GUADALAJARA (Mexico) – Syla Swords was named the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2026 Most Valuable Player after playing a pivotal role for champions Canada, who finished the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.
Swords averaged 14.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal, with an efficiency rating of 13.4. The forward was Canada's leading offensive force throughout the competition and shot an impressive 45 percent from three-point range.
She also scored in double figures in all five of her games. In the Final against Mexico, she once again delivered with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
All Star-Five
Swords led the All-Star Five, which was rounded out by:
Yvonne Ejim - Canada
The forward averaged 6.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals, with an efficiency rating of 17.6. She was the tournament's third-best rebounder and capped her campaign with a huge performance in the Final, grabbing 17 rebounds and scoring 10 points to help Canada capture the title.
Anisa Jeffries - Mexico
Jeffries was one of the standout performers in Mexico's campaign, which ended with a second-place finish. The power forward averaged 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, with an efficiency rating of 15.0. Her ability to contribute in multiple areas was key for the hosts: she scored 24 points in the Semi-final against Brazil and once again led Mexico in the Final with 13 points, despite the loss.
Emilia Shearer - New Zealand
She earned a spot among the tournament's top five thanks to her offensive production. The forward was the competition's third-leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points per game, along with 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal, for an efficiency rating of 15.3. Her most memorable performance came in the final game of the Group Phase, when she exploded for 32 points and led New Zealand's comeback against South Sudan to secure a place in the Semi-finals.
Bella Nascimento - Brazil
The shooting guard finished with averages of 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game, ranking fourth in scoring in the competition. In the win over Argentina that sent Brazil through to the Semi-finals, Nascimento delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 23 points on just seven field-goal attempts, including 4-of-5 from three-point range and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
FIBA