MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 tips off on June 28 and all 16 teams are dreaming of hoisting the trophy on July 6. Here is a look at why each team could win the tournament in Switzerland.
This is a breakdown over two articles, starting with Volume 1, going through the teams in an alphabetical order.
Argentina
Argentina have only reached the podium twice - finishing third back in the first U19 World Cup in 1979 and then again in 1991. They have reached the Quarter-Finals in three of the last four editions but the last top four showing came in 2011. This summer's group has a lot of the components needed for a successful team - especially with a dominant duo from the wing and low post.
First off, there is a versatile, athletic wing who can create for himself in Felipe Minzer, who also has a good share of experience on the international level - being one of the leaders for Argentina at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 before helping Argentina finish second at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024. The Spain-based forward already made his debut in the Spanish ACB league in 2023-24.
His main U18 AmeriCup partner was Tyler Kropp - another 2007-born talent who played at both the FIBA U17 World Cup and U18 AmeriCup last summer. The power forward averaged 22.0 points and 11.3 rebounds and was named to the All-Star Five of the U18 AmeriCup last summer despite being a year younger the junior competition - showing he can be a force around the basket and score whenever his team needs.
The third leader on the team will be center Ivan Prato, who played at both competitions as well and plays his basketball in Italy for Varese - the club where former Argentina legend Luis Scola serves as CEO. Point guard Bruno Farias meanwhile has already debuted in the Italian first division for Tortona, even playing in the Basketball Champions League.
The quartet of Minzer, US-based Kropp, Prato and Farias can call on experience of playing outside Argentina, which will help them for the level of competition in Lausanne. Argentina also will be tested in the group stage against New Zealand, Serbia and Mali - three different playing styles that will help them prepare for the knockout stage where anything is possible.
Australia
Australia might have the strongest Emus squad in many years which gives them good chances of reaching their first top four since 2013 and maybe even add a second crown following 2003. The Oceanian powers are back at the FIBA U19 World Cup after missing the 2023 edition as the country decided against playing at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2022 due to political unrest in the host nation Iran. The team in Switzerland will be extra motivated to also play for the generation that did not have a chance to compete in 2023.
The talent is definitely there for Australian fans to be excited about their chances. Talented center Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. He dominated at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 at still 15 years old and last year helped Australia win the renowned U18 national team event Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany. Zikarsky, who played this past season for Brisbane in the Australian NBL, also has already moved into senior national team, appearing in four games for the Boomers in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
Zikarsky teams up with Jacob Furphy and Roman Siulepa, who both were on the U17 team back in 2022 and finally get their chance at the U19 World Cup. The versatile and savvy Furphy also has already debuted with the Boomers while Siulepa is a strong athletic wing.
Forwards Emmett Adair and Luke Fennell both also played for the Boomers while Dash Daniels - the younger brother of Dyson Daniels - is a dynamic guard. Che Brogan is a playmaking wing, Jack Whitbourn gives the team additional size down low and the duo of Mading Kuany and Ajak Nyuon provide great athleticism and length.
Add it all up and Australia can rightfully envision standing atop the podium when it's all said and done.
Cameroon
Welcome to the FIBA U19 World Cup for Cameroon. The African nation will be playing in the competition for the first time and opponents better not underestimate this team, especially if other countries try to scout the side that finished second at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2024.
A maximum of four players will be back from that team, including star big man Amadou Seini with Herman Bel Gassina, Gregory Kemet Edoa and Freddy Tchakounte being the others. There will also be a new man in charge in Steve Tchiengang, who is an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics of the NBA and takes over the team from last summer's playcaller Kevin Ngwese, who will serve as Tchiengang's assistant.
Tchiengang made sure the team in Switzerland would have much more potential, going recruiting around the United States and Europe to find possible Cameroonians. Gedeon Basson, Jules Assim and Jason Noumbissi are all playing in the United States.
Seini is already a 7-footer who is learning the game in Italy and the Cameroon preliminary roster included another 7-footer in Italy in Casaire Yenan while 6'10 big man Ronny Ewanke is Seini's teammate at Varese along with guard Benjamen Nantah. The scouting also found France-based players such as Jordy Ndjomo, Franck Hanack and Wilf Klingue while Noe Bom is a guard in Germany.
Cameroon will be a bit of an unknown entity at the beginning but they certainly be strong, athletic and quick with a solid defensive identity. Their players' inexperience in big FIBA moments could be a factor come game time but they will not be a comfortable team to face.
Canada
Canada's only two FIBA U19 World Cup medals have come in the last four editions - taking the title in 2017 thanks to an amazing performance from RJ Barrett and finishing third in 2021 with Zach Edey and Bennedict Mathurin as leaders. The negative to that fact is that those are the only two times Canada got into the top four despite 10 top-eight finishes in their 13 appearances. The Quarter-Finals have been Canada's kryptonite. The North Americans hope to overcome that again and become just the third nation to win multiple U19 crowns after USA's eight and Spain's two titles.
The Canadian team will likely be a mix of players from the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024 and FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024. And all of those players will be extra motivated after disappointing finishes. Canada mustered only third place on the U18 continental level and the other group of players slumped to eighth place at the U17 World Cup.
Canada will have two players who already played in this competition as Jaion Pitt and giant Olivier Rioux both were on the team in 2023 in Debrecen. Tristan Beckford was a member of the All-Star Five of the FIBA U18 AmeriCup last summer while Spencer Ahrens and Efeosa Oliogu both scored in double figures in the event.
