by Zach Mason, Director of Communications - The Basketball Embassy

College basketball season has arrived, and a growing number of players from around the globe are playing at the NCAA Division I level as coaches and scouts continue to recognize and recruit the rich talent pool overseas.

This year, there’s no shortage of international players to keep an eye on - from high-major stars to players simply making history by playing college basketball in America, each one has a unique story on how they got here and what to expect next.

This is a short list of 10 players to watch, but there are dozens of others equally worthy of our attention this season. But, for now, here’s a group of international hoopers to follow in 2021-2022 in alphabetical order:

Aidan Igiehon, 6’10 power forward, Grand Canyon Antelopes, Ireland

After seeing limited action his freshman year at Louisville, Igiehon transferred to a Grand Canyon team picked to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference this season. Like many players from Europe, Igiehon got his athletic career started on the soccer field, but ultimately found his calling on the hardwood thanks to Dublin Lions coach Mick White’s recognition of his potential. Igiehon moved to the United States in eighth grade and worked his way up to becoming a four-star recruit, and his brightest days are ahead of him as he continues to learn the game and sharpen his fundamentals.

Timothy Ighoefe, 7’0 Center, Georgetown Hoyas, Nigeria

A product of NBA Africa, Ighoefe enters the 2021-2022 season as Georgetown’s starting center. Learning from an all-time great like Patrick Ewing has done wonders for his development, and after sitting in the bottom half of the depth chart during his first two seasons, Ighoefe could be a contender for Big East honors as a defender and overall player after earning the starting job. He missed Georgetown’s opener against Dartmouth, but should be back soon - the Hoyas certainly need him.

Cameron Hildreth, 6’4 shooting guard, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, England

The former No. 1 high school player in England, Hildreth started his collegiate career on an impressive note, scoring in double figures in his first two games as a freshman at Wake Forest. At 18 years old, Hildreth played in the British Basketball League - the highest level of play in the country. Great Britain has a long way to go before joining Europe’s elite basketball nations - it’s currently ranked No. 21 in the region by the FIBA World Ranking - but Hildreth could play a significant role in turning things around for the British.

Caleb Houstan, 6’8 shooting guard, Michigan Wolverines, Canada

Named to the McDonald’s All-American team as a junior in high school, Houstan skipped his senior year to join Juwan Howard’s loaded Michigan Wolverines and has impressed since his first day in Ann Arbor. The first-round draft prospect has embraced his role in elevating Canada basketball as well, helping his country to a silver medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship and a bronze medal last year at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Houstan could become a household name in March and certainly has the ability to carve out a successful professional career in the NBA.

Hyun-jung Lee, 6’7 forward, Davidson Wildcats, South Korea

Only the second player from South Korea to ever play NCAA Division I basketball, Lee was named to the Atlantic 10 2021-2022 Preseason All-Conference First Team after averaging 13.5 points per game and becoming the first player in school history to conclude the season shooting at least 50 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three, and 90 percent from the free-throw line. The Wildcats were voted to finish sixth in the preseason poll, but Lee’s unparalleled efficiency, terrific shooting stroke, and high basketball IQ could lead this team all the way to the NCAA Tournament.

Nathan Mensah, 6’10 center, San Diego State Aztecs, Ghana

With no national team, Ghana hasn’t sent a high volume of basketball players to the States to play in college. Former Providence star Ben Bentil and UConn champion Amida Brimah are the most notable to come from the proud country, and Mensah could be the next great one entering his senior year at San Diego State. Last year, the 6’10 big made the All-Mountain West defensive team and is currently ninth all time at SDSU in blocks. The Aztecs were picked to finish second in the MWC in the preseason poll, and Mensah is a major reason why.

Tristan da Silva, 6’9 forward, Colorado Buffaloes, Germany

Germany moved up six spots in the FIBA World Ranking after the Tokyo Olympics and da Silva could help the Germans rise even higher as he develops in the tough PAC-12 Conference. Going into his sophomore year, da Silva is earning more minutes through his tenacious rebounding and soft touch around the rim. By the end of this season, he could be one of the top players on Colorado’s roster.

Stefan Todorovic, 6’8 forward, SMU Mustangs, Serbia

Todorovic is one of the more interesting freshmen to watch this season. He made an impact on the Serbian U19 national team in Latvia this year, helping his team go undefeated in group play and hit a game-winning three against the host country. He put his sharpshooting on display in his second game at SMU, knocking down three triples against Oregon. Expect Todorovic to be among the conference leaders in 3-pointers made this season.

Oscar Tshiebwe, 6’9 center, Kentucky Wildcats, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tshiebwe started playing basketball a year before he moved to the United States at 15 years old, but the athletic big man is well on his way to a career in the NBA. Two games into the season, Tshiebwe is averaging 15.5 points and 20 rebounds a game for John Calipari and could lead the Wildcats to a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Ąžuolas Tubelis, 6’11 power forward, Arizona Wildcats, Lithuania

We all know Lithuania is a European powerhouse when it comes to basketball, and Tubelis has personified his country’s excellence at the NCAA level in his young career at Arizona. He’s looking to build on an impressive freshman campaign where he averaged 12.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and is off to a scorching start this year, posting an average of 16.5 points and 7 rebounds in the Wildcats’ first two games of the season. He’s also contributed to Lithunaia’s U18 and U16 teams in the past, and should crack the lineup of the senior national team in the near future. Arizona as a whole is an interesting team to follow from an international perspective, with first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd - who played a major role in recruiting international players to Gonzaga for the last 20 years - already loading up the Wildcats’ roster with overseas talent.

FOLLOW ALONG

For the latest in international basketball news and general sports diplomacy efforts, follow @bballembassy on Twitter and thebasketballembassy on Instagram. Read Zach’s work on sports diplomacy by visiting his website.

10 international players to watch during the 2021-2022 NCAA men’s basketball season