75 greatest international players ever: The HoopsHype list

After the great success of our HoopsHype75 list, which absolutely no one disagreed with at all, we decided to put together another one focusing on the 75 greatest international players ever.

This is a far more difficult exercise than the Top 75 NBA players list. In that one, it was all legends. Here, after the actual stars on top, you’re often splitting hairs when picking one role player ahead of another and, on top of that, you have to evaluate how to rate FIBA luminaries who didn’t pan out all that well in the NBA or didn’t play in the league at all.

Though we factored in FIBA accomplishments some, we put way more stock on what players did while competing against the very best (that is, in the NBA). And, of course, the focus is on what they achieved and not what they could have done if A, B or C had happened. Facts over speculation.

As with our NBA75 list, we compiled votes from our staff, removed the highest and lowest rank for each player and awarded points 75-1 for the rest.

It was fun to put together.

Let’s jump in.

Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) 🇳🇬

Mark D. Phillips/AFP via Getty Images

Top accolades: Two NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal

NBA rank: 1st in blocks, 9th in steals, 12th in points, 14th in rebounds, 212th in assists

Share of the vote: 100 percent

Though he ended up playing for Team USA and winning an Olympic gold medal with the red, white and blue, Hakeem Olajuwon was born and raised in Nigeria and even played for a Nigerian junior team at the All-Africa Games. Olajuwon was a unanimous pick at No. 1 by HoopsHype voters, who placed him just outside of the Top 10 in our own NBA75 rankings.

He was the complete package as player, with arguably the most unstoppable post game ever thanks to his quickness and athleticism, to go with his impossible-to-predict moves. He was also an elite defender, with unbelievable shot-blocking prowess.

The international GOAT.

Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) 🇩🇪

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, one MVP, 12 All-NBA selections, 14 All-Stars, one World Cup bronze medal, one Eurobasket silver medal

NBA rank: No. 6 in scoring, No. 26 in rebounds, No. 52 in blocks, No. 89 in steals, No. 150 in assists

Share of the vote: 98.7 percent of the maximum amount possible

One of the finest offensive forwards in basketball history, Dirk Nowitzki is also widely considered the top European player of all time. Nowitzki didn’t just carry those Mavs teams to multiple deep playoff runs and ultimately a championship, he did so without star companions. Nowitzki did similarly with Germany, winning a couple of medals with teams pretty much devoid of top-notch talent. Nowitzki’s shooting ability from all angles and ranges, off the dribble or with his feet set, was truly unmatched, especially among 7-footers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) 🇬🇷

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, two MVPs, three All-NBA 1st Team selections, five All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, three All-Defensive 1st Team selections

NBA rank: No. 148 in blocks, No. 210 in rebounds, No. 215 in scoring, 259th in assists, 361st in steals

Share of the vote: 97.3 percent of the maximum amount possible

Third on our list already at age 26, there’s a good chance Giannis Antetokounmpo may end up being considered the top foreign talent when all is said and done. No small feat for a player who didn’t even have Greek citizenship growing up. Antetokounmpo makes up for his lone shortcoming – his shooting – with unreal length, tenacity and scoring down low. He’s legitimately unstoppable once he gets in the paint. Not much success in FIBA tourneys so far, surprisingly, but that could change in the future, too.

Steve Nash (Canada) 🇨🇦

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two MVP awards, seven All-NBA selections, eight All-Stars, one FIBA Americas silver medal

NBA rank: 4th in assists, 89th in scoring, 227th in steals, 450th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 95.6 percent of the maximum amount possible

South Africa-born Canadian Steve Nash was a superstar in his prime, as attested by his two MVP awards. Nash was very much a late bloomer, winning those in his 30s, an age in which most point guards (especially during his time) had declined a big deal. Nash would have been even more devastating in today’s NBA running the pick-and-roll and shooting more threes than he did during his heyday, but as is, he’s an all-timer, with unreal passing vision and a jump shot that was as pretty as any, ever.

