Six rising stars ready to shine in the Qualifiers

MUNICH (Germany) – The FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers are set to provide the perfect platform for some of the best rising talent on the continent to showcase their skills in a national team vest.

With the Qualifiers set to take place across three windows during November 2023, November 2024 and February 2025, a number of young guns have the opportunity to show they can make  valuable contributions along that road.

Here’s just some of the rising stars to watch, track and follow along the way!

Awak Kuier – Finland 

POWER FORWARD

Birth Date: August 19, 2001
Height: 6ft 4in / 1.94 cm
Club: Umana Reyer Venezia

With her incredible athleticism and ability to block shots and on occasion throw down a dunk, there is a whole lot to admire about Kuier. She is always capable of coming up with a spectacular play, but is also about substance too, having been thrown in at the deep end with the senior Finland team earlier in her burgeoning career. In the last Qualifiers she was awesome and racked up a staggering 19.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game to lead her team. 

More of the same will be incoming for the Susiladies this time as they hope they can finally land at the big table and make the Final Round of the competition. Kuier is also turning heads on both sides of the Atlantic with her exploits at club level and expect her to light it up this season in EuroCup Women with Umana Reyer Venezia.

Raquel Carrera – Spain 

CENTER

Birth Date: October 31, 2001
Height: 6ft 3in / 1.90 cm
Club: Valencia Basket Club

The fact that it almost feels odd to have Carrera on a list of young guns because of her already celebrated achievements with the senior team, this only further underlines her value and amazing ability. She played in the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 Final for her country and ended her second edition of the tournament as Spain’s second best scorer, rebounder and also second in efficiency. 

To have that impact at the elite level already on her resume speaks volumes and you can be sure she will step up her influence even more in these Qualifiers and if Spain punch their ticket as expected. Strong, smart and mobile, she shows no fear and has translated from impressive youth performances to doing it with the senior side. Also impactful for Valencia Basket Club in EuroLeague Women and previous in EuroCup Women, Carrera is just a top player and always fun to watch. 

Juste Jocyte – Lithuania 

SMALL FORWARD

Birth Date: November 11, 2005
Height: 6ft 2in / 1.88 cm
Club: LDLC ASVEL Feminin

A brilliant player who has already made the transition from child prodigy status to bonafide senior performer, Jocyte is expected to miss the first window of the Qualifiers because of injury. That is not just a huge blow to Lithuania, but also a disappointment for neutral basketball fans who just love to watch this young talent making it look so easy. That is one of her main attributes – the fact that she seems to have a second or two more to operate than any other player on the court. 

While Jocyte floats gracefully around the court and is easy on any basketball eye, she will quickly remind everyone that she is a stone-cold killer when it comes to getting the job done and executing plays. She’s already broken records, including becoming Lithuania’s youngest ever senior player and will have a huge influence on their prospects of progressing this qualifying campaign if she is back fro the last two windows. Meanwhile at club level she already has a EuroCup Women winners medal with LDLC ASVEL Feminin. 

Dominique Malonga – France 

CENTER

Birth Date: November 16, 2005
Height: 6ft 6in / 1.98 cm
Club: Tarbes

The youngest player on the list, Malonga will still only be 17-years-old when the first window tips off and this may be a case of watching her take some opportunities across all three stages of the Qualifiers. A phenomenal physical presence defensively with her shot blocking ability, her sheer size and wingspan has seen her dominate at youth level, starring for France at U16 level and last year on her global debut in the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.

That competition saw her make a name for herself with some awesome displays and it was enough for an All-Star Five slot, especially after a monstrous 28 points and 17 boards in the Third Place Game. Oh – and she can dunk too. Currently playing in France with Tarbes at club level, she is one to watch out for and it will be interesting to see if she can force her way into the reckoning. 

Matilde Villa – Italy 

GUARD

Birth Date: December 9, 2004
Height: 5ft 7in / 1.70 cm
Club: Umana Reyer Venezia

Seen as very much the future of Italian basketball, the outstanding talent of Villa has already been in full force throughout the various age categories including FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship this year. A prolific scorer who can also control games with her playmaking skills, she is very much a young player already showing she is built for the clutch and has every confidence when put in those situations.

That is a special thing for a young player to have that confidence and belief, which gives an insight into how she can grow in a national team vest into a future leader – perhaps sooner rather than later, despite her tender age. Indeed she got a look at the big stage when she made Italy’s roster for the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 and even if they went home earlier than they had hoped, it was a priceless experience for Villa. She is also standing out in EuroCup Women and domestically with Umana Reyer Venezia. 

Elena Buenavida – Spain 

GUARD

Birth Date: March 8, 2004
Height: 5ft 9in / 1.75 cm
Club: Valencia Basket Club

Even if Buenavida didn’t manage to force her way onto the Spanish roster for a FIBA Women’s EuroBasket debut at the 2023 edition this past summer, surely the guard will be in the mix for 2025. She was a centerpiece of her country’s fabulous and vibrant show on home soil in Madrid at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2023 when the hosts pushed USA all the way for the title. 

An excellent organizer, composed and the kind of playmaker who once established, could find herself in the senior team for a decade or more, Buenavida looks like she has what it takes to excel at the senior international level. She continues to make strides in EuroLeague Women with Valencia Basket Club and the only way is up if she continues improving. 

FIBA