BRNO (Czechia) - The FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup has long been a platform for the best young talent on the planet to showcase their skills.
Looking back at those who have shone brightly at each edition, you'll find a lengthy list of names who went on to even bigger things.
We throw a spotlight on the All-Star Five lineups from the last decade and see where it took each member.
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Breanna Stewart was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2013 edition
MVP Breanna Stewart (USA), Olivia Epoupa (FRA), Jamie Weisner (CAN), Stephanie Talbot (AUS), Astou Ndour (ESP) Stewart is a global icon of the women's game and racked up multiple Olympic and FIBA Basketball World Cup titles. She has also conquered EuroLeague Women and the WNBA with many individual honors along the way. Epoupa went on to play at the Olympics in 2016, FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in 2018 and at four editions of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket. She has also played frequently in EuroLeague and EuroCup Women. Weisner married and became known as Jamie Scott, winning FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2017, playing at the FIBA Worlds a year later. She also helped Oregon State make their first ever Final Four prior to becoming pro.
Talbot is a three-time Olympian who won bronze with the Opals at Paris 2024. She's played twice at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, winning silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022 - also playing regularly in the WNBA. Ndour was central to history for Spain as they made the Olympic Final in Rio, while she was also MVP and champion of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket in 2019 - also playing in the FIBA Worlds in 2018 and taking bronze.
A'ja Wilson was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2015 edition
MVP A'ja Wilson (USA), Napheesa Collier (USA), Maria Vadeeva (RUS), Daria Kolosovskaya (RUS), Alanna Smith (AUS)
Wilson is renowned as one of the best ballers in female hoops and is a superstar now. She was MVP of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and also at Paris 2024. She's also won titles and accolades in the WNBA.
Collier has become an integral part of the USA senior team as a double Olympic gold medalist, FIBA Women's AmeriCup winner. She's also a multiple WNBA All-Star and has won EuroLeague Women with Fenerbahce.
Vadeeva went on to win the U19 Worlds at the 2017 edition, making history with Russia and doing it as the tournament MVP to make it an even more memorable experience.
Kolosovskaya did not progress at senior level, focusing on her club career. She played EuroCup Women across multiple seasons with the famous Sparta&K M.R Vidnoje and most recently with Nadezdha and Samara.
Smith competed in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final in 2018, is a two-time Olympian and was impressive at Paris 2024 as the Opals took bronze. She's played club basketball in Europe, Asia and the States.
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Maria Vadeeva was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2017 edition
MVP Maria Vadeeva (RUS), Raisa Musina (RUS), Laeticia Amihere (CAN), Chennedy Carter (USA), Tyasha Harris (USA)
Vadeeva played at four editions of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket with Russia as their centerpeice and made positive waves at club level. She won EuroLeague Women with UMMC Ekaterinburg and has also played WNBA.
Musina was unfortunate to be squeezed out in the MVP race in Udine. She showed her quality at three editions of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket. The forward also won EuroLeague Women with UMMC Ekaterinburg.
Amihere has played for Canada at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and is a double Olympian. She won the NCAA title with South Carolina and at club level has played in the WNBA and in Australia.
Carter played with the USA at the Pan-American Games and won a silver medal. She was the highest ever drafted player for Texas A&M, was on the WNBA Rookie Team of the Year and has also played in China and Mexico.
Harris also competed with the USA at the Pan-American Games and took a silver. The first South Carolina player to hand out 700 assists, she has since moved into the pro-game and played in the WNBA, Russia and Türkiye.
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Paige Bueckers was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2019 edition
MVP Paige Bueckers (USA), Rhyne Howard (USA), Alexandra Fowler (AUS), Lola Pendande (ESP), Billie Massey (BEL)
Bueckers is a superstar with 2.6 million Instagram followers. She won the NCAA title with UConn in her senior year and is progressing in the WNBA. She is also expected to shine in a big way with the senior USA team too. Howard went on to win the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2021, but just missed out on the Paris 2024 roster. The number one draft pick in 2022, she's played EuroLeague Women with Beretta Famila Schio as well as the WNBA.
Fowler has played 3x3 for the Opals. She graduated the University of Portland and has played pro in the WNBL in her homeland with Townsville Fire.
Pendande played for Spain at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023. After NCAA time with the University of Utah and University of Miami. She has since played club basketball and in EuroCup Women with IDK Euskotren.
Massey made history when crowned a FIBA Women's EuroBasket champion in 2023. A double-Olympian, she played at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and at club level in EuroCup Women with multiple teams.
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Caitlin Clark was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2021 edition
MVP Caitlin Clark (USA), Sonia Citron (USA), Jade Melbourne (AUS), Julia Boros (HUN), Sika Kone (MLI)
Clark is on course to be one of the biggest ballers on the planet (men or women) and highest profile athletes at LA 2028. She posted record-breaking NCAA exploits and has impacted on the WNBA. Senior USA action will follow.
Citron showed her skills in the College game in a big way with Michigan State and that was shown as she was the third pick in this year's WNBA Draft. All eyes are now on her transition into the pro-game and how she will do.
Melbourne won bronze at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2021 with the Opals and made her Olympic debut last year when she was crowned Paris 2024 Rising Star. She's playing WNBA again and continuing to grow her reputation.
Boros was excellent the following year at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket and will keep pushing for a senior team call up for Hungary. She has played both EuroLeague and EuroCup Women TARR KSC Szekszard.
Kone has won silver and bronze at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket, also taking to the court at a historical FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022. She's played WNBA and was EuroLeague Women Young Player of the Year.
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Iyana Martin was MVP to lead the All-Star Five at the 2023 edition
MVP Iyana Martin (ESP), Hannah Hidalgo (USA), Joyce Edwards (USA), Toby Fournier (CAN), Leila Lacan (FRA)
Martin is now a senior team star for Spain and showed out in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. She was amazing for Perfumerias Avenida and won EuroLeague Women Young Player of the Year in her rookie season.
Hidalgo was named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and is only the second teenager to have landed the accolade. She has been continuing to excel in the NCAA with Notre Dame.
Edwards went on to be named MVP at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup Women 2024 and is a star in the College game at South Carolina.
Fournier has just completed a very impressive NCAA season with Duke and the Canadian is expected to become a hugely influential player during the rest of her career there.
Lacan was handed an Olympic debut on home soil for Paris 2024 and famously won silver. She has also played in EuroLeague and EuroCup Women, while also winning the 2024-25 French Championship with Basket Landes.
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