AfroBasket 2025 in Angola features a star-packed field of NBA, EuroLeague, and BAL talent. From rookies like Yves Missi to veterans like Edy Tavares and Josh Okogie, Africa’s best prepare to battle for continental basketball supremacy.
For African basketball,AfroBasket is more than a championship — it’s a showcase of the continent’s impact on the global game.Theheat ofsummer basketball will burn brightest inAngola this August as the tournamenttips off from 12–24August inLuanda andMocamedes.
16 of Africa’s best men’s national teams will battle for continental glory— and this year’s tournament is dripping with talent that has graced, or is still gracing, the NBA hardwood.
AfroBasket will serve as a reunion point for the continent’s finest exports — with more NBA and ex-NBA representation than any edition in recent memory.
Here’s a deep dive into the key figures carrying the NBA flag atAfroBasket 2025.
Yves Missi (Cameroon)
Just a year ago, Yves Missi was an untested 21-year-old rookie trying to earn minutes in New Orleans. Then injuries hit the Pelicans’ frontcourt, and Missi was thrown into the kind of trial by fire that burns lesser talents. He didn’t just survive — he thrived.
At 2.11m (6'11) with elite agility, Missi averaged 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks en route to NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. In December, he even claimed the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month award.
Now, the Cameroonian makes his national team debut — and he’s not here to blend in. Expect lob finishes,chasedown rejections, and the kind of vertical spacing that forces opposing defenses to choose between humiliation or giving up two easy points. In Angola, Missi won’t just be part of Cameroon’s plans — he’ll be the centerpiece.
Wenyen Gabriel (South Sudan)
Wenyen Gabriel’s basketball passport reads like a world atlas: South Sudan, Kentucky, Los Angeles, Athens, Munich. A six-year NBA veteran and Greek Cup winner, Gabriel now plies his trade with Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague, but he remains a heartbeat of South Sudan’s historic rise.
Absent from the nation’s AfroBasket debut in 2021, Gabriel joined in time for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he led the Bright Stars in rebounds (6.8) and blocks (2.6). The team finished as the highest-ranked African side, securing a historic berth at Paris 2024.
In France, he was everywhere — swallowing rebounds, contesting shots, and showing why his 2.16m wingspan is a defensive cheat code. In AfroBasket qualifiers, he averaged a double-double (14 points, 10.5 rebounds). South Sudan’s dream of a medal rests in part on Gabriel’s shoulders, and he’s strong enough to carry it.
Edy Tavares (Cape Verde)
There’s tall, and then there’s Edy Tavares tall. Standing 2.21m (7'3) with a 2.36m (7'9) wingspan, the Cape Verde center is the kind of player who makes even other big men look small.
AtAfroBasket 2021, Tavares was utterly dominant: leading the tournament in rebounds (13.2), blocks (3.8), and efficiency (29.2) while averaging 16.7 points as Cape Verde finished 4th. Since then, he’s added more silverware to his resume with Real Madrid — including twoEuroLeague titles.
If Cape Verde’s going to win their firstAfroBasket, Tavares will be the immovable pillar at the center of it all.
Matt Costello (Cote d’Ivoire)
Born in Michigan but proudly representing Cote d’Ivoire, Costello is a stretch big with a silky shooting stroke. In the 2025 qualifiers, he averaged 15.7 points and 8 rebounds while shooting a scorching 57.1% from three.
A silver medalist in 2021, Costello has unfinished business. His ability to space the floor could be the X-factor that turns the Elephants from contenders into champions.
Josh Okogie (Nigeria)
One of the most battle-tested players atAfroBasket, Josh Okogie has faced LeBron James in the paint and James Harden on the perimeter — and lived to tell the tale.
Currently with the Houston Rockets, Okogie is a defensive pest with boundless energy and underrated slashing ability. He’s no stranger to international competition, having played in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’sD’Tigers last wonAfroBasket in 2015, and Okogie’s defensive leadership could be key to ending the decade-long wait. Expect him to set the tone from the opening tip — and possibly guard the opponent’s best scorer every single game.
Bruno Fernando (Angola)
A trailblazer for Angolan basketball, Fernando became the first player from Angola to reach the NBA, debuting in 2019 with the Atlanta Hawks before later suiting up for the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets. The 2.08m center is known for his rim protection, rebounding, and ferocious dunking ability.
Now back in Europe with Real Madrid, Fernando brings homegrown star power to an Angola squad determined to use home-court advantage. His combination of NBA seasoning and physical presence in the paint makes him a key piece in Angola’s quest to claim their 12thAfroBasket title.
Mamadi Diakite (Guinea)
Winner of an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Diakite brings championship experience to a Guinea squad hungry for an upset run.
At 2.06m, he’s an agile, high-energy big with the ability to stretch the floor and defend multiple positions. His mix of hustle, shooting touch, and shot-blocking could make Guinea one of the tournament’s surprise packages.
Credit FIBA
Alpha Diallo (Guinea)
A versatile AS Monaco standout in the EuroLeague, Diallo is a two-way wing with size, defensive range, and the ability to create his own shot. Though he hasn’t played in the NBA, he’s faced and beaten NBA-level talent in Europe.
In the EuroLeague, he contributed 10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while earning the 2025 French Pro A Defensive Player of the Year award.
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