What you need to know about the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018

MINSK (FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2018) - It's the fifth edition of the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup and this is our guide to what you really need to know.

An unfamiliar feeling for USA

Not since the inaugural tournament in 2010 in France, have USA stepped onto the U17 World court and not had a title to defend. They racked up a trio of victories with success in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Having lost their crown in Zaragoza two years ago, they will have that unfamiliar feeling of not arriving as the holders. Plus, the desire to get back to the top will be even more acute after USA also relinquished their U19 World title in Udine last year.

Will it be the turn of Europe to top the podium?

Even if the general consensus if often that Europe is the most competitive and high-quality women's basketball region as a whole, no European nation has ever won this competition. It is Americas 3, Asia 1 and Europe zero. But, with France arriving as FIBA U16 Women's European Championship winners, they look like they could have a big tilt at the top step of the podium. They have what many believe is the best generation for years with class players such as Iliana Rupert, Zoe Wadoux and Marine Fauthoux.

Past MVP winners have gone on to good things

The last MVP, Ezi Magbegor, who helped catapult Australia to their historic maiden title in Zaragoza ,has since made her debut with the Opals. She was part of the team that won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Angela Salvadores of Spain put up that incredible 40-point performance in the 2014 Final to be crowned MVP and she recently played in the 2018 EuroLeague Women Final in Sopron. Meanwhile, 2012 MVP Diamond DeShields is now a bonafide WNBA star for the Chicago Sky. The first-ever MVP at the  event was Li Meng of China who was just 15-years-old at the time. She has since played at the U19 Worlds and also represented her country at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Turkey in 2014.

There is an amazing watch-list of players expected to shine

We could only pick out a handful of the top players expected to shine and it was such a tough task to narrow our list to just 12 players. On many occasions previously, we have seen this FIBA tournament - the first global opportunity for many players - used as a platform to let everyone know they have some serious game. We already know all about those who have done it at the U16 Continental Cups and are on our watch-list, but is there anybody else who will make a major splash?

Can Africa continue to rise?

There was history at the 2016 edition when an African team won two games at the event for the first time. In fact, Mali went even better than this, managing to get three victories and that had everybody talking about whether it was the best team any African country has ever fielded at any women's youth event. They arrive again as African U16 champions. Can they match the 'Class of 2016' or even surpass that accomplishment? Plus, the 'Class of 2014' were the first African team to beat a European opponent when they got the better of Italy.

Will Sapphires head coach Seebohm land a record?

He is one of the best young play-callers in the global youth game and underlined this two years ago when masterminding that historical first title for the Sapphires. Back holding the reins again, will Shannon Seebohm become the first coach in the tournament's history to both win two titles and successfully defend the silverware?

Can Belarus draw on home support to make a deep run?

Even if they are expected to find life tough at their first global youth event, Belarus can guarantee super home support from a nation that loves its female ballers. For the past decade, the senior women's team has been the most popular sports side in the nation, with Anastasiya Verameyenka and Yelena Leuchanka some of the biggest and most famous people in their homeland. It is something special for this current crop of young players to be inspired by. Even if they will have to play at maximum capacity to just compete, no nation will be prouder.

FIBA