HERAKLION (Greece) - The FIBA U16 EuroBasket is not only the top level of competition for players in this age group in the European continent: it's also the moment where the hype starts for many future stars of the college, pro and NBA levels. We've selected 10 players to watch during this year's U16 tournament in Heraklion, who possess tremendous potential and could develop into standout players at the next level. You can vote below for which player you think will make the biggest impact in this year's competition. Make sure to also check out the players to watch in the Division B, which will be taking place in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Cameron Houindo - France
Power Forward
Birth Date: January 10, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 2.02m (6ft 8in) Club: Pole France (FRA)
Expectations are high for France, a team that has reached the Semi-Finals in each of the last five editions of the U16 EuroBasket. This year they will have Cameron Houindo as one of the top players on their roster. The 16-year-old made his debut in FIBA competitions earlier this year at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, where despite playing one year up in age, he saw important minutes for France.
Standing at 2.02m, Houindo provides an interior presence for France with his combination of size, long arms, rebounding ability and play finishing around the basket. Houindo is, however, versatile enough to make an impact as a perimeter defender, being capable of switching onto guards and wings.
Omer Ziyaettin - Türkiye
Point Guard
Birth Date: May 20, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.87m (6ft 2in) Club: Fenerbahce Beko (TUR)
Ziyaettin has already seen minutes for Fenerbahce's senior team in the Turkish BSL, an indicator that he’s seen as one of the most promising players coming out of Türkiye. Ziyaettin is an offensive threat from multiple levels of the floor, utilizing his shiftiness and his fluidity as a ball-handler to get to the rim, while also being an accomplished shooter, especially off the catch, where he shows his compact mechanics and a quick shot release.
With the backcourt duo of Ziyaettin and Omer Kutulay, Türkiye will look for a quick turnaround after last year's tenth-place finish, which is tied for their worst-ever result in this event.
Alexandros Skliros - Greece
Power Forward
Birth Date: July 24, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in) Club: Promitheas Patras (GRE)
Skliros played just 37 minutes during Greece's 2023 U16 campaign, but his long-term potential was evident even in limited playing time. This year, Skliros should be a key player for Greece with his combination of size and interior scoring ability. The 2.03m forward excels in the low post, converting shots in the paint against defenders with his strength, footwork and touch around the basket. Skliros also makes an impact with his passing, where he utilizes his size to see teammates and distribute the ball over the top of the defense.
Since returning to Division A in 2018, Greece has consistently reached the top eight of the tournament, and as the hosts of this edition of FIBA U16 EuroBasket, they will hope that the home-court advantage can be a factor that will push them to the top.
Ricards Aizpurs - Latvia
Forward
Birth Date: August 1, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Stella Azzurra Roma (ITA)
Aizpurs will make his debut in FIBA youth tournaments in Heraklion, but he's already well-known among scouting circles, having stood out for Stella Azzurra in various invitational tournaments over the past 12 months. The 16-year-old forward is a tremendous downhill threat who utilizes his combination of speed, strength and handling ability to attack the rim. However, Aizpurs doesn’t just get by with his power: he's a versatile finisher who shows good touch around the basket while also being able to hit three-pointers both spotting up and on the move.
Latvia has been a staple of the U16 EuroBasket, having participated in every Division A tournament over the last 20 years. With the duo of Aizpurs and Gunnars Grinvalds, Latvia will aim to take the next step and win their first U16 title.
Andrej Bjelic - Serbia
Guard
Birth Date: March 17, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.94m (6ft 4in) Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
One of the most promising players in Real Madrid’s junior ranks, Bjelic will be playing in his second U16 EuroBasket, as he was Serbia's leading scorer in last year's campaign in Skopje. Bjelic is a true scoring engine who can create his own shot as a driver with his mix of quickness and creativity as a ball-handler. The 16-year-old guard displays a good level of touch, not only in tough shots around the basket but also from three-point range, where he's able to convert jumpers both off the catch and off the dribble. Bjelic complements his scoring profile with his playmaking for others, finding teammates with simple drive-and-kick passes and occasional advanced pick-and-roll reads.
