CRETE, Greece -- The FIBA Under-19 World Cup -- occurring every other year since 2007 -- has produced 48 first-round picks in six tournaments, making it an essential date on the NBA scouting calendar. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Jayson Tatum and RJ Barrett are just a handful of names who have participated.
Team USA steamrollered its way to a gold medal this year, winning its games by an average of 30 points, which came as a relief after losing in the semifinals to a Barrett-led Canada team in 2017. This event has traditionally presented roster challenges for USA Basketball, as many college coaches have balked at sending their players to represent their country instead of enrolling in summer school. The U.S. managed to compile a nice mix of younger talent alongside veterans with a year of college experience, while benefiting slightly from some European countries being unable to get their most talented players to participate.
Among the 16 teams participating, we counted about 30 players we think have an excellent chance of hearing their names called in the 2020, 2021 or 2022 NBA drafts.
Here's our look at the top NBA prospects from the tournament, starting with players who are eligible for 2021 or 2022.