Virag Takacs-Kiss, the 6-foot-4 Hungarian center, isn’t just playing well at the FIBA World Cup, she’s absolutely lighting it up and making a serious case for a WNBA contract. This international star has put up head-turning numbers, leading her squad to a second-place finish in their group after bouncing back from a tough opening loss to France.
Hungary’s Hidden Gem Is Dominating the Paint
Takacs-Kiss is flat-out averaging a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds per game, and her shooting splits are wild: 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from three, and a crisp 85 percent from the free throw line. Seriously, who does that? You can see her impact big-time on the offensive glass when you watch Hungary play, with her offensive rebounding alone pushing them over Nigeria in a game decided by just two possessions. This woman has been active in the international 3×3 circuit for Hungary, and she brings some loud traits that are hard to find in some modern European bigs. She’s athletic, can stretch the floor when asked, and actually makes her free throws, which is always a plus. Just this past Tuesday, Takacs-Kiss dropped 17 points and snagged eight rebounds to help Hungary advance past Japan, a team known to struggle with height. Hungary walked away with a 21-point win, and Takacs-Kiss, along with her team, outscored Japan by a staggering 29 points in her 30 minutes on the court. She’s only played 30 minutes in two of her four games, so her per-minute impact is easily one of the highest in the tournament.
Sevgi Uzun’s Playmaking Brilliance Needs a WNBA Shot
While Takacs-Kiss is making her case, Sevgi Uzun’s brilliance for Türkiye makes it impossible to ignore former WNBA players who are currently unsigned. Uzun actually played two years in the WNBA for the Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury, and Chicago Sky, and even participated in the Los Angeles Sparks’ training camp this year. Now unsigned to a WNBA roster, she joined Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray in July. Uzun was the second Turkish player ever to make the world’s top league, and she is clearly the backbone of her country in FIBA competition. Türkiye had a tough group stage, going 0-3 with a loss to a historically unremarkable Puerto Rico team, but Uzun was the one keeping them afloat for portions of each game. She is Türkiye’s universal advantage creator and offensive system, with her 8.3 assists per game leading group play, despite her team shooting in the low-to-mid 30 percents for two of their three games. Uzun never truly got to show her volume playmaking chops in the WNBA, but she consistently had a positive assist.
Hungary’s big win over Japan just earned them a Thursday “cage fight” with Team USA, so Takacs-Kiss’s World Cup story could end soon. But a big game against Team USA’s young bigs could make her case for a WNBA training camp contract ahead of the 2027 season, a path we have seen before with international standouts like Rui Machida and Leonie Fiebich. For Uzun, with Türkiye out of the tournament, the question now is whether her undeniable playmaking will earn her another WNBA opportunity.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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