Power forward Axel Mpoyo has confirmed that he will not feature for the national basketball team in the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for November 27-30 in Tunisia. The 28-year-old, who also missed the AfroBasket tournament held in Angola in August due to a meniscus injury, said he is still recovering and will not be ready in time for the qualifiers. Mpoyo has been one of Rwanda’s most consistent performers, having represented the national team at FIBA AfroBasket 2021 and in several other international qualifying tournaments. He is an experienced player who has also been a key performer for clubs within the country. He joined Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Basketball Club during the 2021-22 season, helping the team win the national league title and earning MVP honours. Mpoyo also featured for REG in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In October 2022, he transferred to APR Basketball Club, where he played a key role in guiding the team to back-to-back Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) titles in 2023 and 2024. During the 2025 BAL season, Mpoyo made history by sinking 10 three-pointers in the third-place game, breaking the previous record of nine set by Will Perry. His stellar performance helped APR secure victory and set a new league record for most points in a single game (123), finishing the season in third place. The national team that will play in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers will feature some new additions. One of them is Brillant Brave Rutsindura, a US-based power forward who previously represented Rwanda at the U-18 AfroBasket 2022 in Madagascar. Another fresh inclusion is Dylan Kayijuka, captain of the U-18 national team, who has earned his first senior team call-up. The highly rated point guard was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025 Giants of Africa Basketball Tournament after leading Rwanda to a 27–24 victory over Senegal in the boys' final. The 18-year-old was instrumental in Rwanda’s success at the FIBA U-18 AfroBasket 2024, where he led all scorers during the group phase with an average of 21.3 points per game. He impressed with standout performances, including 25 points and 14 rebounds against hosts South Africa, converting 16 of 18 free throws, followed by 20 points against Morocco and 19 against Zambia in the final group match. The third newcomer is David Joseph McCormack, a 26-year-old American forward who currently plays for Bayern Munich in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) and the EuroLeague. A former standout at the University of Kansas, McCormack was part of the team that captured the 2022 NCAA National Championship. Among the returnees, Jean-Jacques X Nshobozwabyosenumukiza is back in the national squad after missing the AfroBasket in Angola.
