Lucas Maniema

Lucas Maniema
No. 1 – Dreamland Gran Canaria
PositionGuard / forward
LeagueLiga ACB
Personal information
Born (2006-03-06) March 6, 2006
Geneva, Switzerland
Listed height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Career information
Playing career2024–present
Career history
2024–presentGran Canaria B
2025–presentDreamland Gran Canaria

Lucas Nzambi Maniema (born 6 March 2006) is a Swiss basketball player for Dreamland Gran Canaria of the Spanish Liga ACB. A 1.93 m guard/forward developed in Geneva and Las Palmas, he debuted in Spain's Segunda FEB with Gran Canaria B in 2024–25 and was assigned squad number 1 with the ACB first team for 2025–26.[1][2]

Early life and youth career

Born in Geneva, Maniema developed at Bernex Basket and the Genève Basketball Académie (GBA), winning the Swiss U17 national title in 2021.[3][4] In 2021 he moved to Spain to enroll at Canterbury Basketball Academy in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.[5][6]

Career trajectory

Gran Canaria B (2024–2025)

In August 2024, Maniema was listed as a reinforcement for Gran Canaria’s Segunda FEB affiliate after finishing at Canterbury.[7] In 2024–25 he played 26 league games and averaged 9.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 26.4 minutes, shooting .468/.321/.704.[8] On 11 January 2025 at Class Bàsquet Sant Antoni he scored 16 points in an 88–79 road loss.[9]

Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025–present)

On 4 August 2025 the club confirmed first-team shirt numbers for 2025–26, assigning Maniema the number 1; he stated he would “train as hard as possible to earn the opportunity”.[1][10]

Press coverage

  • The local newspaper La Provincia highlighted Maniema and Fynn Schott as the “new sap” of the 2025–26 roster, noting his speed, defensive instinct and development as a point guard.[11]
  • An EFE wire reported that coach Jaka Lakovic brought Maniema and Schott into the first-team dynamic for preseason in August 2025.[12]

National team career

Maniema has represented Switzerland at U16, U18 and U19 levels. At the 2024 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B he averaged 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.[13] At the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne he posted 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists; Switzerland upset France 86–79 after overtime in the Round of 16.[14][2] In his senior debut for Switzerland during the First Round of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers on 30 November 2025 against Turkey he recorded 5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 16 minutes (9 efficiency rating).[15]

Playing style

Versatile wing/guard noted for slashing, secondary creation, and activity in transition and defense; La Provincia described him as a speedy player with a good first step and strong defensive instincts, with room to improve his game management and outside shooting.[16]

Career statistics

Club

Season Team League GP MPG PPG RPG APG FG% 3P% FT% Source
2024–25 Gran Canaria B Segunda FEB 26 26.4 9.3 2.5 2.4 .468 .321 .704 [8]
2025–26 Dreamland Gran Canaria Liga ACB 7 0.8 0.4 0.1 0.0 .333 .000 .500 "Lucas Maniema — Liga ACB 2025–26 statistics". ACB. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
2025–26 Dreamland Gran Canaria BCL 4 9.8 2.3 0.5 0.8 .455 .333 .000 "Lucas Maniema — BCL 2025–26 statistics". Basketball Champions League. Retrieved 20 March 2026.

National team

Tournament Team GP MPG PPG RPG APG +/- EFF Source
2027 FIBA WC qualifiers (First Round) Switzerland 1 16.0 5.0 2.0 3.0 −15 9 [17]
2025 U19 World Cup Switzerland U19 7 28.9 7.7 4.0 5.0 −2.0 7.4 "Lucas Maniema — national team statistics". FIBA. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
2024 U18 EuroBasket (Div. B) Switzerland U18 8 27.7 10.8 3.6 3.6 5.1 11.3 "Lucas Nzambi Maniema — U18 EuroBasket Division B profile". FIBA.
2022 U16 EuroBasket (Div. B) Switzerland U16 6 19.0 7.5 4.3 2.0 1.7 10.3 "Lucas Maniema — U16 EuroBasket statistics". FIBA.

Honours

Youth
  • Swiss U17 Championship: 2021 (Genève Basketball Académie).[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "El Dreamland Gran Canaria confirma sus dorsales para la temporada 2025–26". cbgrancanaria.net (in Spanish). Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Switzerland — Player: Lucas Maniema". FIBA. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "CSJC U17 Men – Division 1: Genève Basketball Académie champion de Suisse". Swiss Basketball (in French). 21 June 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  4. ^ "U17 Men (tag)". Genève Basketball Académie (in French). Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  5. ^ "HOME". Canterbury Lions. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Canterbury School — Contact". Canterbury School. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  7. ^ "El Gran Canaria toma forma para la temporada 2024/25". FEB.es (in Spanish). 21 August 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Lucas Nzambi Maniema — 2024/25 Segunda FEB statistics". Baloncesto en Vivo (FEB) (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  9. ^ "88–79. Class Sant Antoni sigue de fiesta". Cadena SER Ibiza (in Spanish). 11 January 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Lucas Maniema: "Voy a entrenar lo más duro posible para ganarme la oportunidad"". cbgrancanaria.net (in Spanish). Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Maniema y Schott, la savia nueva del CB Gran Canaria 2025–26". La Provincia (in Spanish). 5 August 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  12. ^ "El Gran Canaria vuelve al trabajo con un plus físico y la idea de jugar más rápido". EFE (in Spanish). 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Lucas Nzambi Maniema — U18 EuroBasket Division B profile". FIBA. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Switzerland vs France — Round of 16". FIBA. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Lucas Maniema — FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers statistics". FIBA. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Maniema y Schott, la savia nueva del CB Gran Canaria 2025–26". La Provincia (in Spanish). 5 August 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  17. ^ "Lucas Maniema — FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers statistics". FIBA. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
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