By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Benjamin Berrouet was born and raised in Texas, developed into a five-star American prospect and collected dozens of college offers before turning 17. Yet his first major basketball triumph belongs to Latvia.
Berrouet powered the country to its first FIBA U16 EuroBasket title, producing 22 points and 13 rebounds in the 75–69 victory over France in the Final. He recorded a double-double in all seven games and claimed MVP honors after averaging 23.6 points, 15.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
His tournament efficiency rating of 36.3 was the highest in competition history, surpassing the previous record established by Ricky Rubio in 2006.
“It’s an honor and a blessing,” Berrouet said after the Final. “I did this for my family. I did it for Latvia.”
That connection began long before Latvia discovered its new basketball sensation.
His mother, Lāsma Jēkabsone, played NCAA Division I basketball at Florida International University and represented Latvia at youth level, winning bronze at the 2005 U20 European Championship. His father, Richard Berrouet, played American football at Pittsburg State before earning a master’s degree from Texas A&M.
The two met in Miami, married in 2006 and eventually settled in Texas, where Benjamin and his younger brother were raised. Both sons learned Latvian and remained connected to their mother’s family and culture.
“My mother is from Latvia and played for the Latvian national team,” Benjamin explained before his first U16 EuroBasket in 2025. “I wanted to represent Latvia because my family is here as well.”
Although Berrouet later attended a USA Basketball junior national-team minicamp, representing Latvia was not simply a matter of opportunity. According to his father, the decision was made primarily by Benjamin and Lāsma.
“He is half-Latvian, so he deserves this,” Richard said. “It was a decision we all made, but mainly Lāsma and Benji. I supported them.”
Berrouet first represented Latvia at the 2025 U16 EuroBasket, despite being a year younger than most of the competition. He averaged 11.1 points and 9.3 rebounds as Latvia finished sixth—its best result at the tournament in more than a decade.
One year later, he returned and took over.
He joined Rubio and Marko Pecarski as only the third player in tournament history to produce a 30-point, 20-rebound game, collecting 33 points and 22 boards against Czechia. He then came within one assist of a triple-double in Latvia’s 99–59 demolition of Serbia and delivered 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks against Greece.
Berrouet’s appeal, however, extends beyond overwhelming youth competition with his powerful 2.03-meter frame. He handles the ball unusually well for his size, creates in transition, reads double teams and protects the rim. His outside shot remains a work in progress, but his mobility, coordination and passing suggest there is far more to his game than an early physical advantage.
After averaging 20.5 points and 12.7 rebounds at McKinney Boyd, Berrouet moved to Dynamic Prep, the program led by former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal. He belongs to the high-school class of 2028 and has already emerged as one of its leading prospects.
In America, his future will be followed through recruiting rankings and college offers. In Latvia, he is already something more: the Texas-raised son of a former international who returned to continue his mother’s story — and delivered the country a historic gold medal.
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