SHENZHEN (China) - As always, the FIBA Women's Asia Cup has been the stage where some of the biggest and brightest stars in the continent shine. But it's a proving ground of sorts for the younger hoopers as well.
And we're certain that the 2025 edition in this sprawling Chinese city won't be different. With that, let's take a look at some of the talents brimming with potential that could turn lots of heads in the July 13-20 showpiece.
Izzy Borlase, AUS
Izzy Borlase is the only player in this list who's bagged home one of the most coveted prizes in all of sport: an Olympic medal. She won as much when Australia copped bronze during the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Yes, she already has that huge of an achievement before turning 20. But it should no longer be a surprise why, for the Melbourne-native has shown how valuable of an asset she could be way before suiting up for the Opals.
Borlase shone for the Gems during the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2022. She became part of the All-Star Five behind averages of 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists to help her side claim its breakthrough title.
The 1.80 M (5'11") guard went on to help the program nab their second silver in a row in the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup the following year with impressive contributions of 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists.
And by 2024, she made the jump to the senior team, playing a key role in their conquest of the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Brazil by norming 11.0 points in a three-game sweep en route to France.
Borlase is now set to make her Women's Asia Cup debut and it would be interesting to see how integral she could be for an Australia team hoping to better their bronze medal finishes from the previous three editions.
Zhang Ziyu, CHN
Need we say more? China's next great hope will finally grace FIBA's flagship event for women's national teams in Asia as Zhang Ziyu is set to make easily one of the most anticipated senior debuts in recent years.
While it may be too soon for some, it's already inevitable that the wunderkind will be called up one way or another, especially after showing how good she could be during her first appearance for Team Dragon last year.
Already generating a lot of buzz locally, the 2.20 M (7'3") center went on to show the world her potential by dominating in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen, eventually earning Most Valuable Player honors.
Zhang posted eye-popping per-game numbers of 35.0 points - including two 40-point outings, one of which was 42 in the Final - along with 12.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks as China took silver.
So impressive was her first rodeo that she became a sensation after major sports media outlets picked up her highlights - and her stories, too - and that, of course, gave her even more exposure to a greater audience.
Since then, the Jinan-born athlete is now enjoying her growing status as a future pillar of Team China. In fact, she even became a guest player during the WCBA All-Star Game last February - yes, even before turning pro.
Now, Zhang will have her maiden Women's Asia Cup stint, and there's no doubt that eyes will be on the towering 18-year-old on how she'd respond playing against some of the best in this competition.
Bella Hasan, INA
Bella Hasan is one of the more intriguing players in the 2025 Women's Asia Cup. Unlike some of the others in this particular list, the young guard doesn't have any experience playing in a FIBA youth competition.
So, she'll be making her Indonesia debut in the senior level right away, as part of the final 12-woman roster that's tasked to keep the program in the Division A after earning the promotion in 2023 by ruling Division B.
Born in the United States to Indonesian parents, Hasan sharpened her skills in Kamiak High School in Mulkiteo, Washington and then took her talents to NCAA Division 1 school Southern Utah University.
She just finished her freshman season with the Thunderbirds. There, she played a total of eight games and could be bound to embrace a more significant role come her sophomore year after showing promise.
Especially now that she got called up to play for the Indonesian women's team for the first time in her career, where she's expected to inject more youth - and wits - to a backcourt being a 1.68 M (5'6") point guard.
Kokoro Tanaka, JPN
Kokoro Tanaka made the jump to the pro ranks early in 2024 by joining Women's Japan Basketball League powerhouse ENEOS Sunflowers but that wasn't primarily because she wanted to seek greener pastures.
The Ohka Gakuen High School standout did it because she wanted to be part of AKATSUKI JAPAN. Now, her prayers have been answered after being named to the national team's 2025 Women's Asia Cup squad.
Definitely, she earned that spot. Tanaka stood out in the youth level, particularly during the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup last year where she played a major role in Japan's back-to-back bronze-medal finishes.
