10 players to watch at U16 Asian Championship 2023

DOHA (Qatar) - If you are looking for a sneak peek at the stars of tomorrow, there's no better place to start looking than the FIBA U16 Asian Championship.

Whether it's the likes of Rui Hachimura, Zhou Qi, Lee Hyunjung, or Kai Sotto, they've all played at this competition early on in their careers before becoming the big-profile names we know today.

As we tipoff the 2023 edition and welcome a new batch of future premier players, let's take a quick look at some interesting names to keep your eyes on throughout the competition from 17-24 September in Doha, Qatar.

Harrison Beauchamp (AUS)

The Crocs have played in two FIBA U16 Asian Championships and have won the competition in as many times. Moreover, they have yet to lose a single game. A key part of that is because they have had some of the best players on their balanced roster, whether it is Luka Travers or Rocco Zikarsky.

The player that could be the next big star to emerge from this Crocs roster could be Harrison Beauchamp. The 1.97M (6'6") guard was arguably Australia's best player at the U15 Oceania Championship last year, posting an EFF of 20.0 while scoring 14.2 points (second on team) and grabbing 6.6 rebounds (led team) per game. In the Final, Beauchamp posted an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double while shooting 6-10 from the floor in just 25 minutes.

If you are not sold, Beauchamp finished the competition shooting a blistering 58.1 percent from the field, 57.9 percent from three-point land, and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line.

We'll get to see if he keeps it up while trying to extend the Crocs' win streak.

Dash Daniels (AUS)

The last name stands out, but don't let that be the only reason you have your focus on the up-and-coming guard.

Dash is Boomers' Dyson Daniel's younger brother and has already been featured at the U15 Oceania championship, leading the team in assists (3.6 per game) while also knocking down 47.4 percent of his three-pointers. There's plenty of scoring to go around on this Crocs team, so even if Daniels is not putting up points in bunches, don't mistake that for him not making an impact.

Sinan Huan (CHN)

Another year, another talented seven-footer from China is expected to take the stage. This time, it's Sinan Huan.

The 2.13M (7'0") big man has been based in USA at Windermere Prep - where senior national team player Fanbo Zeng also attended - and is ready for his first taste of international basketball.

The youngster grew up playing many sports, but it is basketball that has stuck with him and we will soon get to see why. Sinan is already a starter for the varsity team at Windermere Prep and will most likely assume a similar role with this U16 national team.

Lavish (IND)

There will be a bit more attention focused on India this year after going on an impressive run in 2022, resulting in a historic 5th-placed finish.

Lavish has already been highlighted as a player who was on the squad last year and he is back to play once again as a captain.

Leon Shingo (JPN)

Japan's talent pool continues to grow and looks deeper than ever. Leon Shingo is one of the latest examples.

The 1.86M (6'1") forward has been shining in local competitions like the B.League U16 Challenge Cup this year and is set on developing his career further in USA. There's plenty of intrigue around Shingo considering his length, athleticism, and intensity and we'll get to see how that translates at the U16 Asian Championship level.

Eita Wakano (JPN)

Another player on Japan's squad who will be interesting to follow is Eita Wakano.

The 1.85M (6'1") forward is a product of the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins U18 and has already begun playing against competition who are 1-2 years his senior. Playing at that level only makes sense as Wakano has already been taking over his age group, winning the recent MVP of the B.League U15 Championship as a key part of leading the Diamond Dolphins to a third straight title.

Daniel Edi (KOR)

Edi is another player who is returning for another run and there are some bigger expectations for one of the most promising players in Korea.

The 1.89M (6'2") big man already played a significant role for Korea last year with 3.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game but is not coming back more skilled and more experienced. The youngster who has Giannis Antetokounmpo as his role model and target as a player archetype has also said that he has been working on his shooting and ball-handling. Watch out.

Kiefer Alas (PHI)

Young Kiefer boasts the pedigree as the younger brother of Kevin Alas who has played for the Philippines senior national teams in the past. But he won't be only defined as such as Kiefer has his own game that he's ready to put on display at the U16 Asian Championship.

He's already proven that he'll be the star on this U16 team after posting an outstanding all-around performance through the U16 SEABA Qualifiers in July, averaging 21.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.

Mohamed Massamba Ndao (QAT)

What's next for a player who had already starred for his team at the U16 Asian Championship last year, leading the team in scoring and Efficiency?

Well, if you are Ndao and are still eligible, you return to play for another one. It's only safe to expect bigger things from the returning captain after he averaged 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds game last year, right?

Dhiluk Samarawickrama (SRI)

Sri Lanka will be making their debut at the U16 Asian Championship and they are bringing along quite an interesting prospect. While they weren't able to win the U16 SABA Qualifiers, Sri Lanka did push perennial powerhouse India to the brink in the Final which brought the home crowd to their feet.

A key part of that impressive run was the play of young Dhiluk who stood out and orchestrated the tempo for his team. Samarawickrama has been based in Victoria, Australia playing for the U18 program of the Casey Cavaliers and will be playing for Sri Lanka for the first time.

FIBA