The FIBA U17 World Cup is one of the best early scouting events on the NBA draft calendar. It brings together many of the top prospects in an age group and gives us a first look at how their talent translates outside of high school or club basketball.
The 2026 tournament in Istanbul was especially interesting for the 2028 NBA Draft. Most of the leading players were born in 2009 and will first become draft eligible in 2028, making this a major international preview of that class.
Team USA rolled to another gold medal, with Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje taking home MVP honors and Beckham Black running the show. But Nikola Kusturica carried Serbia to the championship game, Luke Paul led Australia to bronze and several international players put themselves firmly on the NBA radar.
Here is a look at the prospects who helped themselves the most, along with the established stars who confirmed their place near the top of the class.
Nikola Kusturica Is A Star
No prospect improved his 2028 draft outlook more than Serbian (UCLA) wing Nikola Kusturica.
The 6-8 wing averaged 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while leading Serbia all the way to the final. He shot an excellent 60.8 percent from inside the arc and was the driving force behind nearly everything Serbia accomplished.
Kusturica was already well known in European scouting circles. He had won MVP at the 2025 FIBA U16 European Championship and had shown plenty of promise in Barcelona’s system. But his U17 performance moved him from a potential lottery prospect into the early top pick conversation.
Kusturica consistently created his own offense, attacked set defenses and found ways to get to the rim. He has a strong first step for his size, changes speeds well and can finish through contact or use his length around the basket. There’s a lot of Franz Wagner in his game, especially if his 3pt shooting comes around. In this tourmanet he didn’t shot it well from deep but the form, mechanics and willingness to shot the ball are all there and I think he’ll be just fine with his jumper as it develops over the coming years.
Kusturica now looks like one of the best wing prospects in the 2028 class and is right there in the conversation near the top of the draft. I can’t wait to see him at UCLA this coming season!
Luke Paul Put Himself in the Lottery Conversation
Australia’s Luke Paul might have been the biggest breakout player in the tournament. He’ a guy I love to watch with his high energy play and heady play-making.
The 6-6 guard helped Australia win the bronze medal and earned a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Five. In the bronze-medal game he finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists against host Turkey.
He has an attractive combination of size, strength and feel. He can grab a rebound and lead the break or initiate the half-court offense. He sees the floor well and generally plays under control, even when handling a large offensive role.
Paul will need to become a more dangerous pull-up shooter and prove that he can consistently create separation against high-level defenders. If he becomes a reliable three-point threat, his passing and ability to attack closeouts will become even more valuable.
Paul has already signed with the Cairns Taipans via the NBL Next Stars program, which will give us an opportunity to evaluate him against professionals. He entered the summer as a player to monitor. He left Istanbul looking like a legitimate first-round prospect with a chance to climb toward the lottery.
Omer Kutluay Emerged for Turkey
Omer Kutluay was one of the biggest reasons Turkey reached the bronze-medal game. The young guard earned a place on the All-Star Five and showed that he belongs among the top backcourt prospects in his age group.
Kutluay played with confidence throughout the tournament. He created offense off the dribble, made difficult shots and was willing to take responsibility in important moments. His feel as a scorer stood out, particularly when Turkey’s half-court offense stalled and someone needed to manufacture a good possession.
His NBA projection isn’t quite as straightforward as those of Kusturica or Paul. He doesn’t have elite size or overwhelming athletic tools, so his shooting, decision-making and defensive competitiveness will have to remain major strengths.
Still, Kutluay proved that his skill and confidence translate against elite competition. He should now be considered a legitimate 2028 prospect rather than simply a productive young guard.
Nathan Soliman Remains One of France’s Best Long-Term Bets
France didn’t have the tournament it hoped for, but Nathan Soliman continued to show why he is one of the more intriguing long-term prospects in Europe.
The 6-8 forward has the type of physical profile NBA scouts like to bet on. He is long, mobile and versatile, with the potential to defend several positions. He runs the floor, makes plays in transition and shows flashes of passing and ball-handling ability. He wasn’t super dominant in this tournament but his projection goes far beyond his box-score production.
The jumper is the key. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Soliman over the years and think he’ll be a good shooter in time but he definetly has room for improvement and will have to show some growth over the coming years. Adding strength and developing a more reliable jumper will be important.
