Wanda Rising Star Award watch - Who are the frontrunners to win the Award?

JAKARTA (Indonesia) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will introduce the Wanda Rising Star Award which is a newly launched award aiming to showcase and reward the most promising young player of the tournament and identify the future stars of the game.

Exciting young talent like Australia's Josh Giddey, USA's Paolo Banchero, or Spain's duo of Usman Garuba and Juan Nunez, are some players who could be considered contenders for the award.

The eventual winner of this Rising Star Award will be determined based on their individual performances throughout the World Cup and the impact they have on their team.

The criteria for the selection are that the players be 21 years old or younger (born in 2002 or after) and have a minimum of four games played at the World Cup.

The official shortlist will eventually be announced on September 4 before the Final phase of the World Cup.

With all that being said, here is the watch list of the Top 10 players for the Rising Star award before the 19th World Cup tips off.

#10 - Miro Little - Finland - Guard

Birth date: May 30, 2004 (19 years old)
Height: 193cm / 6'4"
Club: Baylor Bears (USA)

Miro Little already has 13 games of experience under his belt with the senior national team after playing seven games at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 and six games in the European Qualifiers.

Little, who is the second youngest player on this watch list and is heading to take his talents to Baylor University, will no doubt want to continue to try to make a name for himself and help a Finland team that will play in a tough First Round group.

#9 - Nikola Jovic - Serbia - Forward

Birth date: June 9, 2003 (20 years old)
Height: 208cm / 6'10"
Club: Miami Heat (USA)

Serbia are without the likes of stars Nikola Jokic and Vasilije Micic, which means that someone like Nikola Jovic will step into a bigger role.

The 20-year-old will have the opportunity to showcase his versatility as well as emerge as a potential leader alongside Bogdan Bogdanovic for the future of the national team.

#8 - Usman Garuba - Spain - Center

Birth date: March 9, 2002 (21 years old)
Height: 203cm / 6'8"
Club: N/A

Most players from Spain's golden generation are gone and it's time for the next generation to prove themselves as they step into featured roles. This is the perfect stage for Garuba to start that process and learn from star big man Willy Hernangomez.

#7 - Matteo Spagnolo - Italy - Guard

Birth date: January 10, 2003 (20 years old)
Height: 194cm / 6'4"
Club: ALBA Berlin (GER)‎

Italy have several veterans who they'll lean on to carry them throughout the tournament, but if they ever need production from somewhere else, look no further than youngster Spagnolo who could shine when given the chance and give a much-needed spark.

#6 - Juan Nunez - Spain - Guard

Birth date: June 4, 2004 (19 years old)
Height: 191cm / 6'3"
Club: ratiopharm Ulm (GER)

Nunez, the youngest player on this watch list, was called upon for Spain's 12-man roster as a replacement for Ricky Rubio. The talented young guard will have the chance to get plenty of experience at this World Cup and enters the tournament with some confidence and something to build from after posting 8 points and 5 assists in a tuneup game against USA.

#5 - Kai Sotto - Philippines - Center

Birth date: May 11, 2002 (21 years old)
Height: 218cm / 7'2"
Club: Hiroshima Dragonflies (JPN)

Sotto is already viewed as one of Philippines' favorite sons and the face of the future of basketball in the Philippines.

The 21-year-old has grown quite a following and is already a fan favorite, rightfully so, as he'll be treating those home fans by catching alley-oops from Jordan Clarkson or being a defensive anchor and swatting shots away.

#4 - Zach Edey - Canada - Center

Birth date: May 14, 2002 (21 years old)
Height: 224cm / 7'4"
Club: Purdue Boilermakers (USA)

The towering presence of Zach Edey will be an added force for a talented Canada team with high expectations of having their first ever podium finish at a World Cup.

The reigning 2023 Naismith College Player of the Year has only played two games at the senior national team level in the Americas Qualifiers, but he will look to have a bigger impact this time around as a big post presence to complement the stars.

#3 - Jean Montero - Dominican Republic - Guard

Birth date: July 3, 2003 (20 years old)
Height: 190cm / 6'3"
Club: C.B. ISLAS CANARIAS (ESP)

Dominican Republic have an exciting squad ready to go for the World Cup and one of those exciting players is Montero.

He dominated the youth level and averaged at least 25.8 points per game at three different events in 2018 and 2019 and has already flashed his scoring ability in limited games with the senior national team. He's just scratching the surface of his potential on the world stage and it'll be fun to watch to see what he does in this tournament.

#2 - Paolo Banchero - USA - Forward

Birth date: November 12, 2002 (20 years old)
Height: 208cm / 6'10"
Club: Orlando Magic (USA)

USA enter this World Cup with a younger team, headlined by their youngest player on the roster Paolo Banchero, who is making his national team debut. The 20-year-old took home the NBA Rookie of the Year for the Orlando Magic after averaging 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Banchero won't be tasked with scoring 20 points per game here, but he'll be a valuable asset for a USA team that many believe will win the tournament.

#1 - Josh Giddey - Australia - Guard

Birth date: October 10, 2002 (20 years old)
Height: 203cm / 6'8"
Club: Oklahoma City Thunder (USA)

Australia will be a tough team to beat at this World Cup and are among the teams considered to be a contender to reach the podium, and Josh Giddey should play a large role in their success and just how far they go.

Giddey's playmaking ability and all-around game are the reason why he'll be a leader of the Boomers for years to come and No. 1 on our watch list.

*The Wanda Rising Star watch list rankings are entirely subjective and are in no way a true and accurate FIBA ranking system. All comments are purely those of the author for the entertainment of the fans.

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