The 20 Best Foreign-Born Players in NBA History

While it may be convenient for basketball fans to blame the current flopping epidemic on the mass influx of foreign players (looking at you, Manu Ginobili and Vlade Divac), it’s equally true that the huge numbers of foreign-born players now in the NBA have given the sport some of its biggest stars. Whether they were born abroad and came to the United States as young men or if they spent the majority of their professional careers overseas before arriving in the NBA, international players have become commonplace across the league. On opening night this past season, there were 84 players from 37 countries spread across 29 of the 30 NBA rosters. Many forget this, but even today’s birthday boy Patrick Ewing can be counted among this international brethren; the Knicks’ legend was born and lived in Jamaica through his 12th birthday before coming to the United States.

Like Ewing, many of these non-domestic players accomplished tremendous things during their NBA careers. From pioneers like Drazen Petrovic to modern stars like Dirk Nowitzki, these are the 20 Best Foreign-Born Players in NBA History.

Players born in U.S. territories such as the Virgin Islands were left off the list since they were not technically foreign-born. Sorry, Timmy fans.

20. Andrei Kirilenko

Country of origin: Russia
Team(s): Jazz, Timberwolves, Nets
Career years: 2001-2011; 2012-present
Career stats: 745 G, 12.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.9 BPG
Accolades: 1x All-Star, 1x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 1x NBA Blocks Leader, 2002 NBA All-Rookie First Team

The first Russian ever selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, Andrei Kirilenko has quietly had an outstanding career thanks to his versatility on both ends of the court. Drafted by the Utah Jazz at age 18, Kirilenko incubated in Europe for another two years before finally joining his new team in time for the 2001-02 season. He had his best season in 2003-04, where he averaged 16.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game (both career bests), making the Western Conference All-Star team as a reserve. In 2006, he became one of just two players in NBA history (along with Hakeem Olajuwon) to post a "5 x 6," i.e., tallying at least six points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a game.

19. Arvydas Sabonis

Country of origin: Lithuania
Team(s): Blazers
Career years: 1995-2001; 2002-2003
Career stats: 470 G, 12.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Accolades: Basketball Hall of Fame, 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team

The only disappointing element of Arvydas Sabonis' career is that NBA fans were deprived of seeing the Lithuanian big man at his absolute apex; Sabonis didn't make his way to the United States until 1995, when he was already 31 years old. As a "rookie," he hit the ground running as the highly skilled 7'3" center still put up strong numbers for Portland by averaging 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He posted excellent numbers for the next two seasons as well, and in 1997-98 was one of just three players in the league (along with Karl Malone and Antoine Walker) to average 16 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game. One of the most decorated European players in history, Sabonis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

18. Rolando Blackman

Country of origin: Panama
Team(s): Mavericks, Knicks
Career years: 1981-1994
Career stats: 980 G, 18.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG
Accolades: 4x All-Star

Rolando Blackman enjoyed an excellent NBA career, and was the Dallas Mavericks' all-time leading scorer until Dirk Nowitzki finally broke the mark in 2008. Born in Panama raised in Brooklyn, Blackman had a tremendous career at Kansas State before becoming the No. 9 overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft. After his memorable stint in Dallas, Blackman joined the Knicks and was quickly at the center of a huge controversy when Pat Riley elected to sit the shooting guard in favor of an historically bad John Starks during Game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals; Starks shot 2-for-18 from the field, while Blackman collected a DNP and retired after the game.

17. Al Horford

Country of origin: Dominican Republic
Team(s): Hawks
Career years: 2007-present
Career stats: 391 G, 14.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Accolades: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Third Team, 2008 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Al Horford has quietly become a force among NBA big men in recent years, and is one of just two players (along with Pau Gasol) to average at least 16.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 block per game over the last three seasons. Horford was fortunate growing up in the Dominican Republic that he had his father Tito, a former NBA player, to rely upon for guidance in the baseball-crazed nation, and his skills and size on the block immediately made him an effective presence. Arriving in the United States for high school in 2000, Horford immediately became one of the most sought-after players in the country and went on to star on two national title winners at Florida and become the No. 3 overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft.

