AMMAN (Jordan) - The FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024 is set to be an exciting showcase of young basketball talent from across the region, as it has always been. As teams prepare to battle it out on the court, here are the nine players to watch in this highly anticipated competition.
Dash Daniels (Australia)
It's not easy, stepping out of the shadow of an elder sibling that casts as wide as Dash's big brother and rising Boomer and NBA player Dyson, but Dash has navigated his way well to be on track of doing so.
The 1.95M (6'5") guard has improved his average output in his past three FIBA competitions from the U15 Oceania Championship (11.8 points, 3.6 assists, 15 EFF per game), U16 Asia Cup (12.0 points, 3.8 assists, 17.5 EFF per game), to U17 World Cup (14.3 points, 4.1 assists, 17.7 EFF per game). We'll get to see if he keeps that trend going in Amman.
Daniels can score and play-make at a high level and that's what he'll be expected to do for Australia here. At the very least, we know he'll be an important player for the Emus who are looking to get their second U18 title after winning in 2018.
Chusonjakku Shiratani (Japan)
There are only a few 2009-born expected to be at U18 Asia Cup and fewer that are expected to play - let alone assume a large role for their teams. Japan's Shiratani could be the lone standout from that perspective.
The 15-year-old was already one of the most intriguing prospects at the U16 Asia Cup last year, averaging 6.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 14.3 EFF per game. Listed at 1.94M (6'4") at that time, you have to remember that Shiratani was only 14 - meaning he'll still be playing in youth competitions for a while.
His length and athleticism is what stands out for someone his age and that should only improve as time goes by. His skill set, or rather the development of his skill set, will be focused on - but so far it all looks very promising.
Kenichiro Benedict (Japan)
Benedict is another promising talent from Japan and one that will also be giving up a couple of years of experience to his opponents.
The 1.94M (6'4") forward turned 16 a few months ago, around a year after impressing as one of Japan's best players at the U16 Asia Cup 2023. He recorded three double-doubles on the way to averages of 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 17.5 EFF per game.
Hadi El Khatib (Lebanon)
Unlike the majority of the talents listed here, Hadi El Khatib has yet to play a youth World Cup or Asia Cup. But there's a lot to be intrigued about the 2.04M (6'8) forward that just turned 17 a few weeks ago.
He will certainly be one of Lebanon's key players, as he was throughout the U18 Asia Cup 2024 WABA Qualifiers where he averaged 12.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 40 percent from downtown (on 5 attempts per game).
There's obviously the intrigue on Hadi being the son of Lebanese basketball legend Fadi El Khatib, but he's proven so far to be an interesting talent to keep an eye on.
Julius Halaifonua (New Zealand)
The next "Big Kiwi" is one of the biggest prospects out in Amman - literally - standing at 2.14M (7'0"). But it's not just the height that fans should be interested in from Halaifonua.
He should be one of the best players in Jordan with size, fluidity, a high basketball IQ, and a love for sharing the ball. Of course, we've already seen plenty of that as he was playing in the U16 Asia Cup 2022 (12.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game), U17 World Cup 2023 (12.0 points, 7.1 rebounds per game), and U17 Oceania Championship 2023 (9.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game).
While this is Halaifonua's first time playing in the U18 Asia Cup, he's already made his senior national team debut, playing for the Tall Blacks in the recent window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers. The big man recorded 4 points and 4 rebounds in his first game.
Sinan & Sifeng Huan (China)
The Huan twins, Sinan and Sifeng, are going to be a nightmare for opposing teams.
We're already a bit familiar with what Sinan brings to the table, as he played at the U16 Asia Cup 2023 (9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.5 blocks per game) as well as the U17 World Cup 2024 (13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.8 blocks per game) where China secured an upset for the ages against France. Reportedly the tallest player in Amman at 2.15M (7'1"), Sinan is a phenomenal shot blocker that does his job on the offensive end.
Sifeng gives up a few inches to his twin brother, but still towers at 2.09M (6'10"). He's not expected to be another defensive presence alongside Sinan but instead has put on display a fluid skill set navigating with the ball in his hands in the paint and around the perimeter. Sifeng has yet to make his debut in a FIBA competition, but has been playing for China in other competitions.
"I wish he could be here but I think he needs to prove it for himself," Sinan said at the U17 World Cup. "l am playing for him too."
Now, they'll be playing with each other.
Andy Gemao (Philippines)
On a stacked U16 Asia Cup 2022 squad, Andy Gemao did not get too much of a chance to shine and averaged 9.4 minutes per game. That was good enough to put up 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest in Qatar.
It might be best to just forget about all of that.
Gemao has improved a lot since, especially bulking up and preparing himself for contact when he works his way to the rim with his shifty and crafty ball-handling skills. The 1.83M (6'0") guard was near unstoppable at the U18 Asia Cup 2024 SEABA Qualifiers, going for 21.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. The youngster has spent some time developing his game abroad recently and is hoping to showcase that improvement in Amman.
UPDATE: Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas (SBP) announced shortly after publication that "will not be able to see action" as he "suffered a third metacarpal bone fracture in a tuneup game against Iran".
Mohamed Ndao (Qatar)
It's a weird thing to say for a player playing in a youth competition, but Ndao is a already "seasoned" veteran.
He's played in two U16 Asia Cups and about to play in his second U18 Asia Cup, each time being a sensational talant for Qatar. Most notably was his performance in the U16 Asia Cup where he averaged 26.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 30.9 EFF per game.
Moreover, he's already played for the senior national team as well, both in the Asia Cup 2025 Pre-Qualifiers and the Qualifiers this past February window. Expect Ndao to keep on shining here in Amman.
Daniel Edi (Korea)
There's a bit of pressure on Korea as the defending champions, which means there will be some pressure on Edi to be productive.
But if there's any player equipped to handle that pressure, it's the 1.89M (6'2") forward. He's been a key part of the youth national team through two U16 Asia Cups in 2022 and 2023, finally making the leap to play at the U18 level. Last year at the U16 Asia Cup, he averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Korea will need a lot of that and more if they want to remain on the U18 Asia Cup throne.
As these players take the stage in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024, they will not only be competing for their teams but also looking to make a name for themselves on the international stage. Whether it's their scoring prowess, defensive capabilities, or leadership on the court, these players are sure to be at the center of the action. Keep an eye on them as they could very well be the future stars of Asian and global basketball.
FIBA