12 rising stars to watch in the Qualifiers

MUNICH (Germany) - There will be a great deal of talent on display during the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, with the squads announced by the National Federations featuring some of the continent's brightest rising stars.

For some of them, this will be the very first opportunity to suit up for the national team vests, while others will be returning having already made their debuts in previous competitions, hoping for even bigger roles this time around.

Youth basketball expert Ignacio Rissotto has put together a list of 12 young players to watch in the February window.

 

 

Tarik Biberovic - Turkiye

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Birth Date: January 28, 2001 (23 years old)
Height: 2.01m (6ft 7in)
Club: Fenerbahce Beko (TUR)

Drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2023 NBA Draft, Biberovic earned his first call-up to the Turkish national team on the back of his tremendously efficient play for Fenerbahce during the 2023-24 season, where he's shooting 54.2 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from three and 91.2 percent from the free-throw line. Biberovic is a threat from three-point range, being able to convert difficult jumpers both off-the-catch and off-the-dribble. Standing at 2.01m, Biberovic also possesses the right combination of size, physicality and fluidity to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim in closeouts and in transition.

Turkiye has played in every Eurobasket since 1993 and with Biberovic as a perimeter scoring option from the wing, they should be expected to qualify as one of the basketball powerhouses of Europe.

Thijs De Ridder - Belgium

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Birth Date: January 31, 2003 (21 years old)
Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in)
Club: SURNE Bilbao Basket (ESP)

At just 21 years old, De Ridder has developed into one of the cornerstones of a Belgian national team that will look to qualify for their sixth straight EuroBasket. In July 2023, De Ridder led Belgium to a fourth place finish at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, earning an All-Tournament Team nod and in August, he led Belgium in both points and rebounds at the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Turkiye.

Standing at 2.03m and possessing a strong frame, De Ridder is a versatile forward who is able to fill multiple roles for the Lions on both ends of the floor. Offensively, the Belgian forward makes his presence felt in the paint with his ability to score on post-ups, finish plays around the basket and collect rebounds. He is also a threat in the perimeter, as he's able to step out and hit three-pointers off the catch at a good rate. Defensively, De Ridder is a strong presence around the basket with his defensive rebounding and his ability to contest shots.

Nikola Djurisic - Serbia

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Birth Date: February 23, 2004 (19 years old)
Height: 2.02m (6ft 8in)
Club: Mega Basket (SRB)

One of the many stand-out prospects from Belgrade's talent factory Mega Basket, Djurisic has been one of the most intriguing young players in Serbia, consistently making his mark in FIBA Youth EuroBasket tournaments, club invitationals and as of late, the Adriatic League. Standing at 2.02m Djurisic stands out with his fluidity and his playmaking ability for his size. The Serbian wing is able to self-create drives and jumpers as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, but is also able to set up teammates for open looks, showing a good level of vision and creativity as a passer.

Djurisic has played just 26 minutes for the Senior National Team so far in his career, but at just 19 years old and with his mix of ball-handling ability and positional size, it's easy to envision him becoming an integral part of Serbia's basketball future.

Nico Mannion - Italy

GUARD

Birth Date: March 14, 2001 (22 years old)
Height: 1.90m (6ft 3in)
Club: Openjobmetis Varese (ITA)

Since he returned to Italy, Mannion has been on a dominant run at both the Italian Serie A and the FIBA Europe Cup for Varese, as he's averaging 17.8 points and 5.4 assists per game. The former Golden State Warrior has developed into an aggressive wing scorer who puts constant pressure on opposing defenses with his combination of speed and ball-handling ability. Mannion is also able to create his own shot from the perimeter, as well as getting teammates involved with his ability to pass on the move.

With Mannion, Gabriele Procida and Matteo Spagnolo on the roster, Italy will have a potential perimeter rotation of the future in this first qualifying window.

Jaime Pradilla - Spain

CENTER

Birth Date: January 3, 2001 (23 years old)
Height: 2.05m (6ft 9in)
Club: Valencia Basket Club SAD (ESP)

Pradilla has the right mix of youth and experience, having played over 200 games for Valencia in domestic and continental competition, as well as being a key piece in Spain's gold-medal run at FIBA EuroBasket 2022. A 2.05m forward, Pradilla provides value as a rim runner and play finisher in the paint, where he utilizes his combination of size, length and touch to score around the basket. Pardilla also has the versatility to step out and convert spot-up threes, being a threat in pick-and-pop situations.

Spain is in the middle of a historic run, having won four of the last six FIBA EuroBasket tournaments. Joel Parra, Carlos Alocen and Pradilla himself represent the next generation of Spanish basketball, one that will look to keep the winning tradition alive for years to come.

Ruben Prey - Portugal

FORWARD

Birth Date: February 16, 2005 (19 years old)
Height: 2.08m (6ft 10in)
Club: Club Joventut Badalona (ESP)

One of the most promising players to come out of Portugal in the last decade, Prey could make his senior national team debut in this qualifying window after being named to Portugal's 14-man roster. Standing at 2.08m, Prey is a versatile forward who can make an impact both around the basket and on the perimeter. The Joventut prospect is a polished interior scorer who can create his own shot in the paint, while also being able to step out and hit three-point jumpshots. Defensively, Prey utilizes his size and length to create defensive events around the rim.

