MIES (Switzerland) - There were cheers heard round the world the past couple of days during the men's and women's NCAA Finals in the United States.
The Michigan Wolverines, who beat the UConn Huskies in the men's championship game in Indianapolis on Monday, had a handful of FIBA ballers. The UCLA women, who trounced South Carolina in the women's title game, had 10 players with national team experience.
Michigan Wolverines (Men)
Player | National Team |
|---|---|
Sweden | |
New Zealand | |
USA | |
USA | |
Spain |
UCLA Bruins (Women)
Player | National Team |
|---|---|
USA | |
USA | |
Croatia | |
Serbia | |
USA | |
Mexico | |
Sweden | |
USA | |
New Zealand | |
USA |
* = Redshirt in 2025-26 season
Elliot Cadeau, Sweden
Cadeau was the MVP of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B in 2022 after averaging 21.3 points per game. The point guard played for Sweden's senior team in a couple of European Qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. On Monday, he had a game high 19 points in Michigan's 69-63 win over UConn in the title game and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.
Oscar Goodman, New Zealand
The pride of Opunake, New Zealand, power forward Goodman was an All-Star 5 selection at both the 2022 FIBA U15 Oceania Championship and the 2025 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. At that U17 World Cup, Goodman averaged 17 points and 6.3 rebounds. He made an appearance for the senior team, too, in a 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifying game.
Morez Johnson Jr, USA
Last summer in Switzerland, Johnson helped the Americans win the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, averaging 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Johnson, who was at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in 2024, had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks in the win over UConn.
John (Trey) McKenney III, USA
The guard was a member of the USA team that reached the top of the podium at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in 2024. In 2025, he had 22 points for USA at the Men's Nike Hoop Summit in their 124-114 win over a World Select. In the Final against UConn, McKenney played 29 minutes and had 9 points and 8 rebounds.
Aday Mara, Spain
After reaching the championship game of the 2022 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, the 2.21 (7ft 3in) Mara was an All-Star 5 selection for finalists Spain at the 2023 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. Mara also competed at the 2024 U20 EuroBasket. He averaged 12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks this season for Michigan.
Lauren Betts, USA
The Most Outstanding Player of this year's NCAA Women's Final Four, Lauren already has three titles with USA. She won the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup in 2019, the U19 Women's Basketball in 2021 and in 2023, the FIBA Women's AmeriCup. Betts' father, Andy, played for England and Great Britain.
Sienna Betts, USA
Betts made the All-Star 5 while helping fire USA to glory at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in 2025. She excelled at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup the previous year, too, when USA won that title. Betts is the younger sister of Lauren.
Lena Bilic, Croatia
Zagreb native Bilic was a star with Croatia's youth teams, including in 2025 when she averaged 23.6 points per game in EuroBasket Division B and made the All-Star 5.
Angela Dugalic, Serbia
Already a two-time Olympian (Tokyo and Paris), and a member of Serbia's FIBA Women's EuroBasket team in 2021 and in 2025, Dugalic will be a linchpin in the national team for the next several years. She was a vital contributor for UCLA this season.
Timea Gardiner, USA
Hurt and unable to play this season, Gardiner represented USA at the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup in 2019. Her father, Andy, played professionally in Europe and competed for England.
Gabriela Jaquez, Mexico
At the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2025, Jaquez was the recipient of the Rising Star award after averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. She had 21 points in the win over South Carolina and made the All Tournament Team. Jaquez's brother, Jaime, played for the UCLA men's team and is now a rising star with the Miami Heat.
Christina Karamouzi Siegel, Sweden
The Stockholm native featured one summer for her national team program, at the FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket Division B. She was a freshman on this year's team at UCLA.
Gianna Kneepkens, USA
The Minnesota native isn't a player defenses can afford to lose track off. On her USA debut in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup championship-winning campaign in Chile, Kneepkens drilled 13 of 26 attempts from deep. She was 3 of 7 from deep against South Carolina in the NCAA women's title game.
Charlisse Leger-Walker, New Zealand
A big part of the Tall Ferns, she was sorely missed in March's FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. She began playing for New Zealand's youth teams in 2015 and graduated to the senior team in 2019. Leger-Walker was a key figure in UCLA's championship season.
Kiki Rice, USA
The MVP of the FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup in 2022, Rice has three titles with USA. She also won the U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in 2023 while in 2019, she captured the U16 Women's AmeriCup.
FIBA