16. Kiki Vandeweghe

Country of origin: Germany
Team(s): Nuggets, Blazers, Knicks, Clippers
Career years: 1980-1993
Career stats: 810 G, 19.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG
Accolades: 2x All-Star

Born in Germany to a former NBA player and a Miss America winner, Kiki Vandeweghe possessed some of the better genes in NBA history. A phenomenal scorer, Vandeweghe starred in high school in Los Angeles before also featuring at UCLA and bringing his team to the cusp of a national championship. Despite being selected at No. 11 overall by Dallas in the 1980 NBA Draft, he refused to play for the Mavericks and was eventually shipped to Denver where he averaged 23.3 points per game during his four seasons as a Nugget. In 1986-87, he set an NBA record for three-point percentage in a season as he shot .481 from beyond the arc, although this record would be broken the very next season by Craig Hodges and Mark Price.

15. Rik Smits

Country of origin: Netherlands
Team(s): Pacers
Career years: 1988-2000
Career stats: 867 G, 14.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 BPG
Accolades: 1x All-Star, 1988 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Possessing one of the great nicknames in 1990s basketball ("The Dunking Dutchman"), 7'4" Rik Smits came to the United States to play his college ball at tiny Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. After leading the Red Foxes to the only two NCAA Tournament berths in school history, he was taken No. 2 overall by the Pacers and immediately pressed into a starting role when normal center Steve Stipanovich suffered a career-ending injury. The steady Smits was a rock for the rest of his career, averaging double-digit points every season he played and providing consistent rim protection as well. He'll also be remembered for his great playoff performances, where moments like his game-winning shot in Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals made him a Pacers legend.

14. Peja Stojakovic

Country of origin: Serbia
Team(s): Kings, Pacers, Hornets, Raptors, Mavericks
Career years: 1998-2011
Career stats: 804 G, 17.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG
Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Second Team

One of the best shooters in recent NBA history, Peja Stojakovic was certainly an outsized swingman at 6'10". That certainly did nothing to detract from his ability to shoot from long range, as the Serbian-Greek sniper shot just over 40 percent on his career from downtown. His career in the NBA did not have such promising beginnings, Stojakovic spent two seasons playing sparingly for the Kings. He finally busted out in 2000-01 with 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, beginning a streak of eight seasons in which he would average at least 16 points a night.

13. Detlef Schrempf

Country of origin: Germany
Team(s): Mavericks, Pacers, SuperSonics, Blazers
Career years: 1985-2001
Career stats: 1136 G, 13.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.4 APG
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 1x All-NBA Third Team

Unlike many foreign players, Detlef Schrempf actually came to the United States prior to college and even played a year of high school ball. After a successful four-year stint at the University of Washington, Schrempf was selected eighth overall by Dallas in 1985 and established himself as a reliable rotation player immediately. The German-born forward never averaged fewer than 15 minutes per game in his career, and in a 10-season stretch from 1989-90 through 1998-99 averaged 34.5 minutes, 16.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per night. Most recently, he has shown his acting chops in playing himself on several episodes of Parks and Recreation.

12. Vlade Divac

Country of origin: Yugoslavia
Team(s): Lakers, Hornets, Kings
Career years: 1989-2005
Career stats: 1134 G, 11.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.4 BPG
Accolades: 1x All-Star, 1990 NBA All-Rookie First Team

A true pioneer among European players, Vlade Divac set a number of firsts in the NBA that will forever make him one of the game's legends. Not only was he the first foreign-born, foreign-trained player to reach the 1,000 game plateau in the NBA, but he also is one of just six members of the 13,000 point-9,000 rebound-3,000 assist-1,500 block club. He was the defensive anchor for several outstanding Kings teams in the early 2000s, initially entering the league in 1989 following a very successful professional career in Yugoslavia beginning in 1983. He's also considered to be the godfather of flopping, a dubious honor at best.

11. Toni Kukoc

Country of origin: Croatia
Team(s): Bulls, 76ers, Hawks, Bucks
Career years: 1993-2006
Career stats: 846 G, 11.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.0 SPG
Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 1994 NBA All-Rookie Second Team

At 6'11" and with the skillset of a guard, Toni Kukoc was a perfect example of the kind of versatility European players brought to the NBA. After establishing himself as a star playing in Yugoslavia and Italy, Kukoc finally reported to the Chicago Bulls in 1993 after they used a second round pick on him in 1990. Beginning his NBA career at age 25 put the Croatian forward a bit behind his fellow rookies in terms of development, but playing alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen certainly helped ease his learning curve. Over his first seven NBA seasons, Kukoc averaged 14 points per game over 30 minutes, performing well in both starting and sixth man roles as he helped the Bulls contend in the non-Jordan years and then, upon His Airness' return, on to their second three-peat.

