College basketball's 10 international freshmen to know ahead of 2023-24 – 247Sports

Discovering hidden, under-the-radar, international talent is not so easy anymore. It has never been a novel concept for college programs to dip their toes in international waters for players, but it’s become almost an essential piece of roster-building because everyone else has made it a priority. Gonzaga built a dynasty on the backs of international recruiting, but Mark Few doesn’t have the pick of the litter anymore. Gonzaga is a player, not the player for rising international stars who want to play high-major college basketball.
Why has there been a shift for so many programs? The talent just keeps getting better and better. Numerous college coaches have envied the way youth sports are run in Europe where young players get loads of opportunities to refine their skills against older players. There’s a belief that some international players are more inclined to accept tough coaching because that’s the norm, not the exception. 
Plus, there are now avenues for international players to cash in on the new Name, Image and Likeness guidelines.
Win-win for everyone.
It wouldn’t be a conversation if the talent wasn’t up to par. Elite prospects like Germany’s Franz Wagner (Michigan) or Lithuania’s Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga) have thrived at the college ranks before turning into lottery picks. Even players like Mo Wagner (Michigan) and Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga) struggled as freshmen before turning into first-round picks.
“There’s lot of data points you can probably go to, but everybody might be a little different,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “I’ve always tried to give international guys a little bit of grace and time to adjust. It might take a year.
There’s more NBA-caliber talent on the way. College basketball doesn’t want to be left out of the talent grab.
Team USA’s U19 squad was loaded with five-star talent, but the Americans finished fourth in the FIBA World Cup behind Spain, France and Turkey. Even in the senior division, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and a host of NBA All-Stars fell short of the podium and placed fourth behind Germany, Serbia and Canada, respectively. LeBron James is rallying the cause to get the alphas together for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics because the competition will be stiff, according to a report by Shams Charania.
Basketball is a global game with talent galore. It’s why UCLA coach Mick Cronin hired tied-in Serbian Ivo Simović in June of 2022. It’s why programs like Arizona, Marquette, Tennessee, Florida, Baylor, Kansas and Duke (among others) are constantly aiming to land some of the top talent from the NBA Global Academy which has produced studs like Bennedict Mathurin, Santiago Vescovi, Tyrese Proctor and many more.
RELATED: Why Mick Cronin’s gamble on talented international freshmen is a smart bet for UCLA
It’s not stopping and it won’t. It’s just part of the process, just like recruiting the top American players and just like posturing for the transfer portal’s best hoopers. It’s not just high-major programs, either. San Francisco was and is a player for international talent. Davidson, Utah State and UC Santa Barbara are other mid-major programs that have found superstars.
“It is year-by-year roster building because young men can transfer,” UC Santa Barbara coach Joe Pasternack told 247Sports this summer. “We have a lot of high school guys. Our Player of the Year Ajay Mitchell came from Belgium. We got guys from (junior college), high school, international and the transfer portal. We’ve tried to attack every angle possible that can fit at our university. You gotta have a really organized staff and approach to recruiting.”
Plenty of international players have come to the United States ahead of time to prepare for college basketball and the NBA. Kofi Cockburn left Jamaica at 16 to play high school basketball in New York for a few years before turning into an All-American at Illinois. Zach Edey left Canada to ride the bench for loaded IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He turned into the National Player of the Year a few years later because Matt Painter saw something unique about the 7-foot-4, 300-pound monster.
But plenty of international prospects are coming to live in the United States for the first time ahead of the 2023-24 season.
“It’s still hard for international players to get the right opportunity here in the USA,” Simovic, then a Loyola-Maryland assistant, told Basketball NCAA’s Riccardo De Angelis in 2018. “The most important thing for international performers is mental toughness. And also get support from the coaches once they get here. Definitely this is a different world. They like to say here: ‘Welcome to USA, no free meals.'”