Pau Gasol (Spain) 🇪🇸

Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two NBA titles, four All-NBA selections, six All-Stars, three Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, seven Eurobasket medals, one World Cup MVP award, two Eurobasket MVP awards

NBA rank: 21st in blocks, 28th in rebounds, 39th in scoring, 124th in assists, 446th in steals

Share of the vote: 95.1 percent of the maximum amount possible

Pau Gasol had a terrific NBA career to go with perhaps the best National Team career of any player ever, having won 11 medals and multiple MVPs in summer FIBA tournaments. A two-time NBA champion, some of the analytics actually rated Gasol as the most important Laker on those two title teams. Gasol was extremely skilled for a big man, with a length that helped him finish over just about anyone down low.

Tony Parker (France) 🇫🇷

Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Four NBA titles, one Finals MVP, three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, six All-Stars, four Eurobasket medals, one Eurobasket MVP

NBA rank: 19th in assists, 53rd in scoring, 150th in steals, 498th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 93.3 percent of the maximum amount possible

A super quick point guard with elite change-of-direction skills, Tony Parker made a living getting into the paint and finishing among the trees because of his unstoppable tear-drop floater. Didn’t have much range as a shooter and wasn’t an elite defender by any stretch, but he’s an all-time great guard anyway, which speaks to just how solid he was at lead guard, no easy accomplishment for guys out of Europe.

Manu Ginobili (Argentina) 🇦🇷

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Four NBA titles, two All-NBA 3rd Team selections, two All-Stars, one-time Sixth Man of the Year, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup silver medal, four FIBA Americas medals, one Olympic tournament MVP, one FIBA Americas MVP, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague Finals MVP

NBA rank: 60th steals, 119th in assists, 174th in points, 437th in blocks, 438th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 92.0 percent

Manu Ginobili is one of only two players to win NBA, Olympic and Euroleague titles, the other one being Bill Bradley. Ginobili performed well throughout his career no matter which role he was given. The exciting Argentinian popularized the Euro-step in the NBA and had a propensity for hitting clutch shots while never giving less than 100 percent effort during his time on the floor.

Nikola Jokic (Serbia) 🇷🇸

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One MVP award, two All-NBA 1st Team selections, three All-Stars, one Olympic silver medal

NBA rank: 252nd in assists, 300th in rebounds, 427th in blocks, 458th in scoring

Share of the vote: 88.0 percent

A team can build an elite NBA offense around Nikola Jokic thanks to his super passing and scoring skills. Only the fifth international player to win the MVP award and the first center to do so this century, Jokic should age well considering his game doesn’t rely at all on athleticism or explosiveness. Truly one of the best passers in the game today, not just among centers, but among anyone.

Dikembe Mutombo (DR of Congo) 🇨🇩

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Top accolades: Three All-NBA Team selections, eight All-Stars, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, six All-Defensive Team selections

NBA rank: 2nd in blocks, 20th in rebounds, 285th in scoring

Share of the vote: 88.0 percent

Dikembe Mutombo entered the NBA at the grand age of 25 and became of the most accomplished defensive players in NBA history with his ability to alter shots. Didn’t have much of an offensive game, yet still managed an 18-year career in the league thanks to his all-time shot-blocking ability and finishing prowess down low.

Marc Gasol (Spain) 🇪🇸

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 1st Team selection, three All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection, two Olympic silver medals, two World Cup gold medals, five Eurobasket medals

NBA rank: 57th in blocks, 139th in rebounds, 221st in assists, 236th in scoring, 294th in steals

Share of the vote: 87.1 percent

The leader on various fine Grizzlies teams, Marc Gasol eventually became a champion anchoring the defense of the Raptors while contributing plenty as a playmaker and floor-spacer. Gasol was also a key component to very successful Spanish squads in FIBA tournaments.

