By Albert Juncà
What happened this summer at the U19 World Cup and across the youth European Championships? Our Eurohopes team attended all the events, and our new Director of Scouting, Albert Juncà, will highlight some standout players from each tournament.
U19 World Cup – Lausanne (Switzerland) 2025
For the first time in history, the summer European youth tournaments tipped off in Switzerland, where FIBA has its headquarters. The Helvetian city of Lausanne hosted the U19 World Cup from June 28 to July 6. Team USA reclaimed the U19 world throne, succeeding Spain, which won the title in 2023 in Hungary. Germany (silver) and Slovenia (bronze) rounded out the podium.
MVP: AJ Dybantsa (Committed to BYU)
Best Five: AJ Dybantsa (USA) - Mikel Brown Jr (USA) - Hannes Steinbach (Germany) - Zak Smrekar (Slovenia) - Christian Anderson Jr (Germany)
Below you can find some standouts from European players of the tournament.
Hannes Steinbach (2006 - 6'9", C/PF, Germany - Committed to Washington)
Strong frame and high motor for this power forward. Offensively, he can attack from the perimeter off the dribble, using his physicality to finish through contact. In pick-and-roll situations, he isn't very quick when rolling, but he seals well and finishes effectively at the rim. Defensively, he excels in post-up situations and uses his length to cover ground in various pick-and-roll schemes. His slow lateral quickness makes him struggle against faster players, but he compensates by giving space and using his positional length to contest potential three-point shots.
Christian Anderson Jr (2006 - 6'2", PG, Germany - Enrolled at Texas Tech)
Slightly built and electric guard. A natural scorer, playing off the dribble to attack the paint or to generate his own space to shoot. When acting as a point guard, he can either finish plays or generate for his teammates. He struggles to pass the ball against aggressive pick-and-roll defenses. Defensively, Anderson looks more involved in the ball pressure and active off the ball, sometimes, his defense is a bit tricky, but he is more consistent.
Mark Padjen (2006 - 6'5, SG, Slovenia)
Great size for a PG and above-average court vision, often seeing angles his teammates missed. Effective pick&roll ball-handler who involves teammates, with solid stationary passing and a preference for bounce passes. Relies on craft and length but struggles to draw contact; average at changing pace and direction. Better in transition, can drive both ways, though finishing is stronger with his right hand. Shooting has improved: he looks more confident from three. He needs to speed up his shooting mechanics. Defensively, disruptive for his position, comfortable in switches, and provides secondary rim protection.
U20 European Championship A and B - Heraklion (Greece) / Yerevan (Armenia) 2025
After the World Cup, all eyes turned to Heraklion and Yerevan for the U20 tournaments. The Greek city of Heraklion hosted the Division A tournament from July 12 to July 20, with the Italian national team breaking through and winning the final over Lithuania (silver). France secured the bronze medal with a victory over Serbia. In Yerevan, Latvia (gold), Croatia (silver), and Türkiye (bronze) claimed the three promotion spots to Division A for next summer.
MVP Division A: Francesco Ferrari
MVP Division B: Roland Sulcs
Best Five:
David Torresani (2005- 6’2, PG, Italy)
Floor-general and backcourt leader of the team, Torresani has continued to show the positive flashes he had in the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso. HM athleticism and size, he's continuing to transition his game to a true PG. Decision-making and passing skills are slowly improving. Motor and athletic tools are his main assets, but the technical part is coming along as well. Below average 3-point shooter, but he's a threat from the mid-range and puts much pressure on the rim.
Pavle Nikolic (2005 - 6'8", PF, Serbia)
Shooting PF with a bulky frame. He can become even bigger and stronger, though. Doesn't force shots and plays in a mature way: makes the right plays at the right time. He's versatile, and he can adapt to multiple situations and lineups. He's a threat from deep (44.4% from 3 in the event). HM athleticism and size. He brings many valuable things to the table on both ends of the floor. He always plays in the same way; he doesn't lose focus. Projects as a smart 4-man at the HM level right away.