Jordan Charles topped Canada in scoring at last summer's FIBA U17 World Cup with Miles Sadler and Paul Osaruyi other players expected to learn from their first global experience. One FIBA debutant to watch will be Will Riley, who played at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit and was the MVP of the 2024 Basketball Without Borders Global camp.
The ability to bring the team together and form a true unit quickly will be one of the keys for the coaching staff, but if that does happen, don't count Canada out of the running - especially if they win in the Quarter-Finals.
China
China are on hand for the 13th time but the Asian powerhouse has yet to really have much success at the junior World Cup. Their only top-eight showing came back in 2013 and they finished 13th or worse five times. But this time China hope to finally put everything together and go all the way.
China will arrive in Switzerland with some strong depth in high level talent. Boyuan Zhang can score in a variety of ways from the wing while Sinan Huan and his twin brother Sifeng Huan provide a dynamic duo in the post. Top point guard Yi Yang meanwhile has already debuted this season in the Chinese CBA league with Guangdong.
The Chinese team will have a major boost at the guard position with US-born guard Jacob Zhu, who will be playing his first FIBA competition with the home country of his father. Zhu is an outstanding scorer with good speed and tempo as well as excellent shooting range.
That core of leaders will make things easier for the rest of the players as they won't have to produce as much as in past competitions. On top of all that, this Chinese team will be ready from day one of the tournament as they have been working together on and off for months with a number of camps and exhibition games. China is quietly a team that other countries will not want to face in a knockout game.
Dominican Republic
It's been a while since Dominican Republic have played at the FIBA U19 World Cup with the last time - and second overall - being in 2015. They finally broke through the ultra-competitive FIBA U18 AmeriCup and finished fourth in 2024. The central Americans have finished ninth in 1983 and 13th a decade ago in the U19 World Cup. The next generation of Dominican leaders are ready to make history.
The leader of this team will be Danny Carbuccia, who was selected for the All-Star Five of the FIBA U18 AmeriCup last summer. The point guard played a year younger at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 but still played a strong role. And he even debuted with the Dominican senior national team at the November 2024 window for the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers.
Lucas Morillo has taken his game to another level this season in the United States and the small forward is expected to be a problem for opponents in Switzerland. Dominican Republic will also have the 2008-born shooting guard Anderson Diaz, who is from the Bronx in New York and would be eligible to play in the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2027.
At the time of this writing, it's unclear what even the Dominicans' preliminary roster looks like. But there have been rumors circulating that the country's leaders could bring in both Alex Constanza and Elyjah Freeman. The elite scoring forward Constanza failed to make the USA team at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024 and could play for the country roots of his parents. And he would be an immediate star for the team. Freeman's mother is Dominican and the late bloomer moved from Division II to Auburn for the up-coming season and would provide even more scoring punch.
A major core of this team has been together since the FIBA U17 CentroBasket 2023 in Belize, where they lost to Puerto Rico in the Final. So there is a good continuity to the Dominicans. If they have the extra firepower, it shouldn't be any surprise if the central Americans go deep into the tournament.
France
France have reached the podium in the last three FIBA U19 World Cups - including making the Final in 2021 and 2023 - and the Europeans will definitely be heading to Switzerland with the dream of finally taking the top spot. And there are good reasons to say the French can do it.
Sure, they are missing their top players from the generations but the talent is still there. Noa Kouakou Heugue has become a major name in European youth hoops circles while there will be good guard play with the likes of Yohann Sissoko, Talis Soulhac, Leon Sifferlin and Soren Bracq - the latter and Kouakou Heugue having played last summer together at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024.
Mohamed Diakite has a lot of experience - playing in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 as well as two U16 European competitions, not to mention 5 games in the Basketball Champions League with Saint-Quentin. Thomas Bassong earned valuable experience playing last season in the USA with Overtime Elite. The France roster will include players who don't have much experience on the international stage but they will also be excited, hungry and extra motivated to use their chance to shine.
One other factor for this France team is their head coach, Ruddy Nelhomme, who served for 14 years as the right hand man and assistant coach to Vincent Collet with the France senior national team. Nelhomme has witnessed first hand what it takes to win two Olympic silver medals as well as the title at the FIBA EuroBasket 2013 and two bronzes at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. That leadership cannot be underestimated.
Germany
Germany have reached the point where they enter youth tournaments with expectations of taking home medals. And this generation has already made history as they captured the title at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 - Germany's first youth European crown. That came one summer after the country earned their first-ever U18 European medal by finishing third in 2023. Germany have only appeared in the FIBA U19 World Cup three times and always finished in the top five - fifth in 1983 and 2017 and fourth in 1987. Now the Germans will be shooting for the glory.
This German team has some major star power as well as excellent balance. Christian Anderson and Jack Kayil give head coach Alan Ibrahimagic some great playmakers who can also score. The team is still waiting to see if fellow star guard Ivan Kharchenkov will be available.
Hannes Steinbach, who like Anderson was named to the All-Star Five at last summer's U18 EuroBasket, is already a force in the German league playoffs for Wuerzburg and should be a major concern for opposing teams in Switzerland. Eric Reibe meanwhile is a talented big man who will be extra motivated after missing out on the U18 EuroBasket due to injury.
Ivan Crnjac provides good size and scoring from the wing while Declan Duru is an athletic defensive stopper everywhere on the court. And the team still has players like Keenan Garner, Nicolas Kodjoe and Amon Doerries who can help in a variety of ways.
With all those weapons and the ability to play different styles, Germany can rightfully go into the U19 World Cup dreaming of finally hoisting the trophy, which would go right along with the country's ever-improving state of the game.
Stay tuned soon for Volume 2 with the other eight teams.
FIBA