MIES (Switzerland) - The 2024-25 NCAA season is in full swing and a growing number of international players are stepping out in the competition and having an impact, having already left their mark on a range of FIBA national team tournaments.
We've reviewed the NCAA rosters and have picked out a selection of top players in the College Game who have all enjoyed a successful time competing at FIBA events.
This is the first installment of the 30-player series, following an alphabetical order. The full resume and profile of each player is available to click, with their highlights included below.
Elina Aarnisalo (FIN) - UCLA
1 game - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 Qualifiers 6 games - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2021 Qualifiers 1 game - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 Qualifiers
An absolute scoring machine, Aarnisalo didn't get to hunt for medals for underdogs Finland at youth level, but put up tremendous numbers and that was instrumental in the scramble for her to commit. It was UCLA who got the thumbs up and she is already making positive waves for her new College team in the first months of her Freshman year.
In fact, she has already won praise from the legendary Dawn Staley. Meanwhile the level of the guard's talent is also showcased by the fact that she has played for the senior Finland national team for five years which is incredible.
Jana El Alfy (EGY) - UConn
FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 (Tournament Leading Scorer) 2nd Place - FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket 2022 (All Star Five) FIBA U16 Women's AfroBasket 2021 (All Star Five) 2022 BWB Africa Camp
Always on the radar because of her amazing size and skill combination, the Egytpian center put herself even more on the map with her displays at the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup. Then 12 months later she was being picked up by legendary playcaller Geno Auriemma for UConn and establishing herself as leading scorer at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 in Madrid where she also gained All-Second Team honors.
Unfortunately that tournament was brought to a premature end when she suffered an Achilles injury which meant she had to redshirt in what was supposed to be her Freshman season. She is now trying to make up for lost time and there is no doubt she is going to have a big impact for the Huskies - as suggested by her 17-point debut performance.
Georgia Amoore (AUS) - Kentucky
3rd place - FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 1st place - FIBA U16 Women's Asia Championship Division 2017
Amoore is a baller that has taken a skywards trajectory in the past 12-18 months through her work for Virginia Tech and now Kentucky. She came to the NCAA as a solid prospect having helped the Sapphires take bronze at the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018. While her numbers were not huge, she was a valued part of Australia's team.
But since stepping into the College game, her stock has risen like crazy and she is being projected to be a seriously considered WNBA draft pick. The guard's ability to pass the rock combined with a three-point shooting ability that seems to be getting more potent, means she is very well thought of and a possible Opals regular in the future.
Lauren Betts (USA) - UCLA
2nd place - FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2023 1st place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2021 1st place - FIBA U16 Women's Americup 2019 (All Star Five)
The frontcourt ace showed her stellar talent with a superb double-double for the senior USA team on debut at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2023. That came after being the youngest player for USA at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2021 when winning gold, having made the All-Star Five at the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup in 2019.
Originally with Stanford in her NCAA Freshman year when arrived as ESPN's number one prospect, Betts switched to UCLA and has not looked back. She's posted some outstanding numbers and performances, with the trend continuing having recorded double-doubles in six of her first seven games and dropping 31 points against Colgate.
Madison Booker (USA)- University of Texas
1st place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 1st place - FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 1st place - FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship 2021
The small forward is a three-time gold medal winner with USA in FIBA events and even if in those youth tournaments she was not necessarily the headline performer, she was often the glue player. The fact that she was not a prolific scorer for her country shouldn't detract from just how good she is all-around in her play on the wing and in the paint.
Since pulling on a Texas vest, she has shown that shooting touch and won rave reviews for her performances. Booker won the Big 12 Player of the Year award was the first Freshman to ever do so - averaging 16.5 points per outing. This season, she has maintained that output and is on course to turn heads once more.
Elena Bosgana (GRE) - Stanford
2 games - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023 3 games - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2021 5 games - FIBA Women's EuroBasket 20219 Qualifiers FIBA U16 Women's European Championship Division B 2018 (All-Star Five)
Now a bonafide senior national team star for Greece, Bosgana has featured at two editions of the prestigious FIBA Women's EuroBasket. That came after and indeed sometimes at the same time as putting up some big numbers at various FIBA youth events - including making the All-Star Five at U16 level.
Now in her Senior year with Stanford, she continues to impress and is a three-time Pac-12 champion. The Athens-born forward will no doubt continue to excel for her College team and her country and be in hot demand next summer moving to the professional game. She has already fired 26 points in a game this season against UC San Diego.
Carla Brito (ESP) - University of South Florida
2nd place - FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2024 3rd place - FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2023 2nd place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 2nd place - FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2022
The do-it-all forward has been part of the usual podium magnet Spanish teams that for so long have dominated the FIBA youth game in Europe. Brito has won three medals at the continental level, but most notably was part of the side that almost toppled USA on home soil in Madrid at a very special FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2022.
Also an accomplished 3x3 baller who has had success, Brito enjoyed productive Freshman and Sophomore seasons for the University of South Florida and is set to continue in this vein in her Junior year. Hard-nosed, smart and assured, she is a rock-solid performer who will likely challenge for a senior Spanish jersey in the future.
Paige Bueckers (USA) - UConn
1st place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2019 (MVP) 1st place - FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 1st Place - FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup 2017
With 2 millions followers on Instagram, Bueckers is already an iconic figure in the fusion between basketball, social media and commerce. One of the most instantly recognizable ballers in women's hoops, the UConn standout needs little introduction and is surely destined for success with the USA senior side and at club level.
The 2019 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year, her accomplishments with UConn since are almost too long to list. She scored 1,000 career points to tie with Maya Moore as the fastest Huskie baller to the milestone and has twice been on the NCAA Tournament Final Four All-Tournament Team. In her Senior season, more honors will surely be incoming.
Sonia Citron (USA) - Notre Dame
1st place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2021 (All Star Five) 1st place - FIBA U16 Women's Americup 2019
Citron was on fire when she broke out on the global stage in Debrecen at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup. So much so that her highly influential 13.7 points, 7.3 boards and 2.9 assists per game for USA landed her an All-Star Five spot alongside teammate and MVP, Caitlin Clark. It also showcased her all-around skills package.
Now a Senior, she has an NCAA track record of brilliant displays at both ends of the court. She has already dropped a 22-piece this season and put on more than one defensive masterclass. Starting with ACC Freshman of the Year honors, she has went from strength to strength with Notre Dame and her 36 minutes per game as a Junior speaks volumes.
Breya Cunningham (USA) - Arizona
1st place - FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 1st place - FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 (All-Star Five) 1st place - FIBA U16 Women's Americup 2021
With three gold medals at FIBA events with USA and also an All-Star Five slot on her resume at the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2022, it's no wonder the center is so highly-rated. She's not a baller who puts up eye-popping numbers, but it is the consistency and strength down low and on defense of Cunningham that stands out. She's tough.
Now in her Sophomore season, she was a member of the inaugural Nike Hoops Summit team in 2023. She was fifth in the league and in program history for blocks in her Freshman year and played in all 34 of Arizona's games, starting in 32 and shooting 51.7%.
Parts two and three of the series will be published soon.
FIBA