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Team USA standouts Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa impress at FIBA U17 World Cup

krysten peek
Staff writer
·5-min read
Kaan Onat, #29 of Turkey, Oscar Goodman, #12 of New Zealand, AJ Dybantsa, #7 of the United States of America (USA), Cameron Boozer, #12 of the United States of America (USA) and Maikcol Perez, #1 of Italy are selected to the All-Star Five during the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup - Turkiye 2024 at Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkey on July 7, 2024. (Photo by Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP) (Photo by ALTAN GOCHER/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)
AJ Dybantsa (7) and Cameron Boozer (12) led Team USA to the gold medal. (Photo by Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP)

Team USA took home the gold medal at the FIBA U17 World Cup Sunday in commanding fashion, defeating Italy, 129-88. The 12-man roster dominated the competition during the 10-day tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, averaging 128.6 points per game and setting the scoring record when it defeated China in group play, 146-62.

AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer — the top two players in the high school senior class and the projected top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft — led the way for Team USA with over 100 NBA scouts and executives, as well as several high-major coaches, in attendance.

“This might be the most talented U17 team we’ve ever seen,” one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “If Dybantsa was in this year’s draft class, he would have been the No. 1 pick, no question.”

Dybantsa averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals during the tournament. A 6-foot-8 wing with quick burst off the dribble, Dybantsa is one of the most versatile players in high school basketball. He holds offers from Arkansas, Auburn, USC and Baylor and will be playing at Utah Prep for his senior season.

Team USA was the runaway favorite heading into the tournament and took care of business, but players from other teams also performed well on the world stage. Here’s a look at five takeaways from the FIBA U17 World Cup.

Cameron Boozer, #12 of the United States of America (USA) in action during the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup - Turkiye 2024 Quarter-final match between the United States of America (USA) and Canada at Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Turkey on July 5, 2024. (Photo by Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP) (Photo by ALTAN GOCHER/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)
Cameron Boozer was the MVP of the tournament. (Photo by Altan Gocher / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP)

Cameron Boozer took home the TISSOT Most Valuable Player award after averaging 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.7 steals during the tournament. His twin brother, Cayden, was also on the team and led all players in assists, averaging 6.4 per game. The duo aren’t necessarily a package deal for college, but they have a lot of the same offers, including Duke, Miami, North Carolina, Arkansas and Florida.

“I love playing with him and obviously we know each other’s games so well,” Cameron Boozer told Yahoo Sports. “If it works out that we can still play together, great, but we’re also going to do what’s best for us first as individuals and the best fit at the college level.”

Forwards Tyran Stokes (class of 2026) and Koa Peat (class of '25) also played extremely well. Peat’s physicality in the lane was unmatched, while Stokes showed more discipline with his shot selection and improvement as a passer, averaging 5.6 assists per game.

“There’s no egos with this group,” Peat told Yahoo Sports. “There’s so much talent, it’s ridiculous. Everyone’s versatile, everyone can shoot, dribble and pass. Our defensive versatility helps, too, and we all like playing with each other so that helps a lot with the chemistry on the court.”

The host country medaled for the second time in tournament history as Turkey topped New Zealand, 101-78, in the bronze-medal game. Derin Can Ustun led the team with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, while Cengiz Coskun and Kaan Onat both added 16 points in the win. Turkey took home the silver medal in 2016 and, after an up and down tournament this year, it finished strong in the end.

Guinea's Abdou Toure tied the record for most points in a U17 World Cup game when he dropped 50 points in a 105-101 loss to China. Toure is a four-star wing in the 2026 high school class and plays for Notre Dame high school in Connecticut. He shot 21-of-27 from the field and went 6-for-11 from 3-point range, while adding four assists and two rebounds in 37 minutes. Dzanan Musa (Bosnia and Herzegovina) set the record in 2016 and now has company at the top after Toure’s impressive performance.

Quinones played for Puerto Rico's U18 team last month and followed that up with an impressive showing in the U17 tournament. Quinones is a four-star combo guard in the 2026 class who plays high school ball at IMG Academy in Florida. During the 91-84 win over France, the 6-6 guard tallied 42 points (12-for-23 from the field), three assists and three rebounds.

“I’m just happy we got the win, that’s all that matters to me,” Quinones told Yahoo Sports. “Whatever is asked of me, I’m going to do it. Last game it was passing and facilitating, and this game, my shot was falling, so I’m just happy to get this win and advance.”

Quinones holds early offers from Michigan, Memphis, Cal, Baylor, Cincinnati and Purdue, with other schools likely to get involved after his strong summer.

France fell short this year, but entered the tournament with a younger squad. Two of its best players on this team were playing up one or two divisions. Hugo Yimga, a 6-8 wing, led France in points and rebounds, averaging 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. Nathan Soliman, who just turned 15 years old and was a player NBA scouts were eager to see in person, showed his great size and length as a perimeter player at 6-7 and displayed a solid jumper with a high release and a solid base. It was a good benchmark for scouts to see the younger French talent coming up and likely hitting the NBA in a few years.