Past FIBA Oceania Youth Championships stars

SUVA (FIBA U18 Oceania Championships for Men and Women 2016) - Most of the young players competing in the FIBA U18 Oceania Championships have the dream of playing basketball both professionally and representing their senior national teams. This is the reality for many past FIBA Oceania youth events stars.

Dante Exum (AUS)

Drafted by the Utah Jazz with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Dante Exum was a member of the Australian Men's team that won gold at the 2011 FIBA U17 Oceania Championship. He has also represented the Australian Boomers in the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship series and the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Tessa Lavey (AUS)

Tessa Lavey is a former member of the Australian Women’s 2009 FIBA Oceania U16 Championship for Women gold medal side. Lavey has since represented Australia at this year's Olympic Games in Rio and is a current member of the Perth Lynx in Australia’s WNBL.

Mataika Koyamainavure (FIJ)

Another player familiar with FIBA Oceania youth events is Mataika Koyamainavure after playing in the 2012 Pacific Youth Championship for Fiji, Koyamainavure has gone on to compete in the NCAA and represent the Fiji senior Men's national team at the 2015 Pacific Games.

Vilisi Tavui (FIJ)

Fellow Fijian, Vilisi Tavui, was a part of the 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Championship for Women squad. After averaging 11.7 points and 19.5 rebounds per game in 2014, Tavui has now represented Fiji at the 2015 Pacific Games and more recently at the first ever FIBA Pacific Youth Leaders Basketball Camp.

Destiny Castro (GUM)

Guam's Destiny Castro is no stranger to FIBA Oceania youth events. After her stellar performance at the 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Championship for Women, averaging 21 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, she went on to represent the Guam Women's senior national team at the 2015 Pacific Games. As well as representing her country, Castro is now a freshman at the NCAA Division II Chaminade University.

Tai Wynyard (NZL)

Tai Wynyard has represented New Zealand at almost every level possible. In 2014 he averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds per game, helping New Zealand to a silver medal in the 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Championship. A year later, Wynyard became a world champion, leading his New Zealand U18 3x3 team to gold in the 2015 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships. Now a freshman at the NCAA powerhouse Kentucky Wildcats, Wynyard was able to represent his senior national team in the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship series against Australia.

This year's tournament will display the best U18 talent from across Oceania. Many of whom may go on to represent their senior national teams and who knows, possibly the NBA, WNBA or a number of other professional leagues around the world.

FIBA