BELGRADE (Serbia) – The eyes of the basketball world will turn to Serbia over the next few days, as Europe’s future stars compete for the FIBA U18 EuroBasket title in Belgrade.
Among the many talented players set to take the court, we’ve weighed both future potential and current performance to compile a list of 10 players to watch during the tournament.
Make sure to also check out the players to watch in the Division B tournament, which will be taking place in Pitesti, Romania.
Ian Platteeuw - Spain
Center
Birth Date: November 3, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 2.10m (6ft 11in) Club: Club Joventut Badalona (ESP)
Platteeuw was one of the key players in Spain's title-winning run at FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023, where he averaged 7.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Since then, he has improved tremendously - now ranking as one of the top prospects in Spain - as shown by his 2024-25 season with Joventut's second team CB Prat and his performances at invitational tournaments across Europe.
Platteeuw is one of the most polished interior scorers in the class, showing a tremendous combination of size, fluidity, touch, and footwork to create his own shot with his back to the basket. He also shows impressive flashes as a passer, taking advantage of the gravity he generates in the paint.
Spain has been one of the U18 powerhouses, having reached the Final four times over the last six editions of the tournament. After an uncharacteristically low 13th-place finish in last year's tournament, they will look to turn things around with Platteeuw as one of their top offensive weapons.
Cameron Houindo - France
Power Forward
Birth Date: January 10, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 2.02m (6ft 8in) Club: Pole France (FRA)
France will have the MVP of the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2024 on the roster in Houindo, who was a defensive dynamo last year and will look to make a similar impact at the U18 level. The 17-year-old forward was tremendously productive in Tampere, ranking in the top three in blocks, steals, and rebounds.
That statistical productivity on defense was also evident on tape, as Houindo showed a unique combination of size, strength, mobility, and flexibility for his size which allowed him to make an impact as a rim protector, on-ball perimeter defender and multi-level help defender.
Despite their tremendous recent success at the U16 and U20 levels, the U18 title has proven more elusive for France, who last won the title in 2016. With Houindo—one of the best young defensive prospects in Europe—on the roster, this might be the year where France breaks the streak.
Diego Garavaglia - Italy
Power Forward
Birth Date: April 4, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 2.00m (6ft 7in) Club: ratiopharm Ulm (GER)
Garavaglia has been the leader of Italy's recent youth basketball renaissance. He averaged 15.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2023, where Italy finished second, and then earned an All-Second Team nod at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024, being instrumental in what was yet another silver-medal run.
The 2.00m wing stands out with his offensive versatility, as he's able to create drives, convert jumpers off the catch, and make passes on the move at a high level. Garavaglia also makes an impact on the other end of the floor, using his length to collect rebounds, intercept passes, and block shots around the basket.
This generation of Italian talent has been close to winning it all. With Garavaglia as their top player and, perhaps, inspired by their recent title at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, they will look to capture the elusive U18 title in Belgrade. It would be the Azzurri's first since 1990.
Kaan Onat - Türkiye
Point Guard
Birth Date: April 8, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.95m (6ft 5in) Club: Istanbul Anka Spor (TUR)
Onat was one of the stars of last year's FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, where he averaged 18.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from three. His performance in Istanbul last year, where he ranked in the top five for both points and assists per game, earned him a place in the tournament's All-Star Five. Onat plays as a true floor general who can make creative reads and deliveries to consistently find open teammates.
The 1.95m guard also adds value with his spot-up shooting and his ability to attack the rim, where he utilizes his optimal size for the guard position to finish around the basket against contact.
Türkiye won back-to-back U18 titles in 2013 and 2014 and, since then, they lost three-straight Finals. With Kaan Onat's experience and leadership, they have a great weapon to finally break through.
Ognjen Srzentic - Serbia
Guard
Birth Date: March 18, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 2.00m (6ft 7in) Club: BC Mega Basket Beograd (SRB)
Srzentic played rotational minutes in last year's edition of the tournament for a Serbian team that fell just short in Tampere, losing the Final to Germany. The 2.00m wing is coming off a productive season with OKK Beograd in the Serbian league, where he made an impact on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, he's a threat to score around the basket with his size, length, speed, and fluid ball-handling ability, while also being a reliable spot-up shooter. Defensively, he uses his size, length, and mobility to stay in front of opponents in the perimeter and contest shots at the rim.