There, the 1.72 M (5'8") guard led the team in scoring with 19.0 points on 44.7-percent shooting, which she laced with 1.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.0 steals on her way to taking a spot in the tournament All-Star Five.
That feat made her youth stint a fruitful one as she snared medals in her two campaigns. She won her first in the FIBA U16 Women's Asian Championship when Japan netted silver in the tilt held in Jordan.
Now, Tanaka is joining a Japan side hungry to regain the gold after bowing to long-time rivals China in the 2023 Final. Can she mark her senior debut with a medal? That's exciting to watch out for, no doubt.
Lee Haeran, KOR
She turned 22 just last May yet Lee Haeran has already been to major FIBA competitions with Korea.
After a solid youth career that ran from 2017 to 2021, the 1.80 M (5'11") hooper has competed in three prestigious tournaments, including the 2023 Women's Asia Cup in Sydney where the Koreans finished fifth.
Her first foray in the senior level was in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in Belgrade, Serbia back in 2022, where they went on to book a seat in the event proper.
Lee's most recent stint came about a year after her maiden Women's Asia Cup appearance - at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico last year, that is.
Meg Naassan, LBN
Meg Naassan is set to make her senior debut for Lebanon and she's definitely looking to follow up what was a remarkable showing from her in Division B of the U18 Women's Asia Cup last year.
Set to turn 19 only on June 24, the 1.80 M (6'0") winger delivered solidly for the young Cedars with per-game numbers of 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks as they snagged silver.
That campaign of hers no longer came as a surprise especially for the Lebanese as her production since the FIBA U16 Women's Asian Championship 2021 - her first-ever youth competition - has been on an upward trajectory.
After posting 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in the said meet in Jordan, Naassan went on to improve her stats come the WABA U16 Women’s Championship the following year with 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds to her name.
Then came last year's contest, which proved to be her ticket toward getting called up for the women's team where she will be joining a squad looking to maintain the program's position in Division A.
She's coming in with even more experience under her belt garnered as a professional as she's part of the Al Riyadi team that ruled the 2025 Lebanese D1 Women's Championship just last May.
Bailey Flavell, NZL
Bailey Flavell starred for the New Zealand Junior Tall Ferns in recent years and now, the 18-year-old is looking to elevate her game higher as she's set to play in her first-ever Women's Asia Cup this year.
The daughter of new Tall Blacks head coach Judd Flavell proved that she's truly deserving of the call-up after a stellar run in the youth ranks, most especially in the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup last year.
She shone the brightest for New Zealand there with 18.9 points - third-best in the competition - on 42.0-percent shooting, alongside 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks in a solid showcase of her versatility.
That's why it no longer shocked fans and pundits when she got invited to play for the Tall Ferns in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico in that same year.
And from the looks of it, Flavell could become a mainstay of the program, now that she's bound for another tour of duty with a crew hoping to win its first medal in the tourney after reaching the Semi-Finals in 2023.
Naomi Panganiban, PHI
With four of their mainstays out, the Philippines are banking on continuity as their 2025 Women's Asia Cup roster features some Gilas Women Youth standouts from recent years. And one of them is Naomi Panganiban.
But make no mistake in thinking that she's a rookie whatsoever. The upcoming games will actually be her second stint with the senior squad and she's coming in with sky-high confidence after a solid maiden stint last year.
She was part of the team that played in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Rwanda and there, she indeed leveled up her game with 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
For the 1.70 M (5'7") combo guard, it was simply sustaining her fine play from the 2024 U18 Women's Asia Cup-Division B, which was held nearly two months prior to the aforementioned conclave in Kigali.
Panganiban fulfilled a critical role in the Philippines' conquest of the division with 15.0 points on top of 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists as she and that batch gave the program its long-desired promotion to Division A.
Now, she's a member of a Gilas Women team looking not only to retain their status in the top level, but to book one of the six tickets to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments as well.
That's eight young talents coming in with so much promise, and the only thing left to see is how they would be able to perform for the respective teams in a stage as grand as the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
FIBA