Many players have gone on to achieve great success after competing at the U14 Slovenia Ball. Over the 20 years, the tournament has welcomed some of the most talented young players from across Europe, many of whom have gone on to compete at the highest levels of European and world basketball. Here are 20 standout players who have made their mark after appearing at the tournament.

Spain has produced a particularly impressive group of players. Santiago Yusta García competed at the 2011 U14 Slovenia Ball before establishing himself in the EuroLeague, EuroCup and FIBA Champions League. He was part of the Real Madrid team that won the EuroLeague in 2018 and later helped Iberostar Tenerife win the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2020. At youth level, he won gold at the 2013 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and the 2016 FIBA U20 EuroBasket. His 2011 Spanish teammate Jonathan Barreiro Rodríguez also went on to reach the EuroLeague and FIBA Champions League. With Unicaja, he won back-to-back FIBA Champions League titles in 2024 and 2025, as well as the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 2023 and 2025. He also helped Unicaja finish third in the 2026 FIBA Champions League and won gold at the 2016 FIBA U20 EuroBasket.

Joel Parra López, who played at the 2014 tournament, reached the EuroLeague and FIBA Champions League and became a senior international with Spain. He won gold at the 2016 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and the 2022 FIBA U20 EuroBasket, while also taking silver at the 2019 U20 EuroBasket and the 2017 U18 EuroBasket. Another Spanish standout from the 2014 edition is Destiny Usman Garuba Alari. He went on to play in the EuroLeague and NBA, representing the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors. Garuba won gold at the 2018 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and 2019 U18 EuroBasket, as well as senior gold at the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. He was named MVP and selected to the All-Star Five at the 2016 U16 EuroBasket, earned All-Star Five honours again at the 2018 U16 and 2019 U18 tournaments, and was named the EuroLeague Rising Star in 2021 before being selected 23rd overall in that year's NBA Draft.

Santiago Aldama Toledo, who competed in 2015, went on to reach the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks. He won gold at the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, where he was named to the All-Star Five and tournament MVP, before becoming the 30th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. His Spanish teammate Jaime Pradilla Gayán, also a participant in 2015, reached the EuroLeague and became a senior international. He won gold at the 2016 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, the 2019 U18 EuroBasket and the 2022 FIBA U20 EuroBasket.

Croatia has also produced an extraordinary group of U14 Slovenia Ball alumni. Dario Šarić, who competed at the 2008 tournament, went on to play in the EuroLeague, EuroChallenge and NBA, representing seven different teams. He won gold at the 2010 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and 2012 U18 EuroBasket, earning MVP and All-Star Five honours at both tournaments, and was selected to the All-Star Five at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Cup. Šarić was also named FIBA European Young Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014, won Adriatic League MVP and Finals MVP honours in 2014, and was selected 12th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Mario Hezonja, who appeared at the 2009 U14 Slovenia Ball, also reached the NBA and EuroLeague, playing for the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers before becoming an EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid in 2023. He won gold at the 2011 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and bronze at the 2012 U17 World Cup, where he earned All-Star Five honours. He later became a EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2024 and ACB League MVP in 2026.

Luka Božić, a 2010 participant, established himself in the EuroCup and became one of the leading players in the Adriatic League. He was named All-ABA League First Team and MVP in 2023 and 2024, while also leading the league in scoring in 2024 and rebounding in 2018, 2019 and 2023. He won silver at the 2015 FIBA U20 EuroBasket and bronze at the 2014 U18 EuroBasket, before earning ACB League First Team honours in 2026.

Croatia's Dragan Bender competed at the 2011 tournament and went on to play in the EuroCup and NBA, representing the Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors. He won bronze at the 2014 FIBA U18 EuroBasket before being selected fourth overall by Phoenix in the 2016 NBA Draft. His 2011 teammate Ante Toni Žižić reached the EuroLeague, EuroCup, FIBA Champions League and NBA, where he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He won silver at the 2015 FIBA U20 EuroBasket and bronze at the 2014 U18 EuroBasket. Žižić was also the ABA League's leading rebounder in 2016 and was selected 23rd overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Luka Šamanić, who played at the 2014 U14 Slovenia Ball, followed a similar path to the NBA, reaching the EuroLeague and EuroCup before playing for the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz. He was named to the All-Star Five at the 2016 FIBA U16 EuroBasket and later earned All-NBA G League Second Team honours in 2023. He was selected 19th overall by San Antonio in the 2019 NBA Draft.

North Macedonia has Nenad Dimitrijević, who competed at the U14 Slovenia Ball in 2010, 2011 and 2012. He went on to play in the EuroLeague, EuroCup and FIBA Champions League and became one of the leading players in the VTB United League. Dimitrijević won the VTB United League title with UNICS in 2023 and was named Playoffs MVP, before being named VTB United League MVP in 2024.

Montenegro's Jovan Kljajić competed at the tournament in 2014 and 2015 before establishing himself in the EuroCup and FIBA Champions League. He became a EuroCup champion with Gran Canaria in 2024 and also won silver at the 2017 FIBA U17 World Cup.

Israel is represented by Noam Yaacov, who played at the 2018 U14 Slovenia Ball. He has already reached the EuroCup, FIBA Champions League and NBA, having been part of the Utah Jazz organization. Yaacov helped Hapoel Tel Aviv win the EuroCup in 2025 and earned silver at the 2023 FIBA U20 EuroBasket. He was selected to the All-Star Five at both the 2022 U18 and 2023 U20 European Championships.

The host nation, Slovenia, has also produced several outstanding players of its own. Žiga Dimec, who competed at the 2007 U14 Slovenia Ball, went on to play in the EuroCup and FIBA Champions League and became a senior Slovenian international. He won gold at the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket and helped Slovenia finish fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Aleksej Nikolič, who appeared at the 2008 and 2009 tournaments, reached the EuroLeague, EuroCup and FIBA Champions League. He was part of the Slovenian team that won the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket and finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At club level, he won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup with Hereda San Pablo Burgos in 2022.

Klemen Prepelič, who played at the 2008 U14 Slovenia Ball, has reached the EuroLeague, EuroCup and FIBA Champions League. He was also part of the Slovenian team that won the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket and finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He was a 2012 U29 All Star 5 and 2020 ACB Lika All First Team and TOP Scorer.

His Slovenian teammate Matic Rebec, also a participant in 2008 and 2009, went on to compete in the EuroCup and FIBA Champions League. He won gold with Slovenia at the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket and was named to the All-Star Five at the 2014 FIBA U20 EuroBasket.

One of the newest Slovenian success stories is Stefan Joksimović, who competed at the 2022 U14 Slovenia Ball. He has already reached the EuroLeague and was part of the Baskonia team that won the 2026 Spanish Cup. At youth level, he won gold at the 2026 FIBA U18 EuroBasket and was named both tournament MVP and to the All-Star Five. In 2025, he was also named MVP and selected to the All-Star Five at the Basketball Without Borders event.

Together, these 20 players highlight the remarkable legacy of the U14 Slovenia Ball. From EuroLeague champions and FIBA title winners to NBA players, Olympic athletes and youth international MVPs, their careers demonstrate how many of the tournament's young participants have gone on to reach the very highest levels of basketball.