Serbia has won three of the last six U18 tournaments, and has reached the podium on two other occasions. Recent history suggests they are a serious candidate to win it all in front of the home crowd: they certainly have the talent to do so.
Arturas Butajevas - Lithuania
Center
Birth Date: March 27, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 2.05m (6ft 9in) Club: FC Barcelona (ESP)
Butajevas has been one of the most productive players in his age group over the past few years. He was named to the All-Star Five at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 after averaging 15.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, and then he made an even bigger impact at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024, where he averaged a double-double (14.4 points and 11.3 rebounds), earning an All-Second Team nod in the process.
The Barcelona prospect will be one of Lithuania's main offensive weapons in Belgrade. Butajevas is a strong, traditional big man who makes an impact with his interior scoring. He's equal parts physical and smooth on post-ups, being able to create his own shot around the basket with his combination of size, fluidity, touch, and creativity.
The 2.05m center has also shown flashes of a perimeter game, being able to pass from the top of the key, hit catch-and-shoot jumpers, and put the ball on the floor for mid-distance drives.
Mark Morano Mahmutovic - Slovenia
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: February 5, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Cedevita Olimpija (SLO)
Morano Mahmutovic brings high-level experience to this roster. He was the leading scorer at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2023 and played an important role for a bronze-medal-winning Slovenian squad in last year's FIBA U18 EuroBasket. The Cedevita Olimpija product is a prolific scorer who uses his combination of 1.98m size, fluid ball-handling, polished footwork, and shiftiness to create separation for drives and pull-up jumpers. He's a difficult player to stop once he gets into scoring mode, but he can also contribute as a passer on the move and as an off-ball defender who can play the passing lanes and contest shots around the rim.
Slovenia reached the podium last year, and they'll have a roster loaded with talent yet again in Belgrade. With Morano Mahmutovic as one of their key players, they could claim their first-ever U18 title.
Jamie Edoka - Germany
Point Guard
Birth Date: January 17, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in) Club: Fraport Skyliners (GER)
Despite his young age, Edoka will bring valuable experience to Germany's roster. The 17-year-old has already debuted in Germany's top division for Fraport Skyliners, and he was Germany's assist leader and one of their top scorers at last year's FIBA U16 EuroBasket. Edoka contributes with his aggressive slashing, where his combination of fluid ball-handling, ability to change directions, and polished footwork, allow him to navigate traffic and get to the rim.
Germany claimed their first-ever U18 title last year in Tampere, and while they will certainly miss names like Christian Anderson, Jack Kayil, Hannes Steinbach, and Ivan Kharchenkov in this year's competition, they still have enough talent to be one of the contending teams in Belgrade.
Nikolas Sermpezis - Greece
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: May 3, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in) Club: FC Bayern Munich (GER)
Sermpezis was highly productive at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2023, averaging 12.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Last season, he stood out as one of the top prospects on Bayern Munich's junior team with his play in both Germany's third division and at various junior invitational tournaments across Europe.
Sermpezis stands out with his 3-and-D profile. He shot at scorching 46.9 percent from three-point range at the U16 level and he shows tremendous versatility and range as a shooter. He's also an aggressive perimeter defender who pressures opposing ball-handlers and stays in front of drivers. Sermpezis' two-way impact will be one of the keys for a Greek team aiming to win their first U18 title in a decade in Belgrade.
Adrians Andzevs - Latvia
Guard
Birth Date: February 23, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in) Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
Latvia will return one of their key contributors from last year's tournament in Andzevs, who was the team's second-leading scorer and top playmaker in Tampere, averaging 12.1 points and 6.0 assists per game. The Real Madrid guard is a masterful pick-and-roll playmaker who can find teammates with creative and accurate passes or utilize screens to create space for pull-up jumpers and drives to the basket.
Latvia returned to Division A last year after a two-year stint in Division B. This year, with Andzevs as one of their top players, Latvia will aim to take the next step and play for a bigger goal than just avoiding relegation in Belgrade.
FIBA