U18 AfroBasket: 12 Standout Prospects
Taking a look at some of the top performing high ceiling prospects from U18 AfroBasket.
The last youth international tournament of the summer, U18 AfroBasket had a lot at stake. A deep and competitive field, this edition of the competition didn’t disappoint.
Ultimately, Mali went undefeated to win their third gold medal ever. The competition’s championship game also decided the two African representatives for next year’s U19 World Cup. With their first U18 AfroBasket berth in 16 years and their best finish in the country’s history, Cameroon will join Mali in 2025 for the U19 World Cup.
Team success aside, there was plenty of individual talent on display throughout the tournament’s two weeks. Players who could realistically fill out rosters for high schools, academies, prep schools, universities and professional clubs were all in attendance.
Though this recap isn’t exhaustive of all the top-level talent at AfroBasket, it contains some of the top performing prospects—regardless of class—that should have no problem integrating the upper echelon of this sport.
Paid subscribers have access to our complete list of U18 AfroBasket prospects at the end of this report.
Codé Mbengue | 2008 | 6’11” | C | Senegal | SEED Academy
Codé Mbengue had a breakout tournament as one of the youngest players present. His motor never decreased and he attacked all defenders (and the glass) with the same intensity. In the post, if he’s not dunking through traffic, he has a solid mid-range fadeaway to fall back on and he was no slouch cleaning up the back side on defense.
Ousseynou Sambe | 2006 | 6’10” | PF | Senegal | Vevey Riviera Basket
Ousseynou Sambe was one of the best role players of the tournament. His positional size coupled with fluid tools left him ready to guard many positions while being a mismatch on offense. He hustled for loose balls and rebounds while playing high IQ defense and impacting the box score without having many plays run for him. His complementary skill and mind sets raise both his ceiling and floor to an intriguing level.
Sékou Bagayoko | 2008 | 6’5”* | SG | Mali
Bagayoko is an ideal shooting guard with good size1 and an unshakeable mentality. That confidence helped him heat up at a moments notice and literally change the flow of games with microwave shotmaking. Good mechanics, deep range and impeccable scoring instincts made him nearly impossible to cover.
Rayane Solhi | 2007 | 6’6” | SG | Morocco | Potter’s House Christian
Rayane Solhi was as skilled a wing as there was in Pretoria. He used a variety of pickups and footwork to finish well in transition and in the half court. Solhi showed good scoring at the other two levels as well, displaying deep range and craving big moments for his team.
Théo Chaney | 2006 | 6’5”* | PG | Côte d'Ivoire | Vichy-Clermont
The former Swiss product formally had his coming out party in South Africa. Length at the lead guard position along with poise, crafty ball handling, above average vision and confidence to take and make tough shots made him one of the best individual point guard prospects.
Amadou Seini | 2007 | 7’1” | C | Cameroon | Varese Academy
Seini was arguably the most dominant big man of AfroBasket between the rebounds he devoured and the rim protection he offered Cameroon. He was a great clean up man on both sides of the ball with offensive rebounds and help side defense. He is still raw but produced methodically in the low post and showed flashes of a mid-range jump shot.
Noah El Baze | 2008 | 6’5”* | PG | Morocco | Paris Basket
Noah El Baze emerged as one of the more intriguing prospects for high-level teams due to his feel for the game and great size considering his position. El Baze affected every facet of the game when he was on, making plays for his teammates, pressuring attackers and spotting up effectively, all with a smile on his face.
Aginaldo Neto | 2006 | 6’2” | PG | Angola | NBA Academy Africa/Petro de Luanda
Aginaldo Neto continues to transform into a top shelf point guard prospect. He effectively controlled the pace of his games, picking his spots for when to score or manipulate the defense to get teammates open. He’s begun to change gears, helping him get to off the dribble jumpers or all the way to the rim before contorting for a crafty finish.
Cheikh Biteye | 2007 | 6’6” | SG | Senegal | NBA Academy Africa/SEED Academy
Biteye is a smooth wing who doesn’t seem to get fazed by anything. Though it looked effortless at times, his scoring versatility was devastating for defenses as he hit all kinds of shots when hot. Biteye also played aggressive defense to trigger his potent transition attack.
Mukisa Mubiru-Nkugwa | 2006 | 6’3” | SG | Uganda | Governor’s Academy
Mubiru-Nkugwa was explosive from start to finish. He rose up for dunks at a moment’s notice whether a defender was in front of him or not. He showed the ability to relieve other guards when they felt too much pressure and knocked down movement and off the dribble three pointers.
Brighton Kalizi | 2007 | 6’10”* | PF | Zambia |
Kalizi was one of the bright spots for Zambia, consistently showing off his motor and averaging a big time double-double. He ran the floor well, even taking it coast to coast at times. Kalizi blocked shots ferociously, often keeping the ball in play for his team as well.
Youssouf Traoré | 2006 | 6’10” | PF | Mali | Casademont Zaragoza/Palmero
Youssouf Traoré continued his dominant streak by winning another MVP this year after winning Spain’s U18 championship MVP. The motor that has translated so well at the senior level had no problem at this U18 level as Traoré garnered incredible rebound numbers. He acted as a hub at times, distributing to perimeter players and looking for high-low situations. His production could not be denied on either end of the floor.
*Height approximated compared to others on the court - no official height present.