Five young stars poised to breakout at the FIBA U16 Asian Championship

FOSHAN (FIBA U16 Asia Championship) - The FIBA U16 Asia Championship is about to begin, so it's time to take stock and see which young guns can potentially be breakout stars this year.

Lee SeungWoo (Korea)
Height: 6ft 4in (1.92m)
Position: Forward

- The Korean team captain was named Most Valuable Player for the KBL Elite Youth Camp 2018 and is considered the best U16 player right now in the country. He is known for his athleticism, scoring prowess and rebounding ability. In short, he's viewed as a do-it-all player who is destined to be part of the senior national team in a few years' time. With him at the spearhead, Korea are favorites to top Group D and go deep into the tournament.

Kai Sotto (Philippines)
Height: 7ft 1in (2.16m)
Position: Center

- Sotto has been making the headlines back home in Manila for much of the past year, especially after he led the Philippines to an emphatic sweep of the SEABA U16 Championship in May 2017. He also led his high school to the prestigious UAAP Juniors title and was ranked the top high school player in the country by the season's end. He's a potential double-double machine who loves swatting opponents' shots into the third row, and it seems like he has not stopped growing yet.

Sun Haoqin (China)
Height: 6ft 3in (1.91m)
Position: Forward

- Sun has good size for his position at this level and is known for his ability to score from almost anywhere on the floor. He has been China's top offensive option in their many tune-up games, often leading them on the break or being the point of attack in their half-court sets. He is shifty enough to avoid the first or second defender and has enough strength and savvy to finish with contact or in traffic. Apart from all those, however, is this one interesting fact - he was born in 2003, which means he can potentially still play in the FIBA U16 Championship 2019!

Chikara Tanaka (Japan)
Height: 6ft 0in (1.84m)
Position: Guard

- Tanaka won't wow you with his height and heft, but there's a reason he was the only U16 player in Japan's senior national team pool. It's this - the kid can flat out score. He is regarded as a phenom back home in Japan and tagged as Japanese hoops' boy wonder. He can break down opposing defenders with his terrific handles, and he can also step out of the three-point arc to sink the long toms. He guided the Yokohama B-Corsairs youth team to a runner-up finish in the B.League Under-15 tournament two summers ago, but he is hoping to guide the U16 Akatsuki Five to a brighter finish here in Foshan.

Tamuri Wigness (Australia)
Height: 6ft 0in (1.84m)
Position: Guard

- When people compare Tamuri Wigness to NBA superstar Kyrie Irving, they aren't being hyperbolic. The 2002-born native of Cairns led Queensland North to the Gold Medal in last year's Basketball Australia Under-16 tournament, putting up 23 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the Grand Final. He was named to the NBA Global Academy not long after, and he has some US NCAA scouts waiting in the wings. This FIBA U16 Asia Championship is expected to be his coming out party, and we are all, pardon the pun, Wignesses.

FIBA