Breakout players who could step up in Americas' Window 3

MIAMI (United States) – As we well know, the third window of the Americas Qualifiers for the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup 2023 will be a definitive one. We will discover which teams will take the last spots in the second phase and which will end up as group leaders.

Each national team will need the maximum contribution of their stars and role players, who although several have not yet reached stardom they have shown that they can be protagonists.

Here are some players who could be stepping up in early July.

Note: Final rosters of the teams that will play in Window 3 have not been officially announced at the time this piece was published. The names mentioned are purely speculations based on the preliminary lists that have been announced by the national federations and the participation in previous windows and other competitions.

Be sure to check for updates on these national federation announcements via the Americas Qualifiers Roster Tracker.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Canada

Point Guard | 23 years

The NBA’s Oklahoma Thunder point guard is coming off a spectacular season (the best in his four years in the league) in which he averaged 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds. He arrives in this window as a top performer, but he hasn’t been able to contribute greatly to his national team yet and this seems to be his moment.

His previous experience with the senior Canadian squad was at the 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, when he was just 18 years old, when he was unable to step on the court. Now that Canada has announced a roster full of stars, one of the essential pieces is Gilgeous-Alexander. It is expected that the high level of play he had in this NBA season will show in the battles against the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands.

Francisco Cáffaro – Argentina

Center | 22 years

Cáffaro, standing at 2.07 meters tall, looks to be a staple at center for Argentina in the near future. The University of Virginia (NCAA) grad (4.3 PTS - 4.6 REB) already represented his country in the last Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, although with limited work (3.3 minutes per game).

That experience has allowed him to have a greater background, which will surely put him in a position to have a greater number of minutes. Marcos Delía is still the big man in the paint for coach Néstor García, but it seems like a good opportunity to see what Cáffaro can bring to the table.

Lucas Mariano – Brazil

Center | 28 years

Without Anderson Varejao and with Rafael Hettsheimeir (35 years old) in another stage of his career, center Lucas Mariano has become part of the internal rotation of Brazil under the guidance of coach Gustavo Conti. The burly player offers a lot of versatility on offense with his ability to score from the basket and from the perimeter and in these qualifiers he has made it clear how productive he can be. In just 16.7 minutes per game, he's averaging 14.0 points on 60 percent shooting from the field.

In the local Brazilian league he has ratified his great form, being one of the leaders of the powerful Franca, with averages of 19.0 points and 6.1 rebounds. Due to his great present and for having the strategist's confidence on his side, he has the obligation to continue showing he has to establish himself in the national team.

Romario Roque – Colombia

Point Guard | 23 years

 

In recent months he has emerged as one of the most important pieces of Colombian basketball. He started the year playing in Europe, in the Swiss league to be more precise, where he averaged 17.8 points with the Nyon team. Then he went to the February window with his national team and delivered a great performance despite not picking up victories.

The point guard stood out with 16.5 points in 30.4 minutes, including a game of 23 points against Chile. After that performance and after Gianluca Bacci’s retirement, Roque is called to share the floor with Hansel Atencia. Colombia, will be measured again against Chile, in a life or death match. The setting will be ideal for a breakout player.

Yahir Bonilla – Mexico

Small Forward | 19 years

The jewel of Mexican basketball right now. Bonilla, who is getting his reps in the second division of Barcelona, Spain, closed his season strong with 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. He still has a lot to learn but his talent speaks for itself. He is also not afraid of challenges. In the February window he played 23 minutes against the United States and had nine points, scoring 50 percent of his attempts, with four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

After that performance, coach Omar Quintero is aware that he can count on him for a greater role and it is likely that for these next games we will be able to observe him more on the court.

FIBA