The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Basketball World Cup is a 32-team international tournament showcasing some of the most talented basketball players on the planet. It has been held every four years, with some exceptions, since 1950. Spain won the most recent tournament in China in 2019, while the United States leads all nations with 12 medals (five gold, three silver, and four bronze).
Sixteen countries have won a medal through 18 editions of the FIBA Basketball World Cup. While an African nation has yet to medal at the tournament, basketball has grown considerably throughout the continent in recent years with support from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league established its African headquarters in Johannesburg in 2010 and launched NBA Africa, which oversees the Basketball Africa League, in 2021.
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, jointly hosted by Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, will include five teams from Africa. The two-round qualification process began in November 2021 and will conclude in February 2023. The following is a look at eight of the standout players through the first two windows of the first round of qualification.
1. Anas Mahmoud (Egypt)
An alumnus of the University of Louisville, Anas Mahmoud is a 7-foot, 210-pound center with a unique and impressive skill set. He has played in the NBA Summer League with the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors and won the Basketball Africa League championship in 2021 with Zamalek Sporting Club. He also earned the BAL Defensive Player of the Year that season.
“A seven-footer who can handle the ball, he can pass, he can attack the rim from the perimeter, and defensively he’s able to change shots; in the rim he is able to rebound, he is a very exciting young prospect, and we are just happy that he is Egyptian and is with us because he has [a] huge impact on our team,” said Egypt national team head coach Roy Rana.
Through the first two windows of competition, Mahmoud led Egypt with 15.3 points per game (PPG). He also averaged 7.3 rebounds per game and had an efficiency rate of 16.7. He was eighth among all players in PPG.
2. Jordan Sakho (DR Congo)
A 6-foot-9 center, Jordan Sakho showcased his all-around abilities during the second window of competition by averaging 10.7 PPG and registering a team-best 11.7 efficiency rating. The 25 year old plays at the club level with Rio Breogan in Spain.
The DR Congo team has yet to qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but Sakho has expressed confidence in his country’s team. The team has had its difficulties in recent years but won the first-ever FIBA AfroCan in 2019. In early 2022 the team posted a 2-1 record through three games in the second qualification window to finish second place in Group D.
3. Youssoupha Ndoye (Senegal)
Senegal was the top team in Group D during the second qualification window as it won two of its three games and outscored its opponents by 58 points. Youssoupha Ndoye played a major role in the team’s success. He scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds in the team’s 100-55 victory over Kenya and set a new record for rebounds in a single African Qualifiers game with 20 rebounds in Senegal’s win over Egypt.
4. Omar Abada (Tunisia)
Makram Ben Romdhane might still be Tunisia’s captain, but Omar Abada has been the national team’s best player through the first two qualification windows. The 29-year-old point guard, playing with Al-Ittihad Jeddah in the Saudi Basketball Premier League, finished fifth in overall scoring with 17 PPG and led his team with an efficiency rating of 15.
5. Anyiarbany Makoi (South Sudan)
South Sudan has been the biggest story of the African Qualifiers thus far. A rising team led by former NBA player Luol Deng, South Sudan ended Tunisia’s year-long winning streak against African teams with a 72-64 victory in Dakar. South Sudan was one of only two teams to win each of its three games in the second qualification window.
Anyiarbany Makoi led the charge offensively for South Sudan with 13 points and 3 rebounds per game. He recorded a team-high 28 points and an efficiency rating of 28 in the team’s win against Cameroon. The 21-year-old shooting guard, a member of Vrijednosnice Osijek in Croatia, averaged 11.8 points, 6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds through 32 games in the 2021-22 season.
6. Jordan Bayehe (Cameroon)
A 6-foot-9 power forward currently playing for Acqua San Bernardo Cantu in Italy, Jordan Bayehe is one of Cameroon’s youngest and best players. The 22 year old averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and an efficiency rating of 13.3 through three games and kept Cameroon relatively competitive in a tough Group D that featured Tunisia and South Sudan. He proved himself a competent scorer in the paint and showcased confidence in defending AfroBasket MVP Makram Ben Romdhane.