10. Drazen Petrovic

Country of origin: Croatia
Team(s): Blazers, Nets
Career years: 1989-1993
Career stats: 290 G, 15.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG
Accolades: Basketball Hall of Fame, 1x All-NBA Third Team

The story of Drazen Petrovic is one of the NBA's great "what ifs" of recent memory. After a stellar career in Europe, Petrovic joined the NBA with Portland in 1989-90 at age 25 and initially struggled to adapt to the NBA game as he was forced to sit behind Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter. However, he showed his immense talent once shipped to New Jersey in a three-way trade, averaging 20.6 points per game in 1990-91 (his first full season with the Nets) and then making the All-NBA Third Team by averaging 22.3 points per game the following season. Tragically, while back in Europe that offseason following the Nets' playoff elimination, Petrovic was killed in a car accident.

9. Yao Ming

Country of origin: China
Team(s): Rockets
Career years: 2002-2011
Career stats: 486 G, 19.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.9 BPG
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-NBA Third Team, 2003 NBA All-Rookie First Team

It was with great fanfare that 7'6" Chinese center Yao Ming arrived in the United States in 2002. After a stellar, dominant career with the Shanghai Sharks from 1997 until 2002, the then-22-year-old finally convinced his team to allow him to play on the highest level and make the jump to the NBA. His talent on the court and immense popularity off it led him to be named an All-Star all but one season of his NBA career, despite the fact that he missed 250 games with injury in the last six years of his career alone. A great ambassador for the game, Yao will forever be remembered as a huge reason for basketball's explosion in popularity in Asia.

8. Manu Ginobili

Country of origin: Argentina
Team(s): Spurs
Career years: 2002-present
Career stats: 727 G, 14.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.5 SPG
Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 1x NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 2003 NBA All-Rookie Second Team

While everyone knows about Manu Ginobili's outstanding career in the NBA, he also had a wildly successful run in Europe prior to coming to the United States and joining the Spurs at age 25. While he was drafted by the Spurs in 1999, he returned to Italy and promptly led Kinder Bologna to the 2001 Italian Championship, the 2001 Euroleague title, and the 2001 and 2002 Italian Cup. Manu was outstanding in those competitions, winning the MVP of the Italian League in both 2000-01 and 2001-02.

He is now generally regarded as the blueprint for NBA teams drafting foreign players and then letting them develop overseas before bringing them to the US. Considering Manu's incredible success, it's hard to argue with that tactic.

7. Pau Gasol

Country of origin: Spain
Team(s): Grizzlies, Lakers
Career years: 2001-present
Career stats: 845 G, 18.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.6 BPG
Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2002 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Pau Gasol can be an easy target for fan derision, as his constant complaining to and pleading with referees can grate on pretty much anybody. However, there's also no denying his talent. Gasol could have been MVP of the 2010 Finals, averaging 18.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the series and grabbing 18 rebounds (nine offensive) in Game 7 alone. He also posted solid numbers for FC Barcelona (yes, they have teams other than for soccer) before finally heading to the NBA in 2001 at age 21, winning the 2001 Spanish League title. He's gone on to capture numerous accolades in the US, and at 33 years old still likely has a few quality seasons remaining.

6. Tony Parker

Country of origin: Belgium
Team(s): Spurs
Career years: 2001-present
Career stats: 872 G, 17.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Accolades: 3x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 1x All-NBA Third Team, 2002 NBA All-Rookie First Team

The Frenchman has already had one of the best-ever careers of a foreign-born player in the NBA, and he's still just 31 years old. Born in Belgium but raised in France, Tony Parker had great basketball genes thanks to his father, an American-born man who played college ball at Loyola University of Chicago before taking his game overseas and settling down with Tony's mom, a Dutch model. Parker's biggest enticement into basketball and away from soccer was Michael Jordan, whose international fame inspired the young Parker to become the dynamic point guard we see grace the NBA today. After turning down overtures from UCLA and Georgia Tech when he was 18, Parker stayed in France for two more years before finally coming stateside and starting 77 games as a rookie in 2001-02.

