at this age level.
Kusturica headlines a star-studded All-Star Five of next-generation talent that made their mark on the competition alongside teammate Petar Bjelica, Lithuania's Gabrielius Buivydas, Nathan Soliman of France, and Slovenia's Lun Jarc.
MVP: Nikola Kusturica (Serbia)
An early Group Phase defeat to Spain seemed only to motivate Serbia, and from there, they were unstoppable, with Nikola Kusturica firmly at the helm. He ended it all by averaging 20 points, finishing third in scoring, and 7.7 rebounds with his 18-point, 14-rebound double-double, along with 8 assists, his lasting impact on a tournament that he made his own.
Gabrielius Buivydas (Lithuania)
It was heartbreak at the last hurdle for Lithuania, but they have a crown jewel in Gabrielius Buivydas, who will undoubtedly be one to watch in the years to come. He had 26 points on 50 percent shooting and 7 rebounds in the Final against Serbia, which was his tournament-best performance. He ended with averages of 16.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists a game.
Petar Bjelica (Serbia)
Bjelica and Kusturica formed an unstoppable duo once the Group Phase concluded, and no team could handle them when it was all said and done. Bjelica was a free-scoring player and did so in multiple ways. He led Serbia with 25 points and 9 rebounds in the Final; averaging 15 points and 9.7 rebounds overall, further showcasing his enormous potential.
Nathan Soliman (France)
Outgoing champions France were disappointed that they were unable to repeat their feat from last summer, but they finished on a high by claiming fifth place at the expense of Latvia. Nathan Soliman was a major part of this achievement, scoring 19 points, pulling down 7 rebounds, and swatting away three shots. The power forward would end the tournament with averages of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks.
Lun Jarc (Slovenia)
Lun Jarc's 27-point outburst in the Third Place Game against Italy was his performance of the tournament, and what a time to catch fire. Jarc went an impressive 4-of-5 from three-point range in that game, shooting 37.9 percent overall, and averaged 14.9 points and 6 rebounds as he stood out as Slovenia's leader.
FIBA