THE Fiba Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia is not only a battle for supremacy in basketball but also a platform for players to showcase their skills in the world stage in a bid to boost their stock.
These players did exactly that:
Bruno Caboclo
Formerly with the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Houston Rockets, Caboclo was impressive during his stint with Brazil where he averaged 16.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 steals during the World Cup where the team fell one win short of advancing to the knockout stage.
Tremont Waters
The Puerto Rican star could be another player in the World Cup that we could see back in the NBA soon. After a two-year stint with the Boston Celtics where he had a two-way contract from 2019 to 2023, the 5-foot-11 Waters suited up for the first time with Puerto Rico where he averaged 20 points and 9.2 assists in the tournament. He had 37 points and 11 assists during their game against Caribbean rival Dominican Republic led by Karl-Anthony Towns.
Josh Hawkinson
Yuta Watanabe may have brought the star power for Japan, but Hawkinson also did a lot of work that could put him in the NBA radar due to his World Cup performance. Hawkinson, who spent all of his four-year pro career in Japan, averaged 21 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in leading the Akatsuki Five to an Olympic spot.
Carlik Jones
The reigning NBA G League player may have already signed up for the Chicago Bulls for the coming season before the World Cup, but he introduced himself to the world with his fine play for South Sudan. Jones came one rebound shy of becoming the first player to notch a triple double in World Cup history when he had 17 points and 14 assists in South Sudan’s win over the Philippines. Jones’ play in the World Cup made more attention as he led South Sudan, a country that gained independence just last 2011, to an Olympic berth.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
Definitely the player that gained the most attention among those who are out of the NBA, the TNT import boosted his stock with his stint with Jordan in the World Cup. Hollis-Jefferson suddenly drew comparisons with the late Kobe Bryant after he averaged 23.6 points in five games with Jordan. His most memorable game came against New Zealand where he had 39 points and hit a four-point play to send the game into overtime. An NBA return could be in the works for the former Brooklyn Net after the World Cup.
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