5. Dikembe Mutombo

Country of origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
Team(s): Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, Rockets
Career years: 1991-2009
Career stats: 1196 G, 9.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 2.8 BPG
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 4x NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 3x NBA All-Defnesive First Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 2x NBA Rebounding Champion, 3x NBA Blocks Leader, 1992 NBA All-Rookie First Team

The master of the finger wag was the best shot blocker of his era, and indeed Dikembe Mutombo also deserves credit for his incredible longevity on the court. The native of Congo actually wanted to become a doctor when he arrived at Georgetown on a United States Agency for International Development scholarship, but John Thompson quickly took note of the 7'2" giant and developed him into a defensive juggernaut.

Mutombo was a force right from the start of his NBA career, averaging a career-best 16.6 points per game as a rookie; over the first 10 years of his career, the center posted a double-double each season, averaging 12.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game over that stretch. Along with Ben Wallace, Mutombo is the only player to win Defensive Player of the Year honors four times since the award's inception in 1982-83.

4. Steve Nash

Country of origin: South Africa
Team(s): Suns, Mavericks, Lakers
Career years: 1996-present
Career stats: 1202 G, 14.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 2x NBA MVP, 3x All-NBA First Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team

Not a ton of thought was given to Steve Nash in 1996 when he was selected 15th overall by Phoenix, and even less was given when he was traded to Dallas along with the rights to Dirk Nowitzki in 1998. The diminutive point guard was virtually unknown heading into college, considering he had spent his entire life to that point splitting time between soccer and basketball in British Columbia, Canada. He earned some notoriety with Santa Clara University, leading the 15th-seeded Broncos to a stunning upset win over 2nd-seeded Arizona in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Two NBA MVPs, eight All-Star, and seven All-NBA selections later, everybody knows who Nash is now.

3. Patrick Ewing

Country of origin: Jamaica
Team(s): Knicks, SuperSonics, Magic
Career years: 1985-2002
Career stats: 1183 G, 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.4 BPG
Accolades: Basketball Hall of Fame, 11x All-Star, 1x All-NBA First Team, 6x All-NBA Second Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 1986 NBA Rookie of the Year, 1986 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Really, the only blemish on Patrick Ewing's outstanding career is the fact that he never won a ring. Obviously this is a pretty glaring problem, but it shouldn't prevent us from appreciating the incredible accomplishment the Knicks' legendary big man was able to achieve during his career. Originally hailing from Kingston, Jamaica and specializing in soccer and cricket as a younger man, Ewing moved to Cambridge, Mass. at age 12 and took up basketball full-time during high school. A scholarship to Georgetown soon followed, and Ewing would then go on to become one of the 1990s' biggest NBA stars after becoming the No. 1 pick in the 1985 Draft.

2. Dirk Nowitzki

Country of origin: Germany
Team(s): Mavericks
Career years: 1998-present
Career stats: 1108 G, 22.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Accolades: NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 11x All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team, 5x All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-NBA Third Team

Few could have predicted the lanky, goofy German kid selected No. 9 overall in the 1998 NBA Draft would go on to be a Hall of Famer, but really given his pedigree it's no surprise that Dirk Nowitzki was destined for NBA success. Both his mother (basketball) and his father (handball) were professional athletes, and although he didn't start playing seriously until 15 years old, it was apparent that Dirk was going to be quite good. After being named "German Basketballer of the Year" in 1998 as an 18 year old, he headed to the NBA where he has gone on to score of 25,000 points (currently 17th all-time).

1. Hakeem Olajuwon

Country of origin: Nigeria
Team(s): Rockets, Raptors
Career years: 1984-2002
Career stats: 1238 G, 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 3.1 BPG
Accolades: Basketball Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 12x All-Star, 2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 6x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-NBA Third Team, 5x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 4x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 2x NBA Rebounding Leader, 3x NBA Blocks Leader, 1985 NBA All-Rookie First Team

Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the greatest players in NBA history, period. The fact that he played only soccer through age 15 makes his transformation into one of the best players ever to pick up a basketball all the more remarkable. Olajuwon actually credits his experience on the pitch with helping him immediately become a force in the post, as he developed much of his signature agility and footwork by playing goalkeeper on the soccer field. Basically unrecruited, Olajuwon immigrated to the United States, enrolled at the University of Houston, and was allowed to try out in front of the coaches. After two NCAA title game appearances, he launched an NBA career that saw him finish as the ninth-leading scorer in league history.