10 players to watch at FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments in Argentina

LA BANDA (Argentina) - The FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament 2023 Argentina, to be played in Santiago del Estero and La Banda (Argentina), will take place on August 14-20 and award a single berth to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments next summer.

The competition will feature several of the continent's biggest stars and some new, high-profile faces that will aim to help their nations keep their Olympic dreams alive.

Here are the top 10 players to watch during the event.

Final rosters will be confirmed following the technical meetings that take place before the start of the competition.

 

10. Franco Morales (CHL)

Franco Morales is tasked with leading a Chilean squad that won’t feature Sebastián Herrera, among others. Morales averaged 9.3 points, 4 assists, and 3.8 rebounds during his 6 games in the first round of the Americas Qualifiers.

The guard is also coming off an outstanding performance, dropping 22 points against Argentina's Pan-American Games squad in a friendly on Friday.

 

9. Joaquin Rodriguez (URU)

Rodríguez is expected to be Uruguay's top offensive option.

His country will not feature Jayson Granger and Bruno Fittipaldo this time around, so the Obras Sanitarias' star must carry the load if Uruguay is to move forward to the semifinals. Luciano Parodi and Mauricio Arregui also suffered injuries and won't be part of the squad.

The 24-year-old shooting guard averaged 6.7 points and 1.8 rebounds across 12 games during Americas Qualifiers but proved he was ready for more by scoring in double digits in his last 2 contests (15 against USA and 10 against Mexico).

 

8. Luca Vildoza (ARG)

It's been a few rough years for Luca Vildoza after injuries derailed his dream shot at the NBA.

After brief, injury-plagued stints in New York and Milwaukee, the 2020 Spanish ACB MVP (with Baskonia) got his career back on track last season with Serbia's Crvena Zvezda (playing alongside countryman Campazzo) and has now signed on to play for Panathinaikos in 2023-24.

The shooting guard features an excellent combination of ball-handling, outside shooting and stout defense, and Pablo Prigioni will need to tap into all those attributes if Argentina is to make it far into the tournament.

With a looming matchup against Buddy Hield's Bahamas on the horizon, Vildoza will be asked to step up and keep Argentina on the road to qualifying for Paris 2024.

 

7. Andres Ibarguen (COL)

Andrés Ibarguen will take on an even bigger role for Colombia this time around.

With the absences of Juan Tello and Braian Angola, Colombia will have to rely on their twin towers look of Ibarguen and Echenique.

Ibarguen played 10 games during the Americas Qualifiers and averaged 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 61.4 percent from the field. He'll need to bring that fire again for Colombia to advance out of a Group B that also features Chile, Uruguay and U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

6. Nicolas Brussino (ARG)

Brussino is one of the few remnants of the old guard among so many absences in Pablo Prigioni's roster.

He will join Luca Vildoza, Patricio Garino, and the mythical Carlos Delfino to power the team's perimeter rotation. Brussino is coming off a massive 27-point explosion against the Czech Republic in a friendly game. He also scored 15 points against Belgium, and his three-point shot will be a barometer of Argentina's offense.

If the former Dallas Mavericks forward can maintain his level of outside accuracy, Argentina will be poised to advance out of a tough Group A that also features Bahamas, Panama and Cuba.

 

5. Kai Jones (BHS)

Kai Jones is teaming up with Ayton and Hield and the trio's presence arguably makes Bahamas the prohibitive favorite.

The Charlotte Hornets power forward is coming off an appearance at 2023 Las Vegas NBA Summer League and representing his country could always add an extra boost of confidence.

In 2 games during the second round of the 2023 FIBA WC Americas Qualifiers, Jones dropped a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double against Venezuela (with 4 assists and 3 blocks) and 16 points against Argentina.

 

4. Buddy Hield (BHS)

Buddy Hield played 4 games for the Bahamas during the 2023 FIBA WC Americas Qualifiers and was absolutely electrifying.

The Freeport-born sharpshooter scored 29 points against the Dominican Republic and 24 against USVI. He also dropped 19 against Venezuela in the second round.

 

The Indiana Pacers guard will now share the load with a pair of formidable interior forces for a Bahamian squad that has never looked stronger.

3. Jaime Enchenique (COL)

Colombia's first player to make it to the NBA is being asked to lead an absence-riddled squad.

The Barranquilla-born center, who made history by appearing in a game for the Washington Wizards in December of 2021, returns after playing a single game during the Americas Qualifiers.

The current Promitheas Patras big man also averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 points, a steal, and a block across 3 games at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup, while shooting 47.4 percent from the field.

 

2. Facundo Campazzo (ARG)

Facundo Campazzo and Argentina will try to bounce back after failing to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The speedy point guard, who recently returned to Spain's Real Madrid, is expected to carry the offensive load for a team that will be missing Nicolas Laprovíttola, Marcos Delía, Gabriel Deck, and Leandro Bolmaro, among others.

Campazzo finished second in scoring in the Americas Qualifiers after averaging 17.5 points and led the competition with 7.5 assists. He also led the way with 2.5 steals per game.

 

He'll now be working with a younger squad and will look to show the ropes to younger guards like Máximo Fjellerup and Gonzalo Corbalán, and set up talented, yet inexperienced bigs like Juan Fernández.

 

1. Deandre Ayton (BHS)

Bahamas gets a massive boost with the return of the center from the NBA's Phoenix Suns.

The 25-year-old hasn't played for the National Team since the 2016 Centrobasket but will now link up with a handful of other NBA players on a loaded squad helmed by Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris Demarco.

Ayton averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3.5 blocks as an 18-year-old during his last showing at the international level and will be once again asked to dominate.

A good run would be a boon for his confidence after a rocky season in the NBA as the Suns gear up for a championship run with a revamped squad that will now feature Bradley Beal on top of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

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