When Emanuel “Manu” Ginóbili was drafted by the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) San Antonio Spurs in 1999, he was virtually unknown in the United States.

Like most young Argentine players, he had gone to Europe after beginning his career at home and was therefore considered a less promising prospect than others who had played basketball at U.S. colleges. Yet, most of them never came close to achieving what Ginóbili did.

That trend could soon be reversed, as more Argentine players choose to abandon the traditional European route in favor of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the governing body for college athletics in the U.S. and Canada.

Since 2020, the number of Argentine players in NCAA basketball has grown exponentially, with a record 10 set to feature in the upcoming 2026-27 season.

With highly promising young players such as Lee Aaliya, Dylan Bordón, Felipe Minzer and Tyler Kropp moving to the U.S., the Herald examines why NCAA teams are pursuing Argentine talent more than ever, why players are increasingly considering the move, and what it could mean for Argentine basketball as a whole.

According to South Carolina Gamecocks assistant coach Bob Donewald Jr., NCAA programs offer a crucial pathway for players who have outgrown their domestic leagues but are not yet ready for the Argentine national team or the professional spotlight in Europe.

Donewald played a key role in scouting and signing 23-year-old center Juan Fernández, who is set to make his NCAA official debut this season with the Gamecocks. He’ll become the best-paid Argentine basketball player in the world, over EuroLeague stars such as Facundo Campazzo or Luca Vildoza.

“What we offer [Argentine players] coming here is the chance to develop your talent properly,” he told the Herald, assuring advantages go beyond the money.

A former member of the coaching teams at the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers, Donewald also has extensive experience with basketball outside the U.S. He served as head coach of China’s men’s national team from 2010 to 2012 and coached professional teams in Russia and China.

He pointed to Lee Aaliya’s move to Ohio State as an example of the advantages the NCAA offers: an environment a young Argentine player “can’t get........

© Buenos Aires Herald