The 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying, taking place July 2-7, offers teams a chance to qualify for the upcoming Paris Olympics and gives international talent a chance at showcasing for pro teams, including NBA squads. Here is a look at several NBA prospects participating in the tourney.
18 NBA Prospects to Watch During 2024 FIBA Olympics Qualifying Tournament
Juan Nunez, Spain
Juan Nunez was a second-round pick of the Indiana Pacers. The 20-year-old is a true point guard with a pass-first mentality who likes getting to the bucket. He averaged 9.8 points, 4.9 assists, and 1.6 steals with shooting splits of 47.0/31.9/60.7%.
Rokas Jokubaitis. Lithuania
Rokas Jokubaitis was a 2021 second-round pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose rights belong to the New York Knicks. Jokubaitis played for the Knicks during the 2021-22 summer league and had a fantastic 2023 World Cup, compiling 12.6 points and 5.8 assists while making 1.4 treys with shooting splits of 50.7/55.0/82.4%.
Azuolas Tubelis, Lithuania
Azuolas Tubelis went undrafted in 2023 after an outstanding junior collegiate campaign at Arizona. The 6-10 power forward played in the 2023-24 summer league for Philadelphia and participated in their training camp on a two-way contract. He was named the 2023-24 Lithuania LKL MVP.
Igor Milicic Jr. Poland
Igor Milicic Jr. is a 6-10 power forward who transferred to Tennesee following a few seasons at Charlotte. Milicic, an early 2024 NBA draft entrant, produced a career year last year, averaging 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. He drained 1.8 threes with 48.7/37.6/81.8% shooting splits.
George Conduit IV, Puerto Rico
George Conduit IV went undrafted in 2022 out of Iowa State. The 6-11 power forward plays for Portland Trail Blazers G-League team Rip City Remix in 2023-24.
Conduit is known more for his athleticism and defense, though he was very efficient with the Remix, averaging 1.56 points per shot. With the Remix, he compiled 14 double-doubles and averaged 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, with shooting splits of 62.5/20.0/59.2%.
Aleem Ford, Puerto Rico
Aleem Ford is a fringe NBA prospect. Undrafted in 2021, the 26-year-old 3-point specialist has spent the last three years in the G-League. He played for the Wisconsin Herd and Canton Charge the previous season.
Tremont Waters, Puerto Rico
Tremont Waters is a pure scorer who is 26 and on the smallish size at 5-foot-10. If Waters, who has 40 games of NBA experience, can demonstrate the ability to be an adequate defender and cut down on turnovers, he may get another shot in the Association.
Ethan Thompson, Puerto Rico
Similar to Waters, though much bigger, Ethan Thompson is a scorer. Thompson, who has spent the last three seasons in the G-League after going undrafted in 2021, is more of a slasher than a shooter. The 25-year-old wing is coming off a career year with Mexico City Capitones of the G-League, compiling 22.7 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals with shooting splits of 41.4/31.0/88.1%.
Jean Montero, Dominican Republic
Jean Montero went undrafted in 2022 and struggled with the New York Knicks summer league squad that season. But he is still just 20 and coming off a solid season with Spanish club MoraBanc Andorra, compiling 15.7 points, 5.0, and 2.0 steals with shooting splits of 41.4/32.5/89.2%.
Miro Little, Finland
Miro Little transferred to Utah after playing sparingly with Baylor in 2023-24. The 20-year-old guard, a consensus top 50 2023 recruit, appeared in 34 games for the Bears.
Olivier Nkamamhou, Finland
Olivier Nkamamhou went undrafted in 2023-24 after a solid collegiate career with Tennessee and Michigan. He participated in the G-League Elite Camp this past spring.
Mikael Jantunen, Finland
Mikael Jantunen is a 6-8 power forward who is a fringe NBA prospect. The 24-year-old, undrafted in 2022, has played on Golden State’s summer league team for the past two years. Shooting is his specialty.
Miikka Murrinen, Finland
Miikka Muurinen is a four-star 2026 prospect. The 17-year-old 6-10 power forward plays at AZ Compass Prep in Wichita (KS). He holds eight scholarship offers, including Nebraska, Texas Tech, Illinois, and UCLA.
Kai Soto, Philippines
Kai Soto isn’t really an NBA prospect, but the 7-3 22-year-old center is someone to watch from the Philippines, as it is so rare the country produces a player of close to NBA caliber. Soto did partake in the 2023-24 NBA Summer League with Orlando, and a good showing may earn him another invitation down the line. He averaged 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14 minutes in five World Cup appearances last year.
Patrick Gardner, Egypt
Patrick Gardner is a late bloomer who is a fringe NBA prospect. The 25-year-old center, who went undrafted in 2023, is a good rim protector, an outstanding rebounder, and very efficient offensively. This past season, he played with Brooklyn’s G-League squad, Long Island Nets.
VJ Edgecombe, Bahamas
VJ Edgecombe is a consensus top-5 2024 recruit who chose Baylor. Edgecombe is also considered a top 2025 NBA draft prospect.
Here is what On3’s Jaime Shaw said about Edgecombe:
When watching VJ Edgecombe, it’s the feel for the game that really pops. He never seems to force any of the action, making the right play, the right pass, the right read. Edgecombe is an explosive athlete, which helps him in transition as well as on the defensive end. He is a good shooter and forms a good base with consistent release. The jumper can be somewhat of a set shot, and he is more comfortable off the catch than shooting (from three) off the bounce. He is very instinctive on the defensive end, shooting the passing lanes aggressively. He moves his feet well on defense, guarding on the ball. He has good length and quick hands. Good vision and processes the game well. He gets a lot done in an efficient manner, you like that moving forward—lots of natural instincts. Not afraid of the moment. Comfortable on the ball as a secondary initiator type.
Donovan Freeman, Bahamas
Donovan Freeman was a consensus 2024 top-10 recruit who chose Syracuse.
Here is what 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein said about Freeman:
There aren’t many more naturally talented four-men in the national class of 2024 than Freeman. He has a wealth of tools with good size, soft hands, touch, mobility, and athleticism, that give him the potential to be a versatile two-way player. Those gifts made him a high-profile prospect early on in his high school years, but he’s just now beginning to turn potential into production on a more consistent basis. He’s still fairly undeveloped physically with a leaner base in his lower body and an upper body that hasn’t filled out yet. He’ll need to add a significant amount of muscle mass in the coming years, but if he can do that while still maintaining his ability to run and jump with the same fluidity and agility, there is obvious physical upside. Offensively, he shows flashes of being a true three-range weapon. He’s already a bouncy finisher at the rim who is a shooting threat out to the arc, and likes to rise over contesting defenders from both the mid-post and mid-range areas. He’s not yet much of a creator off the bounce, can get knocked off his spots, and be occasionally turnover prone in the process. Defensively, he can both move laterally and get off his feet to block shots and that versatility should only continue to develop as he adds strength. He’s a solid rebounder, but could be more assertive in that area. Overall, Freeman has all the tools a developing four-man could want, it’s just a matter of him getting physically stronger, making sure the motor is always running at full throttle, and continuing to increase the total impact he makes on both ends of the floor.”
Deyton Albury, Bahamas
Deyton Albury transferred to Utah after spending the past season at Quenns University (NC). The 6-2 guard averaged 17.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds with shooting splits of 48.2/36.4/75.0%.
