Who had the most impressive national team debut?

MUNICH (Germany) - There have been many memorable national team debuts in past FIBA windows, but the start of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers was all fireworks with big performances from first-time call-ups across the board.

Many players got the opportunity to put on their national team jersey for the first time altogether or make their first senior team appearance after years of competing at the youth level.

 

 

Many of the debutants were young up-and-coming players and others were journeymen who finally made the jump. And still others were naturalized players ready to lead their new home nation to excellence.

But of all the new faces, who did it best? Vote below and let us know!

Tarik Biberovic - Turkiye

SMALL FORWARD

Birth Date: January 28, 2001
Height: 6ft 7in / 2.01 m
Club: Fenerbahce Istanbul (TUR)

Statistics: 28 EFF; 27 PTS; 8 REB; 4 AST

Biberovic is still only 23 years old but he played his first ever game for Turkiye in the Qualifiers. The small forward's only previous national team appearance came for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2016. Despite his age, Biberovic is spending his sixth season in the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce Istanbul. He showed his quality in an 87-80 loss to Italy with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Oscar Da Silva - Germany

POWER FORWARD

Birth Date: September 21, 1998
Height: 6ft 9in / 2.05 m
Club: FC Barcelona (ESP)

Statistics: 29 EFF; 19 PTS; 7 REB; 4 AST; 5 STL; 1 BLK

After playing at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2016 and FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017, Da Silva played for Germany in friendlies ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. But the 25-year-old power forward made his official FIBA debut against Montenegro - an 85-61 home win.  The power forward tallied a team-high 19 points while also grabbing 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 1 block.

Jonas Delalieux - Belgium

POWER FORWARD

Birth Date: October 28, 1992
Height: 6ft 9in / 2.05 m
Club: Hubo Limberg United (BEL)

Statistics: 13 EFF; 10 PTS; 5 REB; 3 STL

Delalieux finally made his Belgium debut at age 31 - he had been on the roster for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers but did not get into a game. The big man showed he was worth the wait as he scored 10 points with 5 rebounds and 3 steals in 19 minutes off the bench in a 75-60 victory at Slovakia. 

Malte Delow - Germany

SHOOTING GUARD

Birth Date: April 22, 2001
Height: 6ft 6in / 1.98 m
Club: ALBA Berlin (BER)

Statistics: 16 EFF; 13 PTS; 1 REB; 4 AST; 1 STL

Delow played for Germany at the U18 and U20 level but had never appeared for the senior team. The 22-year-old guard showed how much he has developed at ALBA, and tallied 13 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists and 1 steal in 23 minutes off the bench in Germany's 85-61 home win over Montenegro. 

Ethan Happ - North Macedonia

CENTER

Birth Date: May 7, 1996
Height: 6ft 10in / 2.08 m
Club: Gran Canaria (ESP)

Statistics: 30 EFF; 18 PTS; 10 REB; 3 AST; 4 STL; 4 BLK

Happ played his first FIBA game after previously representing USA unofficially at the U18 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in 2014.  The big man showed why North Macedonia wanted to naturalize him with his excellent versatility. Happ registered a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds and added 3 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks, but they were not enough as North Macedonia lost 74-69 at home to Estonia.

Giorgi Ochkhikidze - Georgia

POINT GUARD

Birth Date: June 5, 2004
Height: 6ft 4in / 1.92 m
Club: Kutaisi 2010 (GEO)

Statistics: 10 EFF; 11 PTS; 1 AST; 1 STL

Ochkhikidze played for Georgia  at the U18 and U20 levels internationally but was called for his senior debut against Denmark. The 19-year-old started the important game and contributed 11 points, 1 assist and 1 steal in 22 minutes - albeit in a 75-69 road loss. 

Ruben Prey - Portugal

FORWARD

Birth Date: February 16, 2005
Height: 6ft 10in / 2.08 m
Club: Joventut Badalona (ESP)

Statistics: 12 EFF; 10 PTS; 4 REB; 3 STL

Prey starred at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023, Division B after playing at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2022 at just 17 years old. The 19-year-old talent showed why he is one of Portugal's biggest talents. He came off the bench and had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in a 72-70 home loss to Israel. 

Matthew Strazel - France

POINT GUARD

Birth Date: August 5, 2002
Height: 6ft 0in / 1.84 m
Club: AS Monaco (FRA)

Statistics: 10 EFF; 12 PTS; 2 REB; 1 AST

Strazel starred at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 and the FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2022 and showed he is more than ready to take the next step with the French senior team. The 21-year-old point guard scored 12 points in 18 minutes while also chipping in 2 rebounds and 1 assist in a 73-61 win over Croatia. 

Joe Thomasson - Georgia

GUARD

Birth Date: August 16, 1993
Height: 6ft 4in / 1.93 m
Club: Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR)

Statistics: 17 EFF; 16 PTS; 4 REB; 4 AST; 1 STL; 1 BLK

Thomasson did a solid job running the show for Georgia in his first ever FIBA game after being naturalized. The 30-year-old did a bit of everything with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in Georgia's disappointing 75-69 loss at Denmark.

Darral Willis - Cyprus

CENTER

Birth Date: January 21, 1996
Height: 6ft 9in / 2.06 m
Club: Levanga Hokkaido (JPN)

Statistics: 26 EFF; 22 PTS; 13 REB; 1 AST;

Willis gave Cyprus fans a taste of what's to come in his debut for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 co-hosts The naturalized center flashed his strong inside-outside game with 22 points including 4 three-pointers, 13 rebounds and 1 assist in a  99-66 home loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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