FIBA World Cup’s Inaugural Award Ranking Brings Surprise to Fans but Might Upset Paolo Banchero and Co

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is in full swing, and all countries have played at least three matches in the tournament. Excitement among the fans is at an all-time high as the moment of crowning the 2023 World Champions comes closer. The FIBA World Cup has also provided a global platform for young athletes around the world to showcase their talent and help their nation reach the ultimate prize. To make things even more competitive, FIBA will give out their first-ever Wanda Rising Star Award at the end of the tournament.

The inaugural Wanda Rising Star Award will go to the most promising and impactful young player of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. After the end of Round 1 of the tournament, the rankings for the inaugural award surprised the NBA fans as international players came out as frontrunners over American forward Paolo Banchero.

International NBA players lead the rankings over a Team USA Forward

Even though Team USA won all three of their matches in Round 1 of the World Cup, their 20-year-old forward Paolo Banchero was unable to lead the rankings for the Wanda Rising Star award.

According to the eligibility criteria, a player must be 21 years or younger and have played a minimum of 4 matches in the tournament, to be considered for the award. Paolo Banchero is the only player in Team USA eligible to win this prestigious award. The Orlando Magic forward averaged 12.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in Round 1 of the tournament. His performance put him in the 5th spot in the rankings for the Wanda Rising Star award.

The list came as a surprise to basketball fans as two young International NBA stars led the rankings.

First on the list was the Australian Forward Josh Giddey. Averaging 19 points, 7.3 assists, and 5 rebounds, the 20-year-old has proven his worth on both sides of the court. Giddey led the Australian squad to two victories in the three matches they played in Round 1.

Following Josh Giddey is another young talent with a name similar to 2-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. 20-year-old Serbian forward Nikola Jovic has taken over the tournament with his elite performance at a young age. He averaged 17 points and 3 assists in Round 1, leading his team to 3 important victories.

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Apart from these NBA players, Juan Nunez and Jean Montero are also ahead of Paolo in the rankings.

The Wanda Rising Stars Award is still up for grabs

Despite the current rankings, it is still uncertain which young player will take home the inaugural trophy. There is a lot of basketball left to be played, and players like Paolo Banchero can turn it up a notch when needed. With Coach Steve Kerr constantly rotating Team USA’s roster, Banchero did not get enough playing time in Round 1.

Hopefully, Steve Kerr will find the right player combination to put on the floor, and Banchero will become a key piece for Team USA going forward. Josh Giddey and Nikola Jovic will look to continue their impressive performance in the more crucial stages of the tournament.

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With young players from multiple nations gunning for the inaugural Wanda Rising Star Award, it will be exciting to see which player eventually gets to take the award home. That being said, whoever wins the prestigious award will have truly deserved it, considering the level of competition they are facing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.