Sometime during the Fiba Under 17 World Championships in Dubai, a handful of players will begin to emerge as future stars.
The MVP of the first iteration of the tournament in 2010, Bradley Beal, is already a minor star in the NBA with the Washington Wizards. The 2012 MVP, Jahlil Okafor, is preparing to enter his freshman season at Duke University, a perennial American college basketball powerhouse.
In just a short period of time, the Fiba Under 17s have proven fertile ground for the globe’s top developing basketball talent.
"I just learned so much. That two-to-three week period of playing with Team USA, battling my own teammates in practice, playing against the best of the best, that really elevated my game," Okafor told The National via e-mail. "And then we had top-notch coaches that taught me all the little things of basketball – defence, communicating, all that stuff – so that really helped me elevate my game, too."
It’s not just the Americans benefiting from participation, either. While the likes of emerging NBA players like Andre Drummond and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist featured for Team USA, plenty of international players from that original tournament have also graduated to bigger and better things.
Canada’s Anthony Bennett went on to be the top overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft and his teammate Andrew Wiggins was taken with the first selection this year. Spain’s Dani Diez has earned a regular place in Real Madrid’s squad, as well, and China’s Wang Zhelin has become one of the top contributors in the Chinese Basketball Association with Fujian Sturgeons.
“I think (the tournament) does help the game grow. When I was over there, I was impressed by a lot of the players overseas I was unfamiliar with,” said Okafor. “I remember talking to the USA coaches and they were telling me a lot of these guys are going to be lottery picks and stuff like that. It’s just great to see the game expand all across the world.
“I think they play a lot smarter than we do. We rely on our athletic ability, and they think the game through – move without the ball – a lot of different things that I wish we did a little bit better. They think the game through more than we do.”
Beal, who averaged 17.1 points per game for the Wizards last season, also took notice of the quality from around the world he was competing against.
“It was terrific. A lot of those guys from those different countries can play in the NBA. There were a lot of talented guys there,” he told the Fiba website in June. “It made me mentally and physically tough.”
Okafor, who was the top-ranked recruit by ESPN in the US for the 2014/15 freshman class, said the tournament at that point in his career represented his most significant basketball experience.
For him and the rest of the young players who will hit the court over the next 10 days in Dubai, this is the first major step on a path that just may lead to stardom.
“It was very important to me. It was a good opportunity to represent Team USA. It was one of my proudest moments and one of my father’s and family’s, also. Being able to play for Team USA and win a gold medal, it meant everything to me,” said Okafor.
“It was a lot of fun, a lot of fun. I had Tyus Jones with me, who is my teammate now, and Justise Winslow. I was able to create a bond with them that’s everlasting, and, to this day, we’re all close. It’s been a lot of fun. We were able to win, so that just made everything better.”
Not just for Americans
A few players who featured in the first Fiba Under 17 World Championships tournament, in 2010, have found early professional success. In addition to American NBA players like Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, these internationals have begun to leave their own impact on the global game.
Anthony Bennett, Canada: After earning an honorable mention selection to the college All-American team in 2013, Bennett was taken first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the draft. Struggled for most of his rookie season in the NBA but improved some late in the year.
Andrew Wiggins, Canada: Wiggins followed in the footsteps of his 2010 teammate with the bronze medal-winning Canadians by being taken first overall in this year's draft by the same Cavaliers. After a second-team All-American season at the University of Kansas, he's now being talked about as the prize Minnesota may require from Cleveland in a Kevin Love trade.
Dani Diez, Spain: Led the 10th-place finishing Spaniards in scoring before going on to establish himself over the past couple years at Real Madrid. Played in 22 Euroleague games last season and shot 60 per cent.
Wang Zhelin, China: Overshadowed by teammate Guo Ailun at the time, who led the tournament in scoring, Wang has played in 65 Chinese Basketball Association games the last two seasons for Fujian Sturgeons and averaged 21.5 points per game.
Mateusz Ponitka, Poland: Finished second at the tournament in scoring for the surprise silver-medal winning Poles. Now considered the top international prospect born in 1993 by the basketball website draftexpress.com. Scored 8.9 points per game for Belgian club BC Oostende in the second-tier Eurocup last season.
Nenad Miljenovic, Serbia: Led fifth-place Serbia in scoring in 2010 before embarking on his pro career with Belgrade-based Mega Vizura. Considered the No 2 prospect from 1993 by draftexpress.com after scoring 9.7 points per game in the Balkan-encompassing Adriatic League.
2012 stars: The last tournament boasts a few notables already, too. Australia's Dante Exum was taken fifth by the Utah Jazz in this year's draft and France's Damien Inglis went 31st to the Milwaukee Bucks. Egyptian centre Anas Osama Mahmoud will play his freshman season at top American college team Louisville University this year, as well.
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