MIES (Switzerland) - The 2024-25 NCAA season has tipped off and more and more international players are coming into the competition and having an impact - and that after they already left their mark with their national team system.
FIBA reviewed the NCAA rosters and found some of the top players in NCAA basketball who have a successful past in FIBA competitions and came up with 30 names.
This is the first installment of the series, following an alphabetical order, from A to F.
Christian Anderson - Germany - Texas Tech
1st place - FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022, Division B 3rd place - FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 1st place - FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 2023 BWB Europe Camp 2024 BWB Global Camp
Anderson has already left his mark in German basketball history. First off, he was named MVP at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022, Division B to get the country back to Division A. Last year, the guard helped Germany take third place at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 - the country's first junior level podium finish.
And then this past summer, Anderson was named into the All-Star 5 as Germany clinched the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 crown - the country's first youth men's crown. Anderson was originally committed to going to Michigan but he has landed at Texas Tech and is expected to make a major impact on the program.
Vasean Allette - CAN - TCU
3rd place - FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2022
Allette's only appearance for Canada came at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2022 where the country finished third and he grabbed a spot in the All-Star 5 as the tournament's leading scorer and fourth in assists. The guard spent his first season in college at Old Dominion but transferred to Texas Christian University for this season.
Adama Alpha Bal - FRA - Santa Clara
2nd place - FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2019 5th place - FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2022 1st place - FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2023
Bal teamed up with Victor Wembanyama to take second place at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2019 and then won the crown at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2023 - his second go-around at the U20 level. Bal left for the United States in 2021 and played two seasons at University of Arizona before heading to Santa Clara University for now a second campaign where he is dominating the competition.
Oumar Ballo - MLI - Indiana
1st place - FIBA U16 AfroBasket 2017 12th place - FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 1st place - FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2018 2nd place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019 13th place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021
Ballo remains one of the most successful players in African basketball history. Not only did he help Mali to first place at the FIBA U16 AfroBasket 2017 and FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2018, but Ballo played at one FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup and two FIBA U19 Basketball World Cups. The first time in 2019, he was named to the All-Star 5 in helping Mali shock the world by taking second place in the FIBA U19 World Cup. It remains the greatest achievement for an African team at a global event.
Ballo has yet to play for Mali's senior national team. This will be his fifth season in NCAA basketball after one year with Gonzaga and three with Arizona. This year he will be playing a leading role with Indiana.
Elliot Cadeau - SWE - North Carolina
2 games - FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers 1st place - FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2022, Division B 2023 BWB Global Camp
Cadeau starred in his first tournament for Sweden, winning MVP as Sweden claimed the trophy at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2022, Division B to earn promotion to Division A.
Cadeau has already made his debut with Sweden's senior national team, playing twice in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers. He also participated in the 2023 BWB Global Camp.
Andre Curbelo - PUR - Southern Mississippi
1st place - FIBA Centrobasket U15 Championship 2016 3rd place - FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2017 3rd place - FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 6th place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019
Curbelo played four straight summers for Puerto Rico's youth ranks, taking third at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2017 and then making history in guiding the team to third place at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. Curbelo was named to the All-Star 5 as Puerto Rico reached the podium for the first time.
He played the following summer in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019 but has not played for his native Puerto Rico since then. This will be his fifth season in NCAA basketball - two with Illinois, one with St. John's and now a second with Southern Mississippi.
Lazar Djokovic - SRB - Charleston
No place awarded - FIBA U18 European Challengers 2021 3rd - FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2022 6th place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023
Djokovic played three summers for Serbia, reaching the podium once with a third place at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2022. He played the following summer at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023, losing in the Quarter-Finals and finishing sixth.
Djokovic played his first year of college basketball at Xavier and is playing this season with College of Charleston.
VJ Edgecombe - BAH - Baylor
2nd place - FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 Spain
Edgecombe burst onto the scene this summer as made his debut with the Bahamas national team at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 Spain. The 19-year-old scored 16.5 points with 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals in helping Bahamas reach the Final, where they lost to hosts Spain to just miss out on the Olympics.
This is his freshman season at Baylor, where he will be one of the team's leaders. A human highlight real.
Jeremy Fears - USA - Michigan State
1st place - FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2021 1st place - FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022
Fears helped United States to two titles - FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2021 and then FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022. He averaged 9.9 points, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals as the Americans remained undefeated in the history of the U17 World Cup. Fears will be starring for Michigan State in his season with the Spartans.
Elijah Fisher - CAN - Pacific
3rd place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 3rd place - FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2022 7th place - FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023
Fisher answered the bell three times for Canada in the youth ranks, playing at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 and 2023 and the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2022. Fisher helped Canada grab third place in the 2021 and 2022 events. He is one of few Canadians to have played three youth competitions.
This is Fisher's third season in college basketball with his third different team. He started with Texas Tech and then played last season with DePaul and has moved to University of Pacific for this season.
Parts 2 and 3 will be published in the coming days.
FIBA