MIAMI (United States) – The second window of the Americas Qualifiers on the road to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 tips off next week, as all 16 national teams return to action in a stage that will begin to clarify which sides have legitimate chances of advancing to the Second Round. Beyond the established veterans, several teams will rely heavily on youth. These are some of the top emerging U23 talents who could steal the spotlight during Window 2:
Gonzalo Corbalan - Argentina
Position: Shooting Guard Age: 23 Height: 6'4" / 1.93 m Corbalán has recently established himself as one of Argentina’s leaders despite his young age. At the latest FIBA AmeriCup, he broke out by averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists. However, offensively, he looked even sharper in the opening window of these Qualifiers. There he posted 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists for a 19.5 efficiency rating, the second-best mark on his team. Now competing with San Pablo Burgos in Spain’s top division, he is averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 24.4 minutes across 20 games. Corbalán continues to elevate his game and arrives in rhythm for Window 2.
Brunao Cardoso - Brazil
Position: Power Forward Age: 23 Height: 6'7" / 2.01 m Cardoso made his senior national team debut in Window 1 and immediately impressed with his athleticism. He was highly efficient around the rim, converting 87.5 percent of his shots while adding 6.5 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game. In Brazil’s top domestic league, he has continued to showcase his potential, averaging 11.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks with Brasilia. He is expected to maintain a prominent role under head coach Aleksandar Petrovic in this window.
Jean Montero - Dominican Republic
Position: Point Guard Age: 22 Height: 6'2" / 1.88 m Montero remains one of the continent’s premier young talents and is a key piece for the Dominican squad. He logged multiple seasons competing at a high level in Europe and continues to deliver this year with Valencia Basket in Spain’s top league, averaging 13.6 points, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals. In the previous November window, when the Dominican Republic split its series with Mexico, he averaged 12.5 points (31.8 percent from the field), 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals— somewhat modest scoring numbers by his standards. Facing the United States and Nicaragua, he will look to regain offensive rhythm and assert himself as the engine of the Dominican backcourt.
Yahir Bonilla - Mexico
Position: Small Forward Age: 22 Height: 6'8" / 2.04 m Bonilla has been part of Mexico’s senior national team from an early age and, despite his youth, is already one of its cornerstones. Each time he represents Mexico, he appears more polished. In the first window of these Qualifiers, he delivered his most dominant performance yet, averaging 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks for a 25.5 efficiency rating— the fifth-highest in the competition so far. His offensive versatility and defensive presence make him one of the most complete young players in the region.
Zakai Zeigler - Puerto Rico
Position: Point Guard Age: 23 Height: 5'9" / 1.75 m Zeigler was one of the few bright spots for Puerto Rico after being swept at home by Jamaica in the last window. In his senior national team debut, he exceeded expectations despite the two losses. Across those two games, he averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting an impressive 58.8 percent from the field, including 60.0 percent from three-point range. He will return, aiming to solidify his place and prove he is a reliable option at point guard. This is a position traditionally rich in depth for the Caribbean nation. In France’s top league, with Nanterre 92, Zeigler is averaging 8.0 points and 5.8 assists in 21.2 minutes per game.
Yeferson Guerra - Venezuela
Position: Shooting Guard Age: 22 Height: 6'2" / 1.88 m Among Venezuela’s new faces, Guerra has arguably made the biggest impact. The guard, who plays for Unión Santa Fe in Argentina’s second division, showed flashes at the AmeriCup 2025, averaging 5.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. In November’s window, during the loss to Colombia, he was the team’s second-leading scorer with 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Though naturally a shooting guard, he demonstrated in that game that he can also handle playmaking duties, especially now that veterans such as David Cubillán, Gregory Vargas and Heissler Guillent are no longer part of the national team setup.
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