If you've been watching the FIBA Americas tournament, then you've probably noticed that there are a lot of talented players out there who have never played a minute in the NBA. This tournament, unlike the Olympics, doesn't have many hot prospects who are making millions elsewhere, as most of the non-NBA talent is in Europe.

Nonetheless, the FIBA Americas tournament has been a great place for some players to showcase their skills. This year in particular has been a great opportunity for lesser-known players to shine because of the spotlight that has been put on them, due to the lack of NBA player participation. Sure, the teams are understandably weaker, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the talented individuals that have decided to play.

Here's a list of the top five players in this tournament who have never played a minute in the NBA:

"This year in particular has been a great opportunity for lesser-known players to shine because of the spotlight that has been put on them, due to the lack of NBA player participation. Sure, the teams are understandably weaker, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the talented individuals that have decided to play."


5. Jason Edwin - Virgin Islands

Jason Edwin was a pretty good guard at Kent State University back in 2004-2005. He has shown moments of brilliance playing for his home country at the FIBA Americas tournament this year. The Virgin Islands may not have won a game, but Edwin earned himself a lot of attention with his 32-point performance against Venezuela in the opening round. That game added itself to solid performances against Canada and Brazil, leaving Edwin at third place overall in tournament scoring per game.

4. Elias Ayuso - Puerto Rico

Elias Ayuso has been an integral player on the Puerto Rican national team for quite some time. His performance at the 2006 FIBA World Championships, where he averaged over 21ppg, helped him make the pre-season roster for the Denver Nuggets. Ayuso has flirted with the NBA on a number of occasions, but this energetic guard has yet to play a minute in the NBA. In this tournament Ayuso is averaging 16.3 ppg for the Puerto Rican team who, after struggling in the first round, are going up against team USA in the semi-finals on Saturday.

3. Tiago Splitter - Brazil

Tiago Splitter may not have played in the NBA yet, but this has nothing to do with his lack of ability: it's really more about timing. In 2006 it was thought that Splitter could have been a lottery pick in the NBA Draft had he declared himself eligible. He decided to wait a year, however, and he ended up getting picked by the San Antonio Spurs at 28th overall. His stock fell mostly due to his contract overseas. While most NBA teams use the first round to bolster their current rosters, the Spurs are able to wait an extra year, due to their success, until his contract in Spain is up.

In this tournament Splitter has been averaging a consistent 11.3 ppg, 7.2 rpb, and 1.4 blocks. He will be playing alongside Leandro Barbosa, Nene and his other Brazilian teammates on Saturday as they hope to beat Argentina for a guaranteed qualification to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a spot in the tournament's finals.

2. Romel Beck - Mexico

Romel Beck has been averaging 20.3 ppg throughout the tournament, an average that includes his lowly two-point total against Canada in a match where he was extremely fatigued and pulled out early. Beck has been very impressive offensively and could be considered the most entertaining player not on Team USA. Out of all the players in this tournament, Beck is third overall in field goal percentage with an impressive 59% shooting. It is rare to see a guard shoot so well and entertain on such a consistent basis. Beck's performance at the FIBA Americas tournament is sure to earn him some tryouts in the NBA.

1. Luis Scola - Argentina

Luis Scola was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs 56th overall in the 2002 Draft. It was difficult, however, to reach a buyout agreement to get him out of his contract with TAU Cerámica of Spain. The two sides were unable to resolve the issue. In this past summer Scola was traded to the Houston Rockets where he will be certain to make quite an impact.

Although he has yet to play in the NBA, Scola has established himself as one of the best players in international play. In this tournament he is, without a doubt, the best player to not have NBA experience. Scola has led a depleted Argentinian roster to a 7-1 record and a berth in the semifinals where they will play Brazil.

Scola has averaged 18.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg while playing a lead-role on this highly-skilled Argentinian roster. This team may not be the powerhouse that you'll see in Beijing, but they have been much better than expected thanks to the performance of this young man.

Honorable Mention: Jaime Lloreda (Panama), Héctor Romero (Venezuela), Gary Forbes (Panama), Nicolas Mazzarino (Argentina), Roman Gonzalez (Argentina), and Jermaine Anderson (Canada).

Who doesn't belong on the list? Who does and isn't on it? Post a comment below or submit an article to Sportingo.