Melih Tunca (2005 - 6'5", PG/SG, Türkiye - Committed to Penn State)
Best ceiling and best floor in the whole event. Played like a pro for the entire tournament. Melih Tunca can play both PG and SG: he's a lengthy ball-handler who can impact the game at different paces, and he's able to slow it down when the ball is in his hands. Two-level scorer right now: mid-range and paint. Better at creating contact than at drawing it currently. Mechanics from the mid-range look great. Saw passing lanes almost no other player saw in the entire event, and he can hit them with either hand. Heavy pick&roll player in halfcourt
offense. He needs to increase his activity and assertiveness as a spot-up player. Defensively, he's smart enough to make an impact at passing lanes. Should put more effort into areas such as screen navigation.
Photos: FIBA
What happened this summer at the U19 World Cup and across the youth European Championships? Our Eurohopes team attended all the events, and our new Director of Scouting, Albert Juncà, will highlight some standout players from each tournament.
U19 World Cup – Lausanne (Switzerland) 2025
For the first time in history, the summer European youth tournaments tipped off in Switzerland, where FIBA has its headquarters. The Helvetian city of Lausanne hosted the U19 World Cup from June 28 to July 6. Team USA reclaimed the U19 world throne, succeeding Spain, which won the title in 2023 in Hungary. Germany (silver) and Slovenia (bronze) rounded out the podium.
MVP: AJ Dybantsa (Committed to BYU)
Best Five: AJ Dybantsa (USA) - Mikel Brown Jr (USA) - Hannes Steinbach (Germany) - Zak Smrekar (Slovenia) - Christian Anderson Jr (Germany)
Below you can find some standouts from European players of the tournament.
Hannes Steinbach (2006 - 6'9", C/PF, Germany - Committed to Washington)
Strong frame and high motor for this power forward. Offensively, he can attack from the perimeter off the dribble, using his physicality to finish through contact. In pick-and-roll situations, he isn't very quick when rolling, but he seals well and finishes effectively at the rim. Defensively, he excels in post-up situations and uses his length to cover ground in various pick-and-roll schemes. His slow lateral quickness makes him struggle against faster players, but he compensates by giving space and using his positional length to contest potential three-point shots.
Christian Anderson Jr (2006 - 6'2", PG, Germany - Enrolled at Texas Tech)
Slightly built and electric guard. A natural scorer, playing off the dribble to attack the paint or to generate his own space to shoot. When acting as a point guard, he can either finish plays or generate for his teammates. He struggles to pass the ball against aggressive pick-and-roll defenses. Defensively, Anderson looks more involved in the ball pressure and active off the ball, sometimes, his defense is a bit tricky, but he is more consistent.
Mark Padjen (2006 - 6'5, SG, Slovenia)
Great size for a PG and above-average court vision, often seeing angles his teammates missed. Effective pick&roll ball-handler who involves teammates, with solid stationary passing and a preference for bounce passes. Relies on craft and length but struggles to draw contact; average at changing pace and direction. Better in transition, can drive both ways, though finishing is stronger with his right hand. Shooting has improved: he looks more confident from three. He needs to speed up his shooting mechanics. Defensively, disruptive for his position, comfortable in switches, and provides secondary rim protection.
U20 European Championship A and B - Heraklion (Greece) / Yerevan (Armenia) 2025
After the World Cup, all eyes turned to Heraklion and Yerevan for the U20 tournaments. The Greek city of Heraklion hosted the Division A tournament from July 12 to July 20, with the Italian national team breaking through and winning the final over Lithuania (silver). France secured the bronze medal with a victory over Serbia. In Yerevan, Latvia (gold), Croatia (silver), and Türkiye (bronze) claimed the three promotion spots to Division A for next summer.
