The Top 20 players to watch at 2023 U19 World Cup - spots 20-11

MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023 is right around the corner and now it's time to look at the stars of tomorrow who will shine today. Everybody loves rankings and here is a breakdown of the top 20 players going into the tournament.

This is the first installment as we count down from players 20 to 11.

 

20. Yang Hansen - CHN

China are back at the U19 World Cup after missing 2021 and the Asian powers have an intriguing big man with Yang Hansen. The 7ft 1in (2.16m) center averaged 12.4 points on 62 percent shooting while leading China in rebounds (9.2 rpg), assists (3.6 agp) and blocks (3.6 bpg). The rim protecting is real for the 7-footer but it is his passing ability - 6.2 assists per 40 minutes - that really makes a difference and helps get others involved.

 

19. Mark Armstrong - USA

 

Armstrong is one of just two players back from the USA team that won the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022. The guard ranked second in assists with 3.8 while also averaging 10.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Armstrong also showed his outside shooting prowess with 45 percent from long range. Armstrong played for head coach Tad Boyle last summer and he got a lot better this past season by playing for Villanova in the tough Big East, where he earned Big East All-Freshman Team honors.

 

18. Dylan Bordon - ARG

Bordon struggled last summer shooting the ball - 36 percent overall and 20 percent on three-pointers - at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022 but he still had a strong 4.7 to 1.8 assist to turnover ratio while scoring 9.0 points to go with 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals. The point guard left Argentina after the summer and started playing for the second team of Gran Canaria in Spain and averaged 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists (to 2.4 turnovers) and 1.6 steals with 32 percent three-point shooting in the third division. Bordon also can show some flash in his passing game.

 

17. Mathias M’Madi - MAD

M'Madi is a name that rose to prominence last summer after he surprisingly led Madagascar to second place at the FIBA U18 African Championship 2022 and qualified the country for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup for the first time. The guard was named MVP as he led the tournament in scoring (20.8 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg) to go with 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals. M'Madi plays for France side Elan Chalon in the U21 league and averaged 8.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals this past season. The France native also participated in the 2022 Basketball Without Borders Africa camp and the 2023 BWB Global camp.

 

16. Zacharie Perrin - FRA

Perrin was France's leading scorer (13.9 ppg) and rebounder (9.1 rpg) and chipped in 1.7 assists per game as he helped the country to finish fifth at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2022 and qualify with the last spot for the U19 World Cup. The power forward collected 14 points and 18 rebounds in the deciding game for fifth place. The Paris native came up in the Antibes youth ranks but spent the 2022-23 season in the United States. He first attended Sunrise Christian Academy and then enrolled at the University of Illinois in December. Perrin appeared in one game and played 2 minutes. He decided to leave the university in early February to return to France but did not play the rest of the season.

 

15. Jan Vide - SLO

Vide is a walking points machine who led the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 in scoring at 20.1 points per game to go with 5.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals. The guard has worked hard over the past season at Real Madrid to become more of a point guard and improved in many cases. Vide did not play for Slovenia at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2022 but will give the team a major boost in scoring and playmaking. After the summer, he is heading to the United States to play at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

 

14. Cody Williams - USA

 

Williams will be making his FIBA debut at the U19 World Cup though he played for the USA Team at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit. The dynamic and athletic small forward will be playing next season at the University of Colorado, where he will be coached by USA U19 head coach Tad Boyle. Williams is the younger brother of Jalen Williams, who just completed his rookie season in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

 

13. Baba Miller - ESP

 

Miller is a perimeter player in the body of a 7-footer who offers a mismatch nightmare for Spain opponents. Miller will be making his FIBA debut at the U19 World Cup. He came up in the Real Madrid youth ranks and even played with the pro team in a game in December 2021. Miller left Europe before last season and played at Florida State University, where he averaged 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, twice scoring in double figures against Clemson.

  

12. Michael Nwoko - CAN

Nwoko is a force in the middle as a center who can dunk on anybody. He was a leader for the Canada team that finished third at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2022, averaging 12.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Nwoko also starred for the World team at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit. The big man added Profilic Prep Academy in the United States and will start college basketball next season at the University of Miami, Florida.

 

11. Dylan Harper - USA

 

Harper is one of the most highly rated high school players in the United States. He was given the nickname "Baby Harden" because of his elite scoring ability and similar playing style to the NBA star. Harper, who was born in 2006, will be making his FIBA debut in Debrecen. The son of former NBA champion Ron Harper, Dylan Harper has yet to decide where he will attend college - with Rutgers, Duke, Kansas, Indiana and Auburn as the leaders so far.

Coming next are the top 10 players to watch at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023.

FIBA