Despite being just 19 years old, with his size and his versatile skill set, Prey should be a key piece in Portugal's quest to qualify for their first Eurobasket since 2011.

Roko Prkacin - Croatia

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Birth Date: November 26, 2002 (21 years old)
Height: 2.01m (6ft 7in)
Club: Herbalife Gran Canaria (ESP)

After a solid career at the Adriatic League for Cibona, Prkacin made the leap to the Spanish ACB, where in his first two seasons he has become one of the most promising young forwards in Europe. Prkacin is an interior scorer who can finish pick-and-roll plays in the paint, while also being able to create his own shot with his back to the basket, utilizing his combination of size, strength, footwork and touch around the rim.

Prkacin led Croatia to its most recent FIBA title, by winning the 2018 U16 EuroBasket where he was also named MVP. Now at the senior level, Prkacin should undoubtedly be a key factor in Croatia's quest to qualify to their fifteenth straight EuroBasket.

Zaccharie Risacher - France

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Birth Date: April 8, 2005 (18 years old)
Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in)
Club: JL Bourg Basket (FRA)

Risacher was named to France's roster ahead of the qualifying window on the back of an impressive career at the junior levels, and, most recently, a productive and very efficient 2023-24 campaign for JL Bourg. Shooting 44.8 percent from three-point range in the current season, the French wing has developed into a sniper from three-point range, being able to convert jumpers with little time and space. Risacher has also shown defensive versatility, covering multiple positions as a primary defender in the perimeter, while also providing defensive help at the rim.

Projected as a top five pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, the eyes of the basketball world will be set on Risacher during this qualifying window, as he will provide much needed floor-spacing and defensive versatility for Les Bleus. If you're in France, you can watch their games exclusively on DAZN.

Nikos Rogkavopoulos - Greece

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Birth Date: June 27, 2001 (22 years old)
Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in)
Club: Saski Baskonia (ESP)‎

Rogkavopoulos has become a reliable perimeter scorer for Greece, having been a key part of the team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and its Qualifiers. Standing at 2.03m, Rogkavopoulos has developed into one of the best shooters at the forward position in Europe, currently shooting 44.4 percent from three-point range in the 2023-24 season for Spanish side Baskonia. The former AEK Athens forward also makes an impact with his size as a transition target and rebounder.

The road to Greece's first EuroBasket title since 2005 starts here and Rogkavopoulos should have a great share of responsibility in the process, with his touch from deep range being the perfect complement to the size and athleticism of Greece's frontcourt.

Azuolas Tubelis - Lithuania 

POWER FORWARD

Birth Date: March 22, 2002 (21 years old)
Height: 2.05m (6ft 9in)
Club: Neptunas Klaipeda (LTU)

In his first season back in the Lithuanian LKL, Tubelis has cemented himself as one of the most productive young players in the league, averaging 14.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and a league-best 1.7 blocks per game for Neptunas. A strong 2.05m forward, Tubelis provides a versatile defensive impact, being a prolific rebounder and productive shot blocker. On offense, Tubelis does a good job of finishing plays on multiple levels of the floor, being a threat on ball-screens, as he's an efficient scorer both in the post and as a spot-up threat beyond the three-point line.

After a standout career both at the junior levels in Lithuania and at the NCAA for the Arizona Wildcats, Tubelis is set to make his senior national team debut in this qualifying window, where he should be an important contributor for a Lithuanian squad that has qualified for every EuroBasket since 1995 and is looking to keep the streak alive.

Keye Van der Vuurst - Netherlands

GUARD

Birth Date: December 29, 2001 (22 years old)
Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in)
Club: Zunder Palencia (ESP)

The Oranje will look to qualify for EuroBasket for the fourth straight time with Van der Vuurst as their floor general. Van der Vuurst made his National Team debut at just 16 years old, playing in three matches at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers. Since then, Van der Vuurst has solidified himself as the starting Point Guard for the Netherlands, fueled by productive runs for Oostende in the BNXT League, and currently for Palencia in the Spanish ACB.

The Dutch guard is a prolific and versatile shooter who is able to convert tough three-point attempts from deep range. Van der Vuurst takes full advantage of the gravity he generates as a shooter and is able to involve teammates, creating a high number of assists every game by finding the open man on drives, transition and in pick-and-roll plays.

Fedor Zugic - Montenegro

GUARD

Birth Date: September 18, 2003 (20 years old)
Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)
Club: BG Göttingen (GER)

Along with Luka Bogavac, Zugic is one of the youngest players on roster for Montenegro, but he's also one of the most experienced, having played over 120 games at the senior level in Germany over the past three seasons. Currently playing for BG Göttingen, the Montenegrin wing has turned into one of the most productive young players in the Basketball Bundesliga due to his combination of 1.96m size, shooting versatility and his aggressiveness to attack the basket.

Despite being just 20 years old, Zugic has already seen minutes for the senior national team in previous FIBA events. With his abilty to score from multiple levels of the floor, Zugic is well on his way to become the wing of the future for Montenegro.

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