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Myron MedcalfFeb 11, 2026, 08:30 AM ET
- Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.
On Feb. 15, the NBA will debut a brand recent All-Vital person Sport structure that beneficial properties three teams in a mini “USA vs. the World” match. The rosters are stacked with stars: The US teams consist of future Corridor of Famers, and the field squad has one of the principal tip global abilities in the NBA.
Based mostly totally on that All-Vital person tweak, we own made up our minds to position together our contain “USA vs. the World” teams in college basketball.
The NBA’s global crew beneficial properties players from spherical the field — and Karl-Anthony Towns, who changed into born in Novel Jersey but whose slow mother changed into from the Dominican Republic. He has stated his desire to sooner or later honor her by playing for the Dominican nationwide crew in the Olympics.
We have previous identical standards so that you can add players to our world crew. They either had been born in a foreign country, own played for one other country’s nationwide crew, or own a parent from one other country and could maybe per chance well qualify to list that nation sooner or later, even in the occasion that they’re U.S.-born.
Each and every crew has five starters, eight reserves and two alternates.
Who are you selecting on this matchup? Body of workers USA or Body of workers World?
TEAM WORLD
Starters
G Christian Anderson, Texas Tech (Germany)
The Texas Tech enormous name (19.6 PPG, 7.5 APG, 44% from previous the arc) is the son of a German father and no longer too lengthy in the past played for Germany’s 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup crew. In that tournament, he averaged 17.3 PPG, leading the nation to a silver medal. He could maybe per chance maybe be an All-American this season and list Germany all over again in the 2028 Olympic Summer season Video games.
G/F AJ Dybantsa, BYU (Jamaica)
The seemingly No. 1 decide in the upcoming NBA draft changed into born and raised in Boston, and he has won three gold medals with Body of workers USA in FIBA competitors. He additionally has a connection to Jamaica, where his mother changed into born. Dybantsa no longer too lengthy in the past launched a support effort to abet the country earn better after Typhoon Melissa. He’ll additionally own a route to list his mother’s fatherland in global competitors sooner or later, if he so chooses.
F Nate Ament, Tennessee (Rwanda)
Ament, a 6-foot-10 projected lottery decide, has averaged 25.4 PPG and related on 50% of his 3-point attempts in Tennessee’s previous five video games. The Vols are 4-1 for the length of that stretch. He’s on this roster on legend of of his basketball prowess, but additionally on legend of of his connection to his mother’s dwelling country, Rwanda, where he additionally organized a basketball camp and charitable effort final summer season.
F Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan (Dominican Republic)
Lendeborg is the leader of a Wolverines squad that is ranked first on KenPom. He has made 67% of his photographs within the arc this season. Off the court docket and on it, he has stable ties to the Dominican Republic, which every and every his mother and father represented in nationwide competitors. Lendeborg has stated a desire to appear at in their footsteps and play for the country in future competitions.
C Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s (Nigeria)
He changed into born in Texas, but the Broad East Preseason Player of the twelve months moved to Nigeria with his family when he changed into younger prior to returning to the US in the sixth grade — and by the intention in which discovering a admire for basketball. Ejiofor, who had 21 beneficial properties, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals in his crew’s rating over UConn on Friday, has helped St. John’s rating 10 video games in a row.
Reserves
G Aden Holloway, Alabama (Canada)
In 2023, Holloway scored 15 beneficial properties at the Nike Hoop Summit, where he represented Canada. His tie to the country? The Alabama guard’s mother changed into born in Calgary and raised in Toronto. This season, he is averaging 17.2 PPG and connecting on 44% of his photographs from previous the arc.
F Thijs De Ridder, Virginia (Belgium)
The standout freshman helped Belgium proper a fourth-build cease in the FIBA U20 European Championship in 2023. At Virginia, De Ridder is averaging 16.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 37% from 3, helping to construct the Cavaliers an ACC contender in Ryan Odom’s first season as head coach.
C Rueben Chinyelu, Florida (Nigeria)
He has played a pivotal role in Florida’s turnaround in the second half of this season, making 69% of his photographs spherical the rim and holding opposing players to a 40% clip in the an identical category, per Synergy Sports actions.
G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford (Nigeria)
The freshman standout scored 40 beneficial properties in a rating over Georgia Tech on Saturday and has now scored no longer lower than 25 beneficial properties in 11 video games. He’s currently sixth in the nation in scoring (22.4 PPG). His family is from Nigeria, and he has finished nonprofit work there as effectively.
F Alex Condon, Florida (Australia)
The Australian forward withdrew from the NBA draft in the offseason for a possibility to rating one other nationwide title. He has positioned the Gators to attain exactly that with a stable commence up to his junior season, averaging 13.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.5 BPG.
F Flory Bidunga, Kansas (Democratic Republic of Congo)
The Kansas immense man has held the Jayhawks together in a turbulent season plump of injuries and adversity. Hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo, he is averaging a ambitious 14.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG and a pair of.6 BPG.
C Henri Veesaar, North Carolina (Estonia)
Veesaar’s snatch 3 in the final minutes of UNC’s rating over Duke on Saturday changed into his greatest moment in a season plump of highlights. The Estonian center is averaging 16.8 PPG and 9.0 RPG for the Tar Heels after transferring from Arizona.
G Chad Baker-Mazara, USC (Dominican Republic)
The Dominican forward is on the midseason top-10 seek for list for the Julius Erving Award (the nation’s top runt forward) after averaging 18.3 PPG and connecting on 37% of his attempts from the 3-point line for USC. He lived in the Caribbean country till he moved to the US for excessive faculty.
