As nations continue to battle for knockout stage spots at the FIBA World Cup, NBA talent worldwide continues to be on display in the Philippines.
To catch you up to speed with the biggest names at the event, we rank the top ten non-U.S. players at this edition of the FIBA World Cup.
1. Luka Doncic – Slovenia
Inarguably one of the ten best players in the world, Luka tops our list as the heart and soul of the Slovenia squad. Seemingly, whenever they need a box office performance out of their leading man, he shows up with a record-breaking performance that carries them to victory.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Canada
SGA is an integral part of Canada‘s current golden generation of ballers. His game improves by the week as Canada and himself have reached new heights. The future is bright up North, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Canadians take home the gold at this FIBA World Cup.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns – Dominican Republic
One of the league’s best scoring centers, KAT has been representing the Dominican Republic since he was 16. While having the option to play for the United States, Towns chose to stick with the Dominican Republic following the death of his mother in 2020, a native of the country.
4. Lauri Markkanen – Finland
Markkanen has breathed new life into the Finland National Team after winning the 2023 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award. While he’s helped elevate the nation’s play in basketball, a disappointing early exit at the FIBA World Cup was a crucial blow.
5. Josh Giddey – Australia
At just 20 years old, Josh Giddey is a true leader for his country on and off the court. He is just the player the Australians have needed in previous years to take the next step in international play. We may see them do so as he ages and improves.
6. Bogdan Bogdanovic – Serbia
Serbia has been a recent hotbed of NBA talent, and Bogdan Bogdanovic leads the pack. Bogdanovic has led the team in points per game through their first three games and is a veteran leader for a younger group of players.
7. RJ Barrett – Canada
A member of Canada‘s budding generation, Barrett is a bonafide scorer who can easily put up points in this tournament. From Montverde Academy to Duke to the Knicks, the southpaw is used to the spotlight and hopes to bring gold north of the border.
8. Rudy Gobert – France
Gobert anchors the paint for France as one of the world’s best rim protectors. Unfortunately, France’s window of opportunity seems to have slammed shut, as Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier, and Gobert all push past 30 years old and closer to retirement.
9. Franz Wagner – Germany
Wagner is one of the top young starlets at this year’s FIBA World Cup, but injuries have kept him from displaying his talent in the Philippines. An ankle injury he suffered towards the end of their opening game against Japan has kept him out. Still, if he can return, Germany will receive a serious boost in time for the biggest matchups of the tournament.
10. Patty Mills – Australia
Mills fits a similar mold as Bogdanovic. A long-time NBA veteran who always seems to elevate his game on the international stage, Mills leads a younger group of Australians into battle. He’s still putting up viable numbers at 35, but this is likely his last appearance at the FIBA World Cup.
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