2026 BWB NEXT UP TOP AFRICAN PERFORMANCE ISTANBUL.
The African contingent was very interesting from a PES scouting standpoint, although it did not dominate the statistical leaderboards. The biggest takeaway is that several African-born players and players from the African diaspora showed NBA/Division I physical tools, positional versatility and long-term upside, even when their camp scoring numbers were modest. Importantly, BWB is a development camp rather than a conventional tournament, so the 5-on-5 numbers should be viewed alongside the players’ skill level, physical profile, decision-making and how they performed in drills and scrimmages.
1. Mansour Bayo: Gambia 6’11”
Bayo was probably one of the more intriguing African physical prospects in the camp. At roughly 6-foot-11, he finished among the camp leaders in rebounding at 3.3 RPG, according to the available BWB statistical database. His value was primarily as a long, mobile interior prospect who can impact the game around the rim without needing a high volume of touches. The next step is developing a more reliable offensive package particularly face-up skills, passing and shooting so that his physical advantages translate more consistently against high-level competition.
2. Jose Dias: Angola 7’1”
Dias was one of the two most prominent directly Africa-representing frontcourt prospects in the original 78 player field. Angola’s representation was important because Dias brought the combination of African basketball experience and exposure to a genuinely global prospect pool. The available PES information does not provide enough reliable box-score detail to call him one of the statistical leaders, but his invitation itself places him among the group NBA/FIBA identified as elite international prospects.
3. Kalu Miracle Ebubechukwu: Nigeria
Ebubechukwu was one of two Nigerians selected, alongside Justin Akengbowa. From a scouting perspective, Kalu’s invitation was significant because Nigeria was represented by players coming into a global environment rather than a Nigeria only setting. His camp performance should be viewed more through the lens of how comfortably he operated against international size, athleticism and different defensive schemes than simply his scoring totals.
4. Justin Akengbowa: Nigeria
Akengbowa also gained valuable exposure against a very diverse group of international prospects. The Nigerian pair were among the African prospects whose biggest benefit from Istanbul was the opportunity to demonstrate that their games can translate outside the African competition environment.
5. Minty Jean-Philippe Dylan Oka: Côte d’Ivoire
Oka is particularly interesting because he arrived in Istanbul immediately after being part of Côte d’Ivoire’s historic 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket championship team. His inclusion therefore gave NBA/FIBA personnel an opportunity to evaluate him shortly after a major African championship. He remains one of the African prospects I would continue monitoring closely because his international experience is accumulating quickly.
6. Serigne Saliou Mbodji: Senegal — 6’8”
Mbodji’s numbers were modest but useful: 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists across six games for the Los Angeles Lakers group, according to the PES BWB statistics. At 6’8”, his positional size and physical development make him more interesting than the raw scoring numbers suggest. He is a developmental forward/center whose next priority should be offensive consistency and expanding his skill package.
7. Emmanuel Aguer Majak: South Sudan
Majak represented South Sudan and was one of the more interesting African diasporas/young South Sudanese prospects in the camp. His selection is notable given South Sudan’s rapid emergence as one of the most important basketball nations in Africa. The NBA/FIBA roster officially lists him with South Sudan.
8. Neora Francis Ossete Toly: DR Congo
The 6’8” Congolese forward was another physically intriguing African prospect. He played for the Los Angeles Clippers group. His production was not among the camp leaders, but the combination of size and international experience makes him a player worth continuing to track rather than judging solely on his BWB scoring output.
AFRICAN - Diaspora Prospects
This group may have produced some of the most impressive statistical performances from players with African backgrounds.
Aaron Ona Embo: Belgium — 6’1”
Stood out the most statistically. He led the entire BWB Next Up field in scoring at 7.3 points per game according to the latest available leaderboard. His overall BWB production was especially impressive considering that he came into the camp after averaging 25.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 4.6 APG for Belgium at the 2026 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B. He demonstrated the type of scoring/playmaking profile that translates particularly well to the modern guard position.
Messi Yangala: France — 6’8” was another major African-diaspora prospect to watch. He had just averaged 12.7 points and 6.3 rebounds for France at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup before arriving in Istanbul. At BWB, he averaged approximately 1.7–2.0 points and 2.0–2.3 rebounds, depending on the statistical grouping used. The lower BWB scoring numbers shouldn’t obscure the fact that Yangala had already demonstrated considerably more offensive production against elite international competition.
Riak Akhuar: Australia/South Sudan — 6’7” and John Aryang: Australia — 6’6” are two South Sudanese-background prospects who deserve continued monitoring. Akhuar averaged 2.7 PPG and 0.5 RPG in his six BWB games, while Aryang averaged 2.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG and 0.1 APG. Their BWB numbers were not spectacular, but both already have significant international experience, including the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Maxx Tjongondjoza: Great Britain — 6’8” also deserves attention. He averaged 4.9 PPG across his BWB games, including 5.7 PPG in his Miami Heat games (Camp team). His 6’8” frame and ability to play forward positions give him developmental value, particularly if his perimeter skill continues to improve.
Oliver Bishop: Great Britain — 6’10” had a quieter BWB statistically, averaging 3.7 PPG and 1.2 RPG, but his size makes him a prospect to monitor. His previous FIBA U16 performance—17.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 22.8 efficiency in 2025—shows that there is considerably more offensive production in his history than his Istanbul numbers indicate.
PES overall scouting conclusion
The African/African-heritage group did not produce the camp’s dominant statistical performance as a group, but there were several legitimate prospects worth tracking. The most encouraging players from my scouting perspective are Aaron Ona Embo, Messi Yangala, Mansour Bayo, Minty Oka, Jose Dias, Kalu Miracle Ebubechukwu, Justin Akengbowa, Maxx Tjongondjoza, Riak Akhuar and John Aryang. Aaron Ona Embo was the clearest statistical standout, while Bayo and Dias offered intriguing size/physical upside. Yangala is particularly interesting because his BWB numbers don’t reflect the considerably higher level of production he has already shown for France. Bayo’s 3.3 RPG also placed him among the camp’s better rebounders.
One important point that Pro-Edge Sports’ want to point out for scouting purposes: I would not rank these players strictly by BWB PPG. This camp had mixed team structures and limited game samples. The better evaluation is physical profile + skill translation + camp competitiveness + previous FIBA/high-level production + age/upside. BWB itself says the top performers will be considered for the subsequent BWB All-Star camps, making Istanbul an important early identification event for this generation