Alternates
G Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor (Benin)
Averaging 17.7 PPG and a pair of.1 SPG for the struggling Bears, the 6-5 flit is a projected first-spherical decide in the upcoming draft and could maybe per chance well develop to be the first NBA player from Benin, a nation of 14 million.
F Rienk Mast, Nebraska (Netherlands)
Nebraska’s undefeated dawdle came to an cease versus Michigan on Jan. 27, a matchup Mast uncared for on legend of of danger. Nonetheless when on the floor, the 6-10 forward from the Netherlands is averaging 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 3.0 APG for the Cornhuskers, who are chasing their first conference title in more than 70 years.
TEAM USA
Starters
Kelvin Sampson infrequently ever trusts younger players to e-book his teams. Nonetheless Flemings, who’s averaging 17.1 PPG, 37% from 3 and 5.9 APG, has earned that accountability in a stellar freshman season. In opposition to BYU on Saturday, he helped his crew construct a second-half flee to rating a fourth consecutive sport. With him at the point, the Cougars are now one sport in the aid of Arizona in the bustle for the Broad 12 title.
G Darryn Peterson, Kansas
The yarn surrounding Peterson has switched between danger concerns (11 uncared for video games) and a buzz that he is no longer most effective the ability No. 1 draft decide but additionally maybe the acceptable player in The US. He has made the case with his numbers: 20.5 PPG, 42% from previous the arc, 55% within the arc, Seventy nine% from the charity stripe.
F Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
UNC’s freshman superstar place aside his mark on the season with his 23-point effort in Saturday’s thrilling 71-68 victory over rival Duke. The 6-10 immense man had been playing at a excessive diploma effectively prior to, but his effort in the splendid contention in the game could maybe per chance well own helped him proper a build on opinion to be one of many AP All-The US teams at the cease of the season.
0:27
Joe Lunardi: ‘Beware of the Tar Heels’
Joe Lunardi breaks down UNC’s recent wins and what they’ll wish to attain to assist mountain climbing the bracket.
Closing season, passe Duke superstar Cooper Flagg place aside together opinion to be one of essentially the most though-provoking freshman seasons in recent college basketball historical previous. Boozer (23.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 38% from 3) is having a twelve months that’s superior in many lessons. He additionally has been the frontrunner — with none actual competitors — all season in the nationwide player of the twelve months bustle.
F Joshua Jefferson, Iowa Voice
The Iowa Voice standout is the anchor for a crew that’s chasing a top-three seed in the NCAA match. Jefferson (17.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 41% from previous the arc) is believed to be one of essentially the most versatile offensive players in the country and a the truth is splendid defender. At 6-9, he is believed to be one of The US’s most though-provoking matchups.
Reserves
The only real returning AP first-crew All-American entered the season because the fave to rating the Wood Award. He’s second in the nation in assists (8.7 APG) in what has additionally grew to develop to be out to be a higher season than a twelve months in the past (43% from 3).
The Arkansas point guard is the most up-to-date ball handler for John Calipari with All-American aspirations. He’s an fantastic shooter (42% from 3) and playmaker (6.3 APG). He’s additionally real (3-1 succor-to-turnover ratio). Acuff is a entire guard and could maybe per chance well lead the Razorbacks in making some noise in the NCAA match.
A twelve months after the Tigers reached the Ideal Four below his father, first-twelve months head coach Steven Pearl could maybe per chance well lead a trace-recent roster to the NCAA match. Corridor (21.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 40% from the 3-point line), a switch from UCF, is the catalyst for the 12th-finest crew in adjusted offensive effectivity, per KenPom.
He changed into a four-enormous name prospect in the 2025 class after successful a excessive faculty advise title in Kansas final twelve months. He has grew to develop to be actual into a stable contender for Broad Ten Player of the twelve months after leading Illinois to the tip of the league standings in spite of the Illini missing standout Kylan Boswell due to a wrist danger.
F Milan Momcilovic, Iowa Voice
Momcilovic changed into named to the Julius Erving Award midseason top-10 list following a stable commence up to the 2025-26 season. No longer most effective is he averaging 18.7 PPG, but he is additionally the tip 3-point shooter in the country by a wholesome margin (53.3%).
F Thomas Haugh, Florida
Haugh made up our minds to come support to varsity this season to enhance his NBA draft stock. It looks to had been the factual cross. He’s averaging 17.8 PPG and 6.4 RPG, including scoring 22 beneficial properties in an 86-67 rating over Texas A&M on Saturday — a rating that catapulted the Gators to first build in the SEC.
F JT Toppin, Texas Tech
The Texas Tech enormous name has developed all of the sudden in recent years. He changed into an unheralded freshman at Novel Mexico prior to taking dwelling Mountain West Freshman of the twelve months honors. He secured a second-crew AP All-The US nod final season. As a junior, he is averaging 21.8 PPG and 10.6 RPG, and could maybe per chance well bag more awards this season.
G Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
Philon’s 25-point effort Saturday helped the Crimson Tide knock off rival Auburn. It wasn’t an irregular efficiency from opinion to be one of many tip players in the SEC, nonetheless. The combo guard has had 11 video games this season and not utilizing a longer lower than 17 beneficial properties and five assists.
Alternates
The Gonzaga enormous name has improved each and every season, and this campaign, he has an offensive rating that’s among the acceptable in the nation. The 6-9 forward has made 60% of his photographs within the arc and 37% of his photographs commence air. He’s additionally a principal section of opinion to be one of Tag Few’s finest defensive teams.
Karaban could maybe per chance well cease his fourth season in Storrs with a third nationwide title. He averages 13.5 PPG and 42% from 3 and remains the regular leader on a stacked Huskies roster that contains more than one players who can step up on any given night.
