MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023 is right around the corner and now it's time to look at the stars of tomorrow who will shine today. Everybody loves rankings and here is a breakdown of the top 20 players going into the tournament.

This is the second installment as we count down from players 10 to 1.
Here is the link for players 20-11

10. Yuto Kawashima - JPN

Yuto Kawashima has more FIBA experience than just about any player in the tournament. He played in three tournaments last summer - FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2022, FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2022. He was named MVP of the U16 Asian event, averaging 26.6 points and 11.2 rebounds, and then collected 19.1 points and 6.7 rebounds at the U17 World Cup. He finished the summer with a double-double average (15.6 points 10.6 rebounds) at the U18 Asian tournament.

On top of that, Kawashima will be playing his second U19 World Cup after he averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10 minutes in 2021 - just a month after his 16th birthday.

9. Sergio De Larrea - ESP

Sergio De Larrea will be one of the most intriguing point guards in the tournament with his impressive mix of size (6'6" - 1.97m), creativity, vision, and passing skills. The Valencia Basket playmaker collected 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists as he helped Spain take second place at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022. De Larrea has already made his Spanish league debut with Valencia.

8. Elijah Fisher - CAN

 Elijah Fisher will be appearing in his second U19 World Cup after he collected 6.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 19 minutes per game in 2021. The powerful and athletic guard played a major role in Canada qualifying for the 2023 U19 World Cup, tallying 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022.  Fisher spent this past season playing at Texas Tech in USA collegiate basketball and averaged 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. He will be playing for DePaul University next season.

7. Tre Johnson - USA 

Tre Johnson is one of two USA players who were born in 2006 - the other being Dylan Harper. He will be making his debut in FIBA basketball. The guard is ultra-talented and very smooth with a great all-around game. The Dallas, Texas native, who is ranked No. 1 in the ESPN 2024 high school rankings, has already received attention from LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

6. Berke Buyuktuncel - TUR

Buyuktuncel has already established himself in senior-level basketball, playing in the Basketball Champions League for a full season in 2022-23 and averaging 4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists for Tofas Bursa. The long, versatile, and good outside shooting power forward can do it all as he picked up 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game in helping Turkey finish second at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2022.

Buyuktuncel, who also made his debut for Turkey's senior national team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers, will be appearing in his second U19 World Cup as he posted 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 steals in 2021.

5. Reynan Santos - BRA

Reynan Santos represents the next top hopeful for Brazil as the strong and athletic guard is a lockdown defender who can score the ball and also gives great effort. He has already played in the Basketball Champions League Americas for Brazilian club Sesi Franca with 2.6 points on average in 8 games.

He was named to the All-Star Five for his outstanding showing at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022, where he had 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. And then he was named MVP of the FIBA U18 South American Championship 2022.  

4. Alexandre Sarr - FRA

Alexandre Sarr will be playing up a generation as the 2005-born power forward helped guide France to a third-place finish last summer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 with 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The long, powerful presence at both ends spent the 2020-21 season in the youth ranks of Spanish giants Real Madrid and then played two seasons in the USA in the Overtime Elite league.

Sarr, whose older brother Olivier Sarr plays with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA, has signed with Perth Wildcats of the Australian NBL for next season.

3. Ian Jackson - USA

Ian Jackson is playing his third straight summer with USA Basketball. After helping USA win the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2021, the athletic guard with great energy, scoring skills, and defense averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest as USA went undefeated at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022.

The Bronx, New York native is completing his high school career this season and will then attend the University of North Carolina starting in 2024.

2. Izan Almansa - ESP

It's hard to complain about or compare Izan Almansa's summer last year as the Spanish versatile big man took home two MVP trophies while helping Spain win the FIBA U18 European Championship 2022 and finish second at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022.

Almansa, who came up in the UCAM Murcia and Real Madrid youth ranks, averaged 12.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game at the U17 World Cup. He then collected 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks per contest at the U18 European tournament. Almansa spent the last two seasons with the US-based Overtime Elite league. 

1. Zaccharie Risacher - FRA

Zaccharie Risacher was a late arrival to the French team, only joining the group on June 17, and it might take him a bit of time to find his way into the side. But the forward is ultra-talented and gives France so many different weapons on offense and helps them in a number of ways defensively as well.

The son of former France international Stephane Risacher, Zaccharie played 18 games in European club competition this season for ASVEL Villeurbanne. He also helped France take third place at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022, averaging 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. Risacher has already moved for next season to French side Bourg-en-Bresse. 

FIBA