BEN Mbala and eight other former PBA imports were shortlisted in their respective countries for the February window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup qualifiers.
Familiar faces in Fiba World Cup qualifiers
The former La Salle center will banner Cameroon in the Group B of the Africa qualifiers as the Indomitable Lions take on Tunisia, led by Salah Mejri; South Sudan, featuring Adelaide 36ers' Emmanuel Malou; and Rwanda.
Current Meralco reinforcement Tony Bishop has also been included in the Panama pool for the Americas qualifiers where it will play Group A foes Argentina and Venezuela in this window.
Rakeem Christmas, who played for Magnolia in the 2019 Commissioner's Cup, will also banner Virgin Islands in Group C where the winless squad plays Canada and Bahamas.
Kristofer Acox, who also suited up for Star in the 2017 Governors' Cup, is also part of Iceland for the European qualifiers as they play in Group H and will face Italy in a two-game series in this stretch.
Of course, former Terrafirma import Lester Prosper will backstop Indonesia as its naturalized player when the Timnas face Saudi Arabia and Jordan in Group C of the Asian qualifiers.

Ex-Asian imports are also aplenty in the field with Iran's Mohammad Jamshidi (Meralco, 2016 Governors' Cup), Jordan's Mahmoud Abdeen (San Miguel, 2016 Governors' Cup), Korea's Lee Gwan Hee (Phoenix, 2016 Governors' Cup), and Japan's Seiya Ando (Meralco, 2015 Governors' Cup) all in consideration for their respective nations.
Speaking of Japan, Matthew Aquino of the Shinshu Brave Warriors is part of the Akatsuki Five's buildup alongside peers of our Pinoy imports in the B.League, namely Takumi Saito (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins) and Daichi Taniguchi (Ibaraki Robots).
Dwight Ramos and Thirdy Ravena also aren't the only ones who heeded their country's call, with Shiga Lakestars' Ovie Soko being part of the Great Britain's campaign in Group B and Niigata Albirex BB's Rosco Allen helping Hungary in Group E, both in the European qualifiers.
Other familiar faces in this second window of qualifiers include former Smart Gilas prospect CJ Giles, who is now the naturalized player for Bahrain; ex-Westports Malaysia Dragons center Will Artino, who also fulfills the same role for Chinese Taipei; and Wu Hsiao-jin, a teammate of Jason Brickman in the Kaohsiung Aquas in the T1 League.
NBA players are also aplenty in the qualifiers spearheaded by Joe Johnson, Jordan Bell, and Langston Galloway for the United States.
Among the former NBA pros representing their countries in this window include Anthony Bennett (Canada), Carlos Delfino (Argentina), Bruno Caboclo and Marcelinho Huertas (Brazil), Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Axel Toupane (France), Tornike Shengelia (Georgia), Nick Calathes and Kostas Papanikolaou (Greece), Gal Mekel (Israel), Nico Mannion (Italy), Rodions Kurucs (Latvia), Nemanja Nedovic (Serbia), Jonas Jerebko (Sweden), and Shane Larkin (Turkey).
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