Daniel Jacobsen & Omar Mayer Begin FIBA U-19 World Championships

Team USA will tip-off on June 28th with Team Israel on Sunday

This summer the Purdue Boilermakers will again be well represented at a FUBA World Cup event, however this summer will see Boilers representing two different countries. Following his successful run last summer, Daniel Jacobsen is again representing Team USA after he helped lead them to a Gold Medal last summer. This will be Jacobsen’s first live game action since he broke his tibia in his lower leg in just the second game of his freshman season and forced him into a redshirt. Meanwhile, Omer Mayer will represent Team Israel following a rise in his recruitment in the spring that culminated in his commitment to the Boilers.

Jacobsen recently returned to full action shortly after the end of the NCAA Tourney and the focus of added bulk and muscle is clearly evident. After enrolling at Purdue at around 215 pounds, the 7’4 freshman was able to focus solely on recovery and adding bulk to his frame. What surprised many was how big the Boilermaker big man ended up getting as he will enter the Gold Cup at 255 pounds while seemingly not losing any mobility and athleticism. He was able to shake off rust early in the training camp and began to show the dominant nature on both ends of the floor inside the paint to garner another roster spot. Jacobsen becomes the 7th different player to represent the Boilers on the U-19 Team USA roster joining Caleb Swanigan, Vince Edwards, Carsen Edwards, Caleb Swanigan, Jaden Ivey, and Myles Colvin. The next closest programs are Duke, Oklahoma State, and Kentucky with 4.

Mayer, who has been tabbed as a future Israeli basketball star, will likely be one of the leading pieces for an Israeli team who will likely run through their initial group stage of the tourney. A 6’4, well built 220lb guard, Mayer wasn’t placed in the final recruitment rankings (247 didn’t rank many international players because many will enter 20 years of age or older) but was largely considered one of the top tier foreign prospects in the 2025 cycle.

Mayer has been a staple for the Israeli national teams as he has played on the U-20’s and U-18’s while still being just 17 years old. That, along with his experience with Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., places Mayer in an incredible spot heading into this tourney and his freshman season with the Boilers. In four previous FIBA events dating back to 2021, Mayer has averaged an impressive 14.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists overall. However, it was the 2024 FIBA U-18 EuroBasket event where Mayer really popped onto the scene where he led Israel with 18.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists and showed his ability to be a guard capable of leading a high level program like Purdue.

Team USA’s initial group is likely considered the most difficult with the #1 ranked team in the world playing #34 Cameroon, #7 Australia, and #3 France but are still expected to get through the group stage. Israel, on the other hand, comes in ranked 13th and will face #17 Dominican Republic, #42 Jordan, and #60th Switzerland. Both teams will play their first game on June 28th with the Americans squaring off against Australia while Israel will take on Switzerland. All games will be streamed on FIBA’s YouTube page.

Game Schedule:

Team USA:
June 28th: Australia (11:15am)
June 29th: France (2:000pm)
July 1st: Cameroon (11:15am)

Team Israel:
June 28th: Switzerland (2:00pm)
June 29th: Jordan (10:45am)
July 1st: Dominican Republic (2:00pm)