FIBA U19 World Cup Notebook: AJ Dybantsa, Mikel Brown Jr., and Key Takeaways from Lausanne

Breaking down Team USA’s dominance, international standouts, and prospects to watch for the 2026 NBA Draft

Lausanne (Switzerland) - I’ve officially kicked off my live scouting for the 2026 NBA Draft class at one of my favorite summer events. It’s been a few years since I last attended a FIBA youth national team tournament. The last time was back in 2019. COVID impacted events for multiple summers, and then three years ago, I remember watching the tournament from a hospital room, cradling my newborn infant son on my chest while Cooper Flagg, then just 15 years old, lit up my iPad screen. Even then, I thought, “This kid is going to be the number one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.”

As we know, Flagg reclassified into the high school graduating class of 2024 and went number one overall in last month’s NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at Duke. But back then, those moments cemented why these tournaments are so valuable for early identification. FIBA youth events have long been my favorite scouting grounds to see top prospects represent their country on the international stage.

In 2019 at the FIBA U18 European Championship in Volos, Greece, battling the smoking hot sun and bouncing between two gyms with no air conditioning, I got an early look at several players before they eventually made it to the NBA. Alperen Şengün and Adem Bona suited up for Turkey before Şengün became an NBA All-Star in Houston and Bona landed with Philadelphia. Spain’s roster included first round picks in Santi Aldama and Usman Garuba. Franz Wagner and Ariel Hukporti were with Germany, and Moussa Diabate represented France.

That same summer, on a separate trip back to Greece, I attended the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup in Heraklion, where I watched Tyrese Haliburton, Kira Lewis, Jalen Green, Ziaire Williams, Jalen Suggs, Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and Evan Mobley – who didn’t play – all of whom ended up being first-round picks and lottery selections from that USA team. There were also international prospects like Lithuania’s Rokas Jokubaitis, Serbia’s Filip Petrusev, and Julian Strawther, who represented Puerto Rico and is now with the Denver Nuggets.

Those tournaments in Greece that summer were a perfect example of how basketball and travel go hand in hand for me.

Of course, behind the scenes, there’s always the logistical and financial grind that comes with scouting internationally.

Getting here was a journey in itself. I’ll be honest – I was weighing whether I’d even make the trip due to the financial cost. Switzerland is not cheap by any means, and the thought of shelling out thousands for flights and hotels wasn’t exactly motivating in this economy. I ended up leaving New York just hours after the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft wrapped up and started my journey to Lausanne. Me being the experienced budget traveler that I am, I found a cheap ticket and a cheap hotel room… which led to a crazy journey. I flew from New York to Brussels, then from Brussels to Lyon, France, and from Lyon I took a three-hour train ride into Lausanne. It was a long trek, but it was scenic. I got a chance to just take in the beauty of southeast France and Switzerland – the mountains, the forests, the crystal-clear blue waters of Lake Geneva. All of it reminded me why it’s worth the long journey. I love scouting. I love international basketball. It was all worth it.

All the travel fatigue faded quickly once I realized how much this year’s event stood out compared to past tournaments.

Since my last in-person FIBA event in 2019, there’s been a noticeable influx of American college coaches and NBA scouts in attendance. It’s indicative of the growing wave of international prospects choosing the college route over traditional European pro pathways. That led to plenty of conversations in the stands. Some international coaches love that their players can go to college, make real money – in some cases millions – and earn playing time while getting an education. Others are deeply concerned about how Europe will sustain its domestic leagues if top talent keeps leaving before they even turn 18.

Regardless of which side you’re on, the talent on display this week was undeniable. Team USA was back on top after failing to reach the podium at the last U19 World Cup, reasserting its depth and athletic dominance at this age group.

Here are some of my overall thoughts and player evaluations from Lausanne this week: