DAKAR (Senegal) - They've taken their talents to some of the world's biggest basketball stages, but it's the 2024 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) that has captured their attention of late.
From a two-time WNBA champion to former Olympians, this year's WBLA boasts a wide range of talent.
But a closer look at the rosters of the 12 teams reveals a long list of players who have played in FIBA youth tournaments.
Two games into the 2024 WBLA, we present a list of players who will one day relive the highlights of their careers with a stint in African basketball.
Kierstan Bell
DOB: 16 March 2000 Team: APR Rwanda Nationality: American
Bell is a two-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces.
The 24-year-old is one of APR's newest recruits, having joined the Rwandan champions just ahead of the 2024 WBLA.
She has averaged 7 points in her first two games in the Senegalese capital.
Dyaisha Fair
DOB: 7 August 2001 Team: Al Ahly SC Nationality: American
A second-round pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Fair made her league debut in a 99-80 win over Indiana Fever.
She followed that up with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in Ahly SC's 99-49 win over MFM.
Shaina Pellington
DOB: 1 June 1999 Team: APR Nationality: Canadian
A regular member of the Canadian national team, Pellington joined APR ahead of the 2024 WBLA Zone 5 Qualifiers, where she averaged 19.8 points and 4.6 assists per game.
In her first two WBLA games, the 2020 Tokyo Olympian has averaged 17 points per game.
Ifunanya Okoro
DOB: 6 July 1999 Team: Alexandria Sporting Club Nationality: Nigeria
As a member of Nigeria's 2023 FIBA Women's AfroBasket squad, Okoro witnessed one of the D'Tigers' most remarkable moments.
Okoro was part of a group of Nigerian players who became the first African team to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games.
Currently playing for WBLA champions Sporting Alexandria, Okoro has averaged 5 points in her first two games.
Adebola Adeyeye
DOB: 10 November 1999 Team: FAP Nationality: Nigeria
FAP went down 57-54 to hosts ASC Ville de Dakar in their Group A opener, but the 2024 Paris Olympian put in an admirable performance with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals.
FIBA youth stars at the 2024 WBLA
As two of Africa's most dominant nations in FIBA youth tournaments, Mali and Egypt boast the highest number of 2024 WBLA players who have appeared at the FIBA U19 and U17 Women's Basketball World Cups.
Pellington represented her native Canada at the 2017 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup and the 2016 U17 Women's Basketball World Cup.
Twelve Egyptians have participated in the U19 Women's World Cup and two in the U17 category.
Mali, meanwhile, have seven former U19 World Cup players and two former U17 World Cup players currently playing in the 2024 WBLA.
Before moving to Angola in 2015, Italee Lucas helped the USA win gold at the 2007 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in Slovakia.
FIBA