His performance in Istanbul didn’t really help or hurt his draft stock but he’s certainly a top prospect to keep an eye on for the 2028 draft.
Darius Karutasu Showed Valuable Wing Playmaking
Darius Karutasu was another important part of Turkey’s successful run. At roughly 6-7, he brings excellent size and length to the wing along with an advanced understanding of the game.
Karutasu’s passing is his most interesting NBA skill. He sees over the defense, moves the ball quickly and can create for teammates without dominating every possession. He also uses his size on the glass and can initiate transition opportunities after securing a rebound.
He isn’t the most explosive athlete in the class and must become a more consistent shooter and scorer. Even so, big wings who can pass, rebound and defend are always valuable. Istanbul moved him more firmly into the 2028 draft conversation.
Messi Yangala and the French Upside Group
Messi Yangala entered the tournament a highly regarded prospect and showed flashes of major two-way upside.
The 6-7 forward from France has a strong combination of length, mobility and athletic ability. He covers ground defensively, creates turnovers and makes plays in transition. His offensive identity is still taking shape, however. Yangala needs to improve as a shooter and become more comfortable creating in the half court.
That makes him more of a long-term bet but the tools are significant. He’s one of the international prospects who could make a major jump over the next two seasons.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje Was the Tournament’s Best Player
While Kusturica and Paul made the biggest jumps, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje was the best player at the tournament.
The 7-footer averaged 19.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, two assists and 1.7 steals while leading Team USA to the gold medal. He finished the championship game with 20 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks and was deservedly named tournament MVP.
Boumtje Boumtje has an exciting combination of size, mobility, touch and developing perimeter skill. He can finish around the basket, face up from the mid-range and stretch the defense with his left-handed jumper. His shot is difficult to contest, and his growing comfort away from the rim gives him a pathway toward becoming much more than a traditional center.
What JBB did this summer was confirm that he deserves to be viewed as an early top-five candidate for 2028 and perhaps the best big man in the class.
Beckham Black Controlled the Tournament
Beckham Black had a very different role from JBB, but he was just as important to Team USA’s dominance.
Black averaged 12.3 points, 8.3 assists and three steals per game and recorded 12 points and 10 assists in the final. He was named to the All-Star Five and consistently demonstrated excellent command of the game.
At 6-3, Black combines strength, pace, vision and defensive instincts. He gets teammates organized, creates advantages without forcing the action and understands when to take over as a scorer. His ability to impact winning without needing a huge number of shots separates him from many highly ranked young guards.
The jumper will be an important part of his evaluation. Black must become a consistent enough shooter that NBA defenses can’t go under screens. But as a complete point guard, he remains one of the safest bets in the class and belongs firmly in the 2028 lottery conversation.
CJ Rosser and NaVorro Bowman Jr. Helped Themselves
CJ Rosser didn’t produce the same headline numbers as JBB or Kusturica, but he may have been the most impressive defensive prospect in Istanbul. At 6-10, he covers tremendous ground, rotates as a weak-side shot blocker and can defend in space. His offensive game is still developing, but improved shooting and ball skills could make him a top-10 prospect with top 5 potential.
NaVorro Bowman Jr. also quietly strengthened his stock. The explosive guard shot 71.7 percent on two-point attempts and finished with 25 assists against only 12 turnovers. He showed that he could shift between on-ball creation and a complementary role alongside other elite players.
Bowman is undersized compared with some of the top guards but his burst, finishing ability and adaptability stood out. His tournament should push him higher on both recruiting boards and long-term NBA watch lists.
What the Tournament Means for the 2028 Draft
The 2028 draft picture remains extremely early. Players will grow, roles will evolve and prospects outside the top group will emerge. Still, the U17 World Cup gave us a valuable first look at the shape of the class.
Boumtje Boumtje confirmed that he belongs near the very top, Beckham Black showed why he is one of the best pure point guard prospects in the world and Rosser reinforced his reputation as a versatile, high-level forward.
Among the international group, Kusturica made the loudest statement. He looks like a potential top 5 pick. Paul established himself as a likely first-round prospect, while Kutluay, Soliman, Karutasu and Yangala all gave scouts reasons to follow their development closely.
Here’s my full 2028 NBA Mock Draft