PORTLAND (USA) - The World Select Team for the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit can call upon a wealth of international experience as they prepare to battle with the United States team at the annual showcase.
The 12-man roster includes nine players who have either played in a FIBA global or continental event or participated in a Basketball Without Borders camp. Four young talents have played in either a FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup or FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup and three have shown so much promise that they already made their debuts in their respective senior national teams.
One of the most experienced players of the World Select Team is Dash Daniels, the younger brother of NBA first round pick Dyson Daniels. The Australian Dash was named as an All-Star at the 2025 BWB Global camp, where he was awarded Defensive MVP. Daniels also competed at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 and helped Australia take the crowns at the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2023 and FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024.
Serbia's Bogoljub Markovic played at the 2022 BWB Europe and 2023 BWB Global camps. The versatile forward also helped his country win the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 title and played at the FIBA U17 World Cup 2022. Markovic also has debuted for the Serbian senior national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.
Another European to have played for his senior national team is Dame Saar as the Italian played in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. The Barcelona talent also competed in the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022 and FIBA U18 EuroBaskets in 2023 and 2024.
Jaion Pitt, has represented Canada quite a bit, including participating at the 2024 BWB Global camp. The small forward also shined at the FIBA U17 World Cup 2022 and FIBA U19 World Cup 2023 and helped the North Americans take third place at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024.
Boyuan Zhang is considered one of China's next big talents and the world has seen him already at the FIBA U17 World Cup 2024. He also has two third placed finishes at the continental level - FIBA U16 AsiaCup 2023 and FIBA U18 AsiaCup 2024 - the latter where he was named to the All-Star Five.
Israeli talent Omer Mayer was named as an All-Star at the 2023 BWB Europe camp and he played at two FIBA U18 EuroBaskets. The second one in 2024 was historic as Israel finished fourth to secure their first ever bid for the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer in Lausanne.
USA-based German center Eric Reibe helped his country take first place at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022, Division B and then made a history a summer later by finishing third at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 - the first time Germany took the podium at the junior continental level. Reibe also participated in the BWB Europe camp in 2023.
Two other players with international experience are Ikenna Alozie of Nigeria, who was named MVP of the 2025 BWB Global camp; and Croatian Michael Ruzic, who this year is playing his second professional season in the Spanish first division with Joventut Badalona and also played at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022.
The other three players on the World Select team are Kiyan Anthony of Puerto Rico, Tajh Ariza of Japan and Benin's Tounde Yessoufou.
Anthony is the son of three-time Olympic gold medallist Carmelo Anthony and Ariza is the son of former NBA champion Trevor Ariza. Both Kiyan Anthony and Tajh Ariza took part in the USA Basketball training camp ahead of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 but did not make the team in Istanbul.
The World Select team will be coached by Marshall Cho of South Korea. Cho will head the team for the second year with experience coaching Basketball Without Borders and NBA Africa.
The 26th edition of the Nike Hoop Summit will take place in Portland, Oregon on April 12 at the Moda Center.
FIBA