It's been 17 years since Serbia's last title at the U16 level, but this year they have the talent to break the streak, with players like Bjelic, Nikola Karalic and Andrija Susic, who have shown tremendous potential in youth competitions across Europe.
Saba Merebashvili - Spain
Power Forward
Birth Date: March 20, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Club Joventut Badalona (ESP)
Recent history suggests that Spain should be one of the teams to beat at Heraklion. They are the only team to win six U16 titles, and they have reached the Final in each of the last four editions of the tournament. This year, Spain has assembled another deep roster of players who are already making an impact at the top junior teams in Spain, including Real Madrid's Marcos Zurita, Baskonia's Chiek Diallo and Joventut's Saba Merbashvili.
Merebashvili plays like a throwback power forward, scoring tough, self-created opportunities from the high and mid-post with his combination of physicality, touch on jumpers and fluid ball-handling ability. The 16-year-old forward, however, also possesses a level of perimeter scoring, driving by defenders in the perimeter as well as converting three-pointers both off the catch and off the dribble. Additionally, the 1.98m forward also makes an impact on the defensive end of the floor, utilizing his length to contest and block shots around the rim.
Emilis Zibuda - Lithuania
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: February 12, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Veritas Academy (USA)
Lithuania is coming off back-to-back Semi-Finals appearances and will aim to keep the winning streak with an imposing frontcourt that will make an impact in the paint, featuring names like Ignas Stombergas and Aironas Zymantas. However, Zibuda and his perimeter scoring could ultimately be the X factor for Lithuania.
The 1.98m guard will make his debut for Lithuania after spending last season playing high school basketball in the United States. Zibudas makes an impact with his shooting ability, being a consistent threat in catch-and-shoot situations, but he’s also able to create his own shot, being a fluid ball-handler who can get to the rim despite lacking elite explosiveness.
Randy Livingston Jr. - Italy
Guard
Birth Date: January 31, 2008 (16 years old) Height: 1.88m (6ft 2in) Club: Isidore Newman (USA)
Italy will bring a strong backcourt that pairs the off-ball sharpshooting of Federico Cattapan with the on-ball creation of Randy Livingston Jr. The son of an 11-year NBA veteran, Livingston has been making waves in the high school basketball scene with his complete scoring package. The 1.88m guard is a creative and quick ball-handler who can create shots for himself and for others from multiple levels of the floor, thanks to his ability to change speeds and directions with the ball, his touch on jumpers and his ability to find teammates on the move.
Italy is a team on the rise, and after reaching the podium in two of the last three editions of the tournament, they will look to capture their first U16 title since 1991 in Heraklion.
Fabian Kayser - Germany
Guard
Birth Date: March 25, 2009 (15 years old) Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in) Club: Paderborn Baskets 91 (GER)
Kayser is coming off a debut at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, where he was able to make an impact for Germany despite playing two years up. At just 15 years old, Kayser has established himself as one of the highest-upside prospects in his age group due to his combination of size and versatile offensive skill set. Standing at 1.98m, Kayser shows potential as a point forward, consistently making advanced passing reads and deliveries. Kayser is, however, also able to call his own number by converting tough jumpers off the dribble as well as difficult contested shots in the paint.
After a brief stint in Division B in 2022, Germany returned to the top division last year where they finished in fifth place. This U16 squad will look to follow in the footsteps of their U18 counterparts, and take Germany’s first-ever U16 title.
Mate Khatiashvili - Georgia
Guard
Birth Date: November 7, 2008 (15 years old) Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in) Club: Saski Baskonia (ESP)
Khatiashvili played a key role in Georgia's bronze medal run at last year's FIBA U16 EuroBasket Division B, finishing as the second-highest scorer on the team. Khatiashvili was not only prolific but also efficient as a scorer, shooting an impressive 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and averaging twice as many assists as turnovers. Khatiashvili is a 1.91m floor general who can set the table for teammates with creative and reactive passes on the move, but he's also an elite threat as a pull-up shooter and slasher, two areas in which he puts his combination of shiftiness, creative ball-handling ability, and touch on tough shots on full display.
Georgia will play in only their second Division A tournament in the past 15 years, and they will look to improve on their last two appearances, where they finished in the last place in both editions.
FIBA