MUNICH (Germany) - The Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers is set to commence with 12 teams battling for six spots in the Qualifiers.
Two nations from each group are to advance and some countries brought out the big guns for this task.
A number of well-known names amongst European basketball will take to the court and battle it out amongst themselves in these three weeks of action.
Below you can check out some of the leading names who will aim to carry the load of their nations' hopes in August and vote for your favorite below.
Jesse Edwards - Netherlands
CENTER
Birth Date: March 18, 2000 Height: 6ft 2in / 2.11 m Club: Minnesota Timberwolves (USA)
Having just finished his rookie NBA season with most of the time spent in the G-League, we should most definitely see more mature and seasoned Edwards. His height and wingspan have always made trouble for the opponents, which he proved in the last outing for Netherlands - when he averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per at the Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament in 2023. Now, with two more years of overseas experience, Edwards should be ready for some major things.
Harald Frey - Norway
GUARD
Birth Date: May 27, 1997 Height: 6ft 2in / 1.88 m Club: Bilbao Basket (ESP)
Frey became somewhat of an icon at these various Pre-Qualifying stages for the big tournaments. Norway's biggest international star just averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 assists for FIBA Europe Cup champions Bilbao Basket last season and was crucial in the First Stage of the European Pre-Qualifiers when he pulled Norway to advance with 22 points per game. Norway is not the favorite of the group with Croatia and Denmark, but Frey is surely a name to respect.
Mario Hezonja - Croatia
SMALL FORWARD
Birth Date: February 25, 1995 Height: 6ft 8in / 2.03 m Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
Croatia returns after a big letdown - missing out on the EuroBasket for the first time ever. Hezonja was captain of the team in the Qualifiers and his almost 30 points on average were not enough. Also putting up double-digit scoring for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, one of the biggest stars in the European basketball is full of motivation to make things right for the national team. And with Hezonja, that usually means we're in for some heroics.
Alex Len - Ukraine
CENTER
Birth Date: June 16, 1993 Height: 7ft 1in / 2.15 m Club: Los Angeles Lakers (USA)
Ukraine surely come in as the favorites of the Group D with Switzerland and Slovakia, and they're bringing their NBA duo to prove that. Len hasn't suited up for the national team for two years, and the last time he did so in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers there was a lot left on the table. Len appeared in only one big tournament with Ukraine - at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 - and will certainly do his best to make that two major events. And the best from this 12-year NBA veteran should be quite the matchup for his opponents.
Svi Mykhailiuk - Ukraine
SMALL FORWARD/SHOOTING GUARD
Birth Date: June 10, 1997 Height: 6ft 6in / 1.99 m Club: Utah Jazz (USA)
Much like his compatriot above, Svi is also returning to the national team jersey after two years. However, whenever Mykhailiuk suits up, he is the leading force for Ukraine; last averaging 17 points per game at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 and the European Qualifiers for the last edition of the World Cup. Ukraine didn't make it to that one, but Utah Jazz's sharpshooter is sure to bring the heat for this attempt.
Jakob Poeltl - Austria
CENTER
Birth Date: October 15, 2015 Height: 7ft 0in / 2.13 m Club: Toronto Raptors (USA)
Jakob Poeltl is back for Austria for the first time since 2023 and that is scary news for the opposing centers. Coming from statistically his best NBA season, Poeltl is ready to dominate the paint for Austria like he always did - last time we saw him playing for his country, he produced double-double averages in the EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers. And, he has Sylven Landesberg playing alongside him, too.
Dario Saric - Croatia
POWER FORWARD / CENTER
Birth Date: April 8, 1994 Height: 6ft 9in / 2.07 m Club: Sacramento Kings (USA)
Croatia is on the path of redemption and the national team's captain is back for the first time since last year's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece. Back then, Saric produced a rare feat of the triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Slovenia and you can make sure the newly-acquired Sacramento Kings asset will once again do the all-around thing.
Aleksandar Vezenkov - Bulgaria
POWER FORWARD
Birth Date: August 6, 1995 Height: 6ft 9in / 2.06 m Club: Olympiacos (GRE)
The last time we saw Vezenkov in the Bulgaria jersey, the dominant forward poured in 40 points and 18 rebounds in a win over Sweden. The kind of performances that this former EuroLeague MVP is capable of producing are scary things for the opponents. Vezenkov is coming now and will once again prove to be a matchup nightmare.
Jacob Wiley - North Macedonia
POWER FORWARD / CENTER
Birth Date: September 4, 1994 Height: 6ft 8in / 2.03m Club: None
North Macedonia's journeyman is back for the national team and that means we can expect some force in the paint. Wiley appeared in eight games in North Macedonia's campaign to make it to the last World Cup - putting up 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in the Pre-Qualifiers and Qualifiers combined. North Macedonia didn't make it then, but now's a new day and a fresh chance.
FIBA