Our watch list of special players heading to the #FIBAWWC

TENERIFE (FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018) - The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 will see a stunning array of the biggest names in the female game descend on Tenerife.

Here 's our selection of some of the top stars participating in our flagship women's competition:

Breanna Stewart - USA

She is the name on everybody's lips right now after adding to her WNBA MVP crown with the Finals MVP honor as well. Taking Seattle to a third WNBA title, 'Stewie' is on fire and will be the number one star attraction when she swaps club colors for her beloved national team jersey. It could barely be more appropriate that she's the headline name at this tournament after coming through the junior FIBA ranks with her country - including  two FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup winners' medals. With a EuroLeague Women debut also in the offing next month at Dynamo Kursk, all the camera lens are going to be pointing in her direction. What a talent. 

Li Yueru - China

With the potential to be the biggest name in Asian basketball for many years to come and also to be considered as a bonafide global superstar in the women's game, Yueru is a special player. Remarkably still a teenager, she was the leading light for China at last year's FIBA Women's Asia Cup as she carried her nation to a bronze medal. Her contribution of a near tournament double-double of more than 17 points and 9 boards per game, turned heads in a big way. Now we can't wait to see if the frontcourt ace can continue her momentum on the world stage in Tenerife. 

Diana Taurasi - USA

A strong candidate in the #FIBAWWC Goat Vote, Taurasi is a legend of the WNBA, the USA national team, EuroLeague Women and of course of the women's game in general. She is liable to catch fire at any moment and if the clutch comes, she has a possibly unrivalled track record at the highest level of getting it done during crunch time. She may be in the twilight of her career, but this has certainly not taken the edge off her scoring and creative ability. Meanwhile every last drop of that feisty and spiky attitude remains, so if USA look beatable pre-tournament, remember it's dangerous to back against any team with DT in it when the main action tips-off.

Sandrine Gruda - France

Much of the attention with France of late has been around their exciting and dynamic new generation of players at the senior level such as Marine Johannes and Olivia Epoupa for example. Yet having missed the FIBA Women's EuroBasket last year in  Prague, it feels like the classy center is now due a big tournament for her country. The door look to be open for France who have not finished on the podium for a mind-blowing 65 years. If they want to end more than six decades of hurt, Gruda needs to roll back the years with a towering effort. If she shows she is still hungry, is she still the kingpin  and difference-maker for France? We think so.

Adaora Elonu - Nigeria

Last year when Nigeria rode their way to the top of the podium at the Women’s AfroBasket 2017 it was interesting at how Elonu took more of a backseat and ended up underpinning the success as a leading member of the supporting cast. Consequently Evelyn Akhator was able to take the limelight with her excellent performances and got the credit that was well deserved. However surely this time, Elonu will be the one to show her game on this even bigger stage. The cream of a skill-set honed in the WNBA and EuroLeague Women is going to rise and it will be Elonu who will assume the main driving position for Nigeria. With Akhator alongside her, as well as the likes of Ezinne Kalu also close-by, Nigeria might just be able to make it a very uncomfortable experience for their Group rivals.

Evina Maltsi - Greece

A legend in her homeland and across Europe, she may now be approaching 40-years-old, but just watch Maltsi play as if she was a teenager. We saw that last year at the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket in Prague when as underdogs, and with her leading the way, Greece made a spectacular run all the way to the Semi-Finals. The former Women’s EuroBasket MVP always has her finger on the trigger and will be top of the scouting list of her opponents because she will hurt you if she is open. Teams will try and lock her down, but much of her role in this competition will also be to show the usual leadership to her team-mates and several younger players, who will soon pick up the baton. Don’t discount the ability of Maltsi to write more headlines and disrespect Greece at your peril, since they can seriously bite you with this super veteran on board.

Liz Cambage - Australia

Her eye-popping numbers in the WNBA at times has reiterated just what a powerhouse and phenomenal player Cambage can be. Within minutes of belatedly joining her Opals’ team-mates in preparation she was already going to work and causing havoc in the paint. A match-up problem for every team out there, the center is MVP material if Australia can defy a couple of key absences and make a run to the latter stages and maybe even the Final. It will be tricky without her frontcourt partner Marianna Tolo and playmaker Leilani Mitchell who are both injured, but Cambage is in form and a real box-office player. Even more so, because she might get us off our respective seats with a dunk and is always a talking point in any game and any tournament.

Alba Torrens - Spain

The burden of playing in front of an expectant home nation can cause even the best players to suffocate, but the biggest smile on the face of Torrens seems to always come when she is in her national team vest. We saw that last year as she won the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket title and also lifted the MVP award. So, it can only feel even better now that she will have the Tenerife sunshine on her back, the adulation of the partisan home crowd ringing in her ears and the green light from Head Coach Lucas Mondelo to go and do her thing. She is the ‘X-Factor’ because if she can get her perimeter game going in addition to her undoubted ability to tear teams apart in transition, she is a nightmare for opposing defenders. Energy, smiles, skill, application and a willingness to make the big plays when it matters are all attributes. Besides, like most of this Spanish team, she played in the title game  of this competition last time out in Istanbul. Yes, a nation expects!

Park Jisu - Korea

It is simply astonishing that the center is heading to her second edition of this competition and yet is still a teenager! She was just 15-years-old (yes, that really is jaw-dropping) when she led the team in scoring in Istanbul four years ago. Now she has WNBA minutes on her resume and a fine career beckons. She will have another heavy load to bear in carrying her nation once again and there is a big argument that she is in the top 3 worldwide of her generation. Certainly no other rising star has as much experience of the FIBA game at youth and senior level. 

Kia Nurse - Canada

It’s mind-boggling that at the age of 22-years-old, we can almost consider Nurse to be a seasoned veteran at the elite level. This will be her second appearance in this competition and seventh major tournament with her country in the senior ranks. She averaged double-digits in the Rio Olympics and of course she now has another two years of experience under her belt to call upon – including an enlightening rookie campaign in the WNBA with the New York Liberty. After completing her NCAA career, this transition to the pro-game can only make her even better and interestingly, she will know that she does not have to be a standout star in a highly talented and deep Canada team. They have many options and this makes it a great assignment for Nurse, not least if she can achieve an uplift in productivity from long-range. With so many upsides, including maturity beyond her years, this could be a genuine podium challenge about to come from Nurse and Co, so watch out!

Ann Wauters - Belgium

The legend has waited the entire length of her illustrious career to take part in the competition and so won’t want to fall short on the big occasion – even if injuries have prevented her from firing on all cylinders during the current calendar year. Hopefully she will be fit and raring to go, because while Emma Meesseman is expected to be the main go-to player, the potential success of Belgium even trying to make a deep run is probably sat squarely on the shoulders of Wauters. If she offers the durability to get through an intensive program of games, Belgium could be in business and cause some surprises by utilizing the class and vast experience of their greatest ever player. Even the neutrals will be crossing their fingers all goes well.

Sue Bird - USA

Where do you even start with yet another legend of the WNBA, USA and women's game? She's just been crowned a WNBA champion again and did so with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists for Seattle in the decisive game. That underlined her quality and veteran know-how. Bird is also already in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup history books before she even steps onto the hardwood in Tenerife. She is the only player to have ever won 4 medals and so could she be about to extend that astonishing  record spanning 16-years into an even more amazing 5 medals and 4 titles.

You can also check out our Top 12 debutantes to watch at the event - a list that includes many rising stars of the FIBA Worldwide game.

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