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Here are some of the top international freshmen who just came to the United States within the past year and will have a shot to make a real splash in 2023-24:
Projected role: Frontcourt rotation
The skinny: Xavier adding Lazar Djokovic to its roster in early August suddenly looks like a monster acquisition after some rotten injury luck. Xavier is facing the reality that starting forwards Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter could miss the entire season, per Musketeer Report’s Rick Broering. North Texas transfer Abou Ousmane looks poised to be a Day One starter, but Djokovic could also be called upon for an expanded role.
The talented Serbian will be ready to answer the bell.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pound big man averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 steals for Serbia in seven games at the FIBA U19 World Cup in June. But how he racked up his stats was far more impressive than the actual numbers themselves.
Djokovic showcased the skill and fluidity Sean Miller requires from his big men. Djokovic is poised to operate as a pick-and-pop threat who is capable of taking it off the bounce for rim-rocking jams. Djokovic owns soft touch around the rim and should be a safety blanket for Xavier’s talented guards. He’s more of a play-finisher than a play-creator right now, but Djokovic has some passing chops in his bag of tricks.
RELATED: How Lazar Djokovic fits into Xavier’s offense
Djokovic will be pushed by the Big East’s rugged big men on the defensive end, and opposing coaches will certainly test if he’s able to move his feet on the perimeter against ball-screens. Can he hold up at the 5 or is he better suited as a 4? Those questions have to be answered, but Miller certainly needs Djokovic to be a real piece of this frontcourt rotation alongside Indiana transfer Logan Duncomb and Ousmane.
Projected role: Backcourt depth
The skinny: Gonzaga is at it again. Croatian guard Luka Krajnović is on the way to join the Zags after a dominant showing in the Croatian Premier League. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard is a score-first lead guard who could crowbar his way into Gonzaga’s rotation if the offense translates. Krajnović shot over 35% from 3-point range last year, and Gonzaga needed another weapon after Aussie star Alex Toohey decommitted from the Zags to play for the Sydney Kings in the Australian National Basketball League Next Stars.
Krajnović can throw his hat into the ring for minutes behind Nolan Hickman, Ryan Nembhard and Steele Venters in Gonzaga’s backcourt. 
“Luka is a guard that can really help us,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He is versatile and has decent size. He also had good experiences playing against older guys back home in Croatia.”
Luka Krajnovic ?? (2004) is having a tremendously productive season in the Croatian Premijer liga. Averaging 17.4pts on 64.5 TS% through the season at just 18 years old. Had 18pts, 8reb & 6ast in a game against Sibenik yesterday. Potential as a future top-level guard in Europe. pic.twitter.com/dkI849plJl

 
Projected role: Frontcourt rotation
The skinny: Tommy Lloyd is one of the top international recruiters in the sport. He helped Gonzaga be a haven for international talent, and now he’s leading Arizona on a similar charge. Arizona has housed a ton of international players, but Lloyd didn’t need any of his youngsters to play a big role right away because Arizona’s vets dominated the playing time.
It’s a smart bet. It allows international players to get comfortable in a new environment and benefit from Arizona’s strong player-development program.
It’s happening again in 2023-24. 
Arizona doesn’t need Motiejus Krivas to be a star, but the 7-foot-2, 265-pound center is the best bet of Arizona’s newcomers to crack the rotation. The Lithuanian center has turned into a strong defensive prospect, and Krivas flashed some of his impact on Arizona’s international trip. Krivas was an active maven on the offensive glass, and he moves very well on the defensive end. He’s armed with a wingspan that skyscraper cranes would be jealous of. Of course, this Arizona frontcourt belongs to Oumar Ballo and San Diego State transfer Keshad Johnson. But Krivas is a name to know in the future and don’t be surprised if he sticks in the rotation a little earlier than initially expected.
Projected role: Backcourt rotation
The skinny: Only four college basketball players earned a spot for their senior national team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup: Purdue’s Zach Edey (Canada), Nebraska’s Keisei Tominaga (Japan), Michigan’s Olivier Nkamhoua (Finland) and incoming Baylor freshman Miro Little (Finland). Little was the youngest player in the tournament, but he certainly held his own. Little averaged five points, 4.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds for Finland in 17 minutes per game. 