MVP Division A: Francesco Ferrari
MVP Division B: Roland Sulcs
Best Five:
- Division A: Alexandros Samodurov (Greece) - Roman Domon (France) - Mantas Juzenas (Lithuania) - Francesco Ferrari (Italy) - Pavle Nikolic (Serbia)
- Division B: Roland Sulcs (Latvia) - Janis Jinemanis (Latvia) - Niko Sare (Croatia) - Melih Tunca (Türkiye) - Luca Soroa Schaller (Switzerland)
David Torresani (2005- 6’2, PG, Italy)
Floor-general and backcourt leader of the team, Torresani has continued to show the positive flashes he had in the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso. HM athleticism and size, he's continuing to transition his game to a true PG. Decision-making and passing skills are slowly improving. Motor and athletic tools are his main assets, but the technical part is coming along as well. Below average 3-point shooter, but he's a threat from the mid-range and puts much pressure on the rim.
Pavle Nikolic (2005 - 6'8", PF, Serbia)
Shooting PF with a bulky frame. He can become even bigger and stronger, though. Doesn't force shots and plays in a mature way: makes the right plays at the right time. He's versatile, and he can adapt to multiple situations and lineups. He's a threat from deep (44.4% from 3 in the event). HM athleticism and size. He brings many valuable things to the table on both ends of the floor. He always plays in the same way; he doesn't lose focus. Projects as a smart 4-man at the HM level right away.
Melih Tunca (2005 - 6'5", PG/SG, Türkiye - Committed to Penn State)
Best ceiling and best floor in the whole event. Played like a pro for the entire tournament. Melih Tunca can play both PG and SG: he's a lengthy ball-handler who can impact the game at different paces, and he's able to slow it down when the ball is in his hands. Two-level scorer right now: mid-range and paint. Better at creating contact than at drawing it currently. Mechanics from the mid-range look great. Saw passing lanes almost no other player saw in the entire event, and he can hit them with either hand. Heavy pick&roll player in halfcourt
offense. He needs to increase his activity and assertiveness as a spot-up player. Defensively, he's smart enough to make an impact at passing lanes. Should put more effort into areas such as screen navigation.
U18 European Championship A and B - Belgrade (Serbia) / Pitești (România) 2025
In Belgrade, Serbia, the top European teams battled for two weeks for the U18 Division A crown. The tournament ran from July 26 to August 3 and ended with a heart-stopping final, as Spain completed an unbelievable comeback with a buzzer-beater from Maryland commit Guillermo Del Pino. France (silver) and Italy (bronze) rounded out the podium.
At the same time, the Romanian city of Pitești hosted the Division B tournament, where teams competed for three promotion spots to Division A. Denmark proved to be the most consistent team on the court, claiming the title and the first ticket to promotion. Estonia (silver) and Slovakia (bronze) secured the other two spots in Division A.
MVP Division A: Ian Platteeuw (Committed to Davidson)
MVP Division B: Noa Norgaard (Committed to UNC Greensboro)
Best Five:
Diego Garavaglia (2007- 6’8, SF/PF, Italy)
Elite floor raiser with excellent body language and leadership. Played mostly at PF due to Italy's lack of size, compensating with strong game perception and anticipation. Offers shooting versatility with slip pick-and-pop 3s, spot-ups, and some self-creation off the dribble. Quick decision-maker who swings the ball, makes drive-and-kick assists, and contributes in transition. Defensively, he creates deflections, anchors the team, and stays in front of skilled ball-handlers with good lateral quickness. Projects as an impact player at the professional level.
Meissa Faye (2007- 6’6, SF, France)
Played his most consistent basketball of the event. Late-bloomer with length and raw athleticism, creating unexpected deflections but still raw tactically. Opportunistic scorer with good feel for cuts and offensive rebounds, active and productive at the margins. Showed improved 3PT shooting with improved mechanics and confidence. Hit some really tough shots. Excellent body language in his first experience with the French NT.
