By Victor Kanayo
Mali is currently leading Africa in the latest boys ranking across the world, staying at 18th globally.
This is as the country won the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2024.
Also, Guinea rose another five spots to just outside the Top 20 at number 21 following a 14th place showing at their first-ever U17 World Cup.
Global Summit
On the other hand, USA continued to reign supreme in the FIBA World Ranking boys, presented by Nike, following their title wins at both youth events they participated in.
The biggest mover in the top 10 was Italy – jumping four spots to Number 4 in the world.
USA breezed to the crown at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 and were once again dominant at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup 2024 as well, for a total of 824.4 points – slightly extending their lead over world No. 2 Spain.
Spain’s summer was highlighted by a second place at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2024, but they narrowly avoided relegation at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024, taking 13th place. Spain barely kept the second spot in the rankings ahead of France – 726.8 to 725.1 points.
The French claimed the U16 European trophy and also grabbed fifth place at the U18 continental event – to give them a spot for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025.
Italy’s Surge
Not far behind those two is another European nation: Italy, who climbed four spots from eighth place thanks to an impressive summer. They secured their best-ever result in the FIBA U17 World Cup with a second-place finish and also claimed fifth place at the U16 EuroBasket.
Serbia remained fifth in the rankings with a U18 second place and third place at U16 in Europe despite not participating in the U17 World Cup.
Australia dropped three spots to seventh after a disappointing 15th-place finish at the U17 World Cup. However, they managed to regain balance by winning the crown at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024.
Germany climbed one spot to ninth after winning the FIBA U18 EuroBasket for the first time in the nation’s history.
New Zealand Leap
The biggest jump in the Top 20 belongs to New Zealand, who moved 12 spots to No. 15 after their historic fourth place at the FIBA U17 World Cup – tying for the country’s best-ever result along with the Tall Blacks taking fourth at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2002. New Zealand also finished second at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2024.
The top-ranked South American team is Brazil at 14th while Dominican Republic is the best-ranked team from the Centrobasket region at number 17.