It’s a good indication of what’s to come. Scott Drew and his staff have big plans for Little, and he’s shown the toughness, playmaking and savviness to handle the gauntlet that’s coming. Baylor made sure to add enough veteran ball-handlers to ease the load on Little. Toledo transfer RayJ Dennis was an enormous get for Baylor in the portal, and VCU transfer Jayden Nunn is another starting guard. But Little, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound point guard, should crack Baylor’s rotation quickly. He’s got an inside track to play real, legitimate minutes from the jump, and he’s part of Baylor’s phenomenal, three-man recruiting class. Little, five-star Ja’Kobe Walter and dominant big man Yves Missi — who came to the United States from Cameroon a few years ago — can all be starters or rotation players for the Bears in 2023-24.
International products have been a staple of Drew’s program at Baylor. Little and Missi are up next to carry the flag and make Baylor a destination for international talent.
Projected role: Frontcourt rotation
The skinny: Aday Mara is a problem because he’s just so darn big. It’s impossible to truly prepare for 7-foot-3 and 240 pounds. But Mara’s ball skills are a true separator and a big reason why he’s a five-star prospect and a potential one-and-done candidate. Mara is an elite passer with a remarkable feel for the game. Mara, allegedly, has eyes in the back of his head, and he can whip precise passes from all areas of the court. The pure, raw size allows Mara to be a lob threat at all times, and the Spaniard goes into “hunt mode” when shots go up. He’s just relentless on the offensive glass and can keep possessions alive.
RELATED: How Aday Mara fits into loaded UCLA frontcourt
Mara averaged 14.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 blocks for Spain in seven games at the FIBA U18 European Championships. The scary (good) part for UCLA is that Mara might not even be its best big man. Sophomore Adem Bona holds that crown for now. If Mara is your second-best center, that’s a first-world problem to solve. Mick Cronin and the UCLA staff might need to be a bit creative to make that Mara-Bona combination work flawlessly.
Projected role: Backcourt rotation
The skinny: Jan Vide is a ready-made guard for UCLA who should garner minutes from the jump. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound lead guard was dominant for Slovenia at the FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 17.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals in seven games.
RELATED: Why Jan Vide can help UCLA both now and in the future
Skilled size has been a staple of UCLA’s roster-building decisions throughout the cycle, and Vide fits the bill. Vide should live in the paint, and he has the size and smarts to live at the free throw line. Vide should provide loads of rim pressure when he’s playing point guard for UCLA’s second unit, and he has the size to shift to the 2 when Dylan Andrews is running the show.
Before Jan Vide starred at the FIBA u19 games earlier this summer, many people actually viewed him as the least celebrated of UCLA’s four international recruits, a testament to just how good the class is.
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Projected role: Starter.
The skinny: Berke Buyuktuncel is not the highest-rated recruit in UCLA’s star-studded recruiting class, but the 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward might be the most productive in Year One. Buyuktuncel averaged 11.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks for Turkey in seven games at the FIBA U19 World Cup, and he’s projected to get the first crack at replacing UCLA star and reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Jaime Jaquez.
Modern basketball requires 4-men to cover up so many gaps on both ends of the floor, but Buyuktuncel can do it. Offensively, he’s a legitimate sniper from downtown who can run off screens or operate in pick-and-pops. He’s able to grab and go to kickstart transition opportunities, and Buyuktuncel showed fantastic court awareness and vision. Defensively, Buyuktuncel can guard up and down the lineup. Targeting him in pick-and-rolls wasn’t smart for opposing offenses.
RELATED: How 13 possessions against Team USA show Berke Buyuktuncel’s true impact
Buyuktuncel is poised for a monster role for UCLA from the jump and will be a favorite to win Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Projected role: Wing depth
The skinny: Kansas is the preseason No. 1 team in the country, but it’s not super deep. Dajuan Harris, Arterio Morris and Elmarko Jackson will handle the bulk of the backcourt minutes. Kevin McCullar and Nick Timberlake are on the wing. KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson are poised to start at the two frontcourt spots with Santa Clara transfer Parker Braun slated to be the top frontcourt backup. There’s room for someone else to fist-fight their way into the rotation.