Klark Riethauser (2008 - 6'8, PF/SF, Switzerland)
Intriguing frame and above-average athleticism for this Swiss forward. An all-around contributor, effective both on and off the ball, with strong off-ball reads and an explosive first step to attack the rim. Reliable from deep with a solid release, though his speed of execution can improve. Defensively, he shows impressive lateral quickness for his size and uses his length well to deflect balls or steal passes.
U16 European Championship A and B - Tbilisi (Georgia) / Skopje (North Macedonia)
The last two stops of the summer were the U16 tournaments, with Division A played in Tbilisi and Division B hosted in Skopje.
In the Georgian capital, Serbia defeated Lithuania 99–86 to claim the title. It was Serbia's first U16 championship since 2007 in Greece. Slovenia took the bronze medal with a win over Italy. In the Division B tournament, Poland captured the gold medal by beating Belgium in the final. The Czech Republic earned the bronze medal and the last promotion ticket to Division A by defeating Portugal in the third-place game.
MVP Division A: Nikola Kusturica (Serbia)
MVP Division B: Aaron Ona Embo (Belgium)
Best Five:
Nikola Kusturica (2009 - 6'7", SF, Serbia)
This wing has a lengthy and slender build, with plenty of room to add muscle. Despite his frame, he plays with great motor and toughness. On offense, his ball-handling skills, combined with impressive court vision, enable him to execute pick and roll situations at the correct pace, selecting the best option when he has the space to slash to the rim or collapse the paint to find open teammates. From deep, he shows a quick and fluid shooting release, both on spot-ups and off the dribble. On defense, he controls the distance with the ball-handler very well, using his positional length to contest on the perimeter.
Omer Kutluay (2009 - 6’3”, PG, Türkiye)
Score-minded guard with the correct size for the European standards. Offensively, Kutluay displays a great mix of ball-handling skills and body usage, which allows him to generate his own space to shoot. Plays exceptionally well in traffic, attacking the paint using his speed to overcome the defenders. Can score in multiple ways, such as shooting pull-ups after pick and roll situations or slashing to the rim. On defense, although his on-ball defense positions are OK, he struggles when he has to play with contact against stronger players.
Luka Ukic (2010 - 6'0", PG, Croatia)
Skinny and long guard who is still in early stages of his physical development. Offensively, Ukic shows impressive ball-handling skills, which, combined with interesting footwork, allow him to attack the paint, although he struggles against more physical defenders. He displays good court vision, collapsing the paint and finding open teammates. From deep, he mostly shoots spot-ups or off the dribble, mainly going to his left. Defensively, he lacks the quickness to slide and stop opponents, but he tries to find the correct position to anticipate actions and avoid being beaten.
In Belgrade, Serbia, the top European teams battled for two weeks for the U18 Division A crown. The tournament ran from July 26 to August 3 and ended with a heart-stopping final, as Spain completed an unbelievable comeback with a buzzer-beater from Maryland commit Guillermo Del Pino. France (silver) and Italy (bronze) rounded out the podium.
At the same time, the Romanian city of Pitești hosted the Division B tournament, where teams competed for three promotion spots to Division A. Denmark proved to be the most consistent team on the court, claiming the title and the first ticket to promotion. Estonia (silver) and Slovakia (bronze) secured the other two spots in Division A.
MVP Division A: Ian Platteeuw (Committed to Davidson)
MVP Division B: Noa Norgaard (Committed to UNC Greensboro)
Best Five:
- Division A: Maxence Lemoine (France) - Vladis Valters (Latvia) - Diego Garavaglia (Italy) - Pavle Backo (Serbia) - Ian Platteeuw (Spain)
- Division B: David Rasoga (Romania) - Noah Norgaard (Denmark) - Joost Dalgaard-Duus (Denmark) - Kaur Tomann (Estonia) - Maros Golian (Slovakia)
Diego Garavaglia (2007- 6’8, SF/PF, Italy)
Elite floor raiser with excellent body language and leadership. Played mostly at PF due to Italy's lack of size, compensating with strong game perception and anticipation. Offers shooting versatility with slip pick-and-pop 3s, spot-ups, and some self-creation off the dribble. Quick decision-maker who swings the ball, makes drive-and-kick assists, and contributes in transition. Defensively, he creates deflections, anchors the team, and stays in front of skilled ball-handlers with good lateral quickness. Projects as an impact player at the professional level.
Meissa Faye (2007- 6’6, SF, France)
Played his most consistent basketball of the event. Late-bloomer with length and raw athleticism, creating unexpected deflections but still raw tactically. Opportunistic scorer with good feel for cuts and offensive rebounds, active and productive at the margins. Showed improved 3PT shooting with improved mechanics and confidence. Hit some really tough shots. Excellent body language in his first experience with the French NT.
Klark Riethauser (2008 - 6'8, PF/SF, Switzerland)
Intriguing frame and above-average athleticism for this Swiss forward. An all-around contributor, effective both on and off the ball, with strong off-ball reads and an explosive first step to attack the rim. Reliable from deep with a solid release, though his speed of execution can improve. Defensively, he shows impressive lateral quickness for his size and uses his length well to deflect balls or steal passes.
The last two stops of the summer were the U16 tournaments, with Division A played in Tbilisi and Division B hosted in Skopje.
In the Georgian capital, Serbia defeated Lithuania 99–86 to claim the title. It was Serbia's first U16 championship since 2007 in Greece. Slovenia took the bronze medal with a win over Italy. In the Division B tournament, Poland captured the gold medal by beating Belgium in the final. The Czech Republic earned the bronze medal and the last promotion ticket to Division A by defeating Portugal in the third-place game.
MVP Division A: Nikola Kusturica (Serbia)
MVP Division B: Aaron Ona Embo (Belgium)
Best Five:
- Division A: Gabrielius Buivydas (Lithuania) - Nikola Kusturica (Serbia) - Nathan Soliman (France) - Lun Jarc (Slovenia) - Petar Bjelica (Serbia)
- Division B: Aaron Ona Embo (Belgium) - Hubert Swirydowicz (Poland) - Lukasz Lysek (Poland) - Marek Houska (Czech Republic) - Miguel Sousa (Portugal)
Nikola Kusturica (2009 - 6'7", SF, Serbia)
This wing has a lengthy and slender build, with plenty of room to add muscle. Despite his frame, he plays with great motor and toughness. On offense, his ball-handling skills, combined with impressive court vision, enable him to execute pick and roll situations at the correct pace, selecting the best option when he has the space to slash to the rim or collapse the paint to find open teammates. From deep, he shows a quick and fluid shooting release, both on spot-ups and off the dribble. On defense, he controls the distance with the ball-handler very well, using his positional length to contest on the perimeter.
Omer Kutluay (2009 - 6’3”, PG, Türkiye)
Score-minded guard with the correct size for the European standards. Offensively, Kutluay displays a great mix of ball-handling skills and body usage, which allows him to generate his own space to shoot. Plays exceptionally well in traffic, attacking the paint using his speed to overcome the defenders. Can score in multiple ways, such as shooting pull-ups after pick and roll situations or slashing to the rim. On defense, although his on-ball defense positions are OK, he struggles when he has to play with contact against stronger players.
Luka Ukic (2010 - 6'0", PG, Croatia)
Skinny and long guard who is still in early stages of his physical development. Offensively, Ukic shows impressive ball-handling skills, which, combined with interesting footwork, allow him to attack the paint, although he struggles against more physical defenders. He displays good court vision, collapsing the paint and finding open teammates. From deep, he mostly shoots spot-ups or off the dribble, mainly going to his left. Defensively, he lacks the quickness to slide and stop opponents, but he tries to find the correct position to anticipate actions and avoid being beaten.
ADVERTISING