Insert Johnny Furphy.
The 6-foot-8, 202-pound Australian wing burst onto the scene this summer at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta and the Sportradar Showdown in Las Vegas.
2024 forward Johnny Furphy has been the breakout player of the NBA Academy Games and here’s a short example as to why.

Versatile, skilled, athletic and had some fearless moments attacking the rim. pic.twitter.com/TY0NtVKRDs
Furphy has nasty bounce, and the shooting stroke has certainly developed into a real part of his arsenal. Bill Self has used the Christian Braun comparison for Furphy this summer, and the Aussie can help Kansas if he copies Braun’s most under-appreciated skill: cutting.
Dickinson is one of the top offensive big men in the country. He’s terrifying in one-on-one situations on the block, but double-teaming Dickinson wasn’t a great strategy either because he developed into a savvy playmaker. The double-teams on Dickinson will still come –– it’s an essential detail of Houston’s defensive gameplan –– and Furphy has to embrace moving without the basketball to make opponents pay for it. If Furphy’s cutting translates, both Harris and Dickinson are unselfish enough to get him a boatload of easy looks and he can finish above the rim on just about anyone.
Kansas’ top-7 minute-getters look set. Furphy can certainly cut his way into that eighth-man slot.

Projected role: Frontcourt depth
The skinny: Disclaimer: Zvonimir Ivisic is still waiting to get the all-clear from Kentucky’s admissions office. If that issue gets resolved in the near future, Ivisic will be a dynamic addition to a Kentucky frontcourt that has injury concerns but loads of dazzling upside.
The 7-foot-2, 220-pound 19-year-old center averaged 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks while shooting 34% from 3-point range on 4.6 attempts in 19.4 minutes per game for Croatia at the FIBA U20 European Championships in Greece in July. Protecting the rim isn’t really a huge piece of West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell’s game which makes the Ivisic addition even more important.
The academic red tape has certainly put Ivisic behind the 8-ball, but there’s a path to real minutes if recoveries from foot injuries to Kentucky’s big men (Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso) spill into the regular season. 
An Ivisic-Mitchell frontcourt pairing would give Kentucky two big men who can stretch the floor, and Ivisic’s size paired with Mitchell’s playmaking could lead to some useful counters to Kentucky’s ball-screen offense. But the shooting is really what makes Ivisic tantalizing. If the Croatian can get the thumbs up from the UK staff to hunt his jumper, Kentucky’s spacing changes dramatically.
“Big Z is a dynamic and modern big who has guard-like skills but can make a major impact around the rim,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said. “Defensively, he is an elite shot blocker who moves well for being 7-foot-2 and can impact the game from the outside-in because of his ability to make 3s. As excited as he is to play for us, I’m just as excited to have the opportunity to coach him. We can’t wait to get him to campus to get integrated with our team and our culture.”
Projected role: Frontcourt depth
The skinny: Hopefully, we can all find something we love as much as Juwan Howard loves power forwards. Michigan has loaded up on 4s ahead of an important 2023-24 campaign. Tennessee transfer Olivier Nkamhoua and Seton Hall transfer Tray Jackson joined Will Tschetter, Jace Howard and Terrance Williams in the scrabble for frontcourt minutes.
Five power forwards clearly were not enough, so Juwan Howard landed a sixth: Argentian forward Lee Aaliya.
It’s a smart gamble. Aaliya was one of the top players at the FIBA U19 World Cup in July, and the 6-foot-9 forward can legitimately help Michigan … eventually. Aaliya is remarkably comfortable slipping in and out of ball screens. When he gets around the rim, Aaliya was automatic in the World Cup. Nkamhoua is the alpha of Michigan’s frontcourt. There are big expectations for Michigan sophomore Tarris Reed Jr. Maybe Terrance Williams gets shifted to play the 3. Aaliya is suddenly competing with Tschetter and Jackson for that coveted third frontcourt slot. Can Aaliya rip it away? We’ll see. But he could be a monster part of Michigan’s frontcourt next year when Jackson and Nkamhoua exhaust their eligibility.

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