Luka Doncic (Slovenia) 🇸🇮

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two All-NBA 1st Team selections, two All-Stars, one Eurobasket gold medal, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award

Share of the vote: 86.7 percent

It goes without saying, but simply put, Luka Doncic is a special talent with a chance to enter GOAT conversations down the road thanks to his unbelievable mix of scoring and playmaking as well as rebounding from the lead-guard spot at his size. Doncic has already won pretty much everything at the international level. Though he has yet to win a playoff series, he has the best scoring average in NBA postseason history as of now.

Al Horford (Dominican Republic) 🇩🇴

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team selection, five All-Stars, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection, one FIBA Americas bronze medal

NBA rank: 86th in blocks, 90th in rebounds, 223rd in assists, 233rd in scoring, 346th in steals

Share of the vote: 85.7 percent

Though Al Horford may not have the accolades or numbers of some of the other players this high on this list, his longevity has helped him stand out anyway. Horford has enjoyed a long career as a high-quality starter or low-level All-Star mostly playing at center, which was never his favorite position.

Rudy Gobert (France) 🇫🇷

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two All-NBA Team selections, two All-Stars, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic silver medal, two World Cup bronze medals, one Eurobasket bronze medal

NBA rank: 55th in blocks, 148th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 83.1 percent

Rudy Gobert’s combination of length, mobility and smarts make him one of the most devastating defensive players in NBA history. Without much of an offensive game, Gobert can still do a lot of damage on that end on screen-and-rolls and finishing lobs. Despite a great NBA career, he has many doubters mostly because of perceived shortcomings in the playoffs. That may change in the future with a deep postseason run with the Jazz. Gobert has had quite a bit of success with the French National Team already, but to this point, has fallen short of gold.

Drazen Petrovic (Croatia) 🇭🇷

Tim DeFrisco/Getty Images

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team selection, two Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, one Eurobasket gold medal, one World Cup MVP award, one Eurobasket MVP award, two Euroleague titles

Share of the vote: 83.1 percent

Quite possibly the best European player in the 20th century thanks to amazing shooting prowess and will to win, Drazen Petrovic was the first Euro player to make an All-NBA Team and to this day just one of a handful to do it so as a guard. Didn’t bring much to the table aside from scoring. His tragic car accident robbed us of a great player way too early, and he’d likely be higher here had he been able to have a long career. Petrovic remains absolutely iconic overseas to this day.

Yao Ming (China) 🇨🇳

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Top accolades: Five All-NBA Team selections, eight All-Stars, three FIBA Asia Cup gold medals, three FIBA Asia Cup MVP awards

NBA rank: 117th in blocks, 320th in rebounds, 426th in scoring

Share of the vote: 81.8 percent

In his short NBA career, Yao Ming made eight All-Star rosters, although some were mostly on the back of the Chinese vote. Still, Yao was an excellent center when healthy thanks in large part to his monstrous size at 7-foot-6 and unbelievably soft touch for a man of his size. He had a turnaround jumper that was impossible to defend when he had it going. Had his career cut short by constant foot problems after going through multiple seasons with almost no rest because of offseason duties with the Chinese National Team in the summer.

Predrag Stojakovic (Serbia) 🇷🇸

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 2nd Team, three All-Stars, one World Cup gold medal, one Eurobasket gold medal, one Eurobasket MVP

NBA rank: 189th in scoring, 330th in steals, 431st in rebounds

Share of the vote: 80.0 percent

Generally remembered as the second wheel on those fun Chris Webber-led Sacramento King teams of the early 00’s, Predrag Stojakovic was among the best shooters in the NBA during his time. He had phenomenal size for a small forward and a jumper that would so often hit nothing but net. Stojakovic led the league in free-throw shooting accuracy twice and shot over 40 percent from three for his career.

Joel Embiid (Cameroon) 🇨🇲

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, four All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections

NBA rank: 293rd in blocks

Share of the vote: 78.7 percent

One of the top centers in basketball at the moment, the only concern surrounding Joel Embiid is his propensity for getting injured. Besides that, he’s dominant in every facet on both ends of the floor, with a post game that’s hard to stop, perimeter shooting touch that keeps defenses honest and unreal defensive playmaking abilities thanks to his fantastic size, athleticism and instincts.

Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania) 🇱🇹

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Top accolades: One Olympic gold medal, one World Cup gold medal, four Eurobasket medals, one Eurobasket MVP award, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award

NBA rank: 275th in blocks, 487th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 76.9 percent

A do-it-all giant, Arvydas Sabonis was one of the game’s first unicorns. Unfortunately, his super dominant time in Europe that’s so often glossed over didn’t last very long. He was very limited physically by age 24 due to major leg injuries, and it was around that time when he signed with an average Valladolid squad in Spain’s first division. Despite physical limitations, he still managed a sensational career in FIBA basketball and eventually enjoyed solid seven seasons as a center for the Trail Blazers.

Sabonis will always be known as one of the biggest what-ifs in basketball, although major injury problems for players of his size are hardly uncommon. He displayed magnificent vision of the court and outside shooting when centers were not really doing those things. It was a joy to watch.

Detlef Schrempf (Germany) 🇩🇪

AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team, three All-Stars, two Sixth Man of the Year awards

NBA rank: 112th in rebounds, 120th in scoring, 135th in assists, 256th in steals, 449th in blocks

Share of the vote: 75.6 percent

Known by this generation for his cameo appearances on Parks and Rec, Detlef Schrempf was far from a slouch during his time in the Association, making one All-NBA team and three All-Star appearances in his heyday thanks to his outside shooting touch and fantastic size for a forward at 6-foot-10.

Vlade Divac (Serbia) 🇷🇸

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Top accolades: One All-Star, one Olympic gold medal, two World Cup gold medals, three Eurobasket gold medals

NBA rank: 30th in blocks, 50th in rebounds, 75th in steals, 161st in assists, 199th in scoring

Share of the vote: 75.1 percent

Best known for his time with the Kings, Vlade Divac was a charismatic figure in the game for many years. Divac was perhaps the best passing center in the game during his time in the league, and though he didn’t really work on his body a lot, he still had a phenomenal career both in the league and FIBA competitions with Yugoslavia.

Rolando Blackman (Panama) 🇵🇦

Stephen Dunn /Getty Images

Top accolades: Four All-Stars

NBA rank: 85th in scoring, 223rd in assists, 361st in steals

Share of the vote: 75.1 percent

A 2-guard who could fill up the scoring column without a problem, Rolando Blackman was a top player for the Mavericks throughout the 1980s, averaging over 19 points per game seven times in that decade, although Dallas at the time wasn’t doing much winning.

Toni Kukoc (Croatia) 🇭🇷

Jonathan Daniel /Allsport

Top accolades: Three NBA titles, one Sixth Man of the Year award, two Olympic silver medals, one World Championship gold medal, two Eurobasket gold medals, one World Championship MVP award, one Eurobasket MVP award, three Euroleague titles, three Euroleague Final Four MVP awards

NBA rank: 204th in assists, 280th in steals, 395th in scoring, 465th in rebounds, 499th in blocks

Share of the vote: 73.7 percent

Toni Kukoc was a terrific all-around player, so crafty and smooth with the ball in his hands yet tenacious when he needed to be. Kukoc played a big role in three championship teams for the Bulls, though things didn’t go so well when he was tasked with being the No. 1 guy post-Last Dance. You don’t often see winning runs like the one he had between 1989 and 1998.

Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic) 🇩🇴

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team, two All-Stars, one Centrobasket gold medal

NBA rank: 215th in blocks, 274th in rebounds, 392nd in scoring

Share of the vote: 71.5 percent

Despite the accolades he’s already amassed, Karl-Anthony Towns still has much more to give as he’s one of the most skilled and efficient scoring centers ever. Towns has a pristine jumper from beyond the arc and a ball-handling ability to get to the basket when facing up, as well as the post-game to dominate smaller foes.

Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro) 🇲🇪

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two All-Stars

NBA rank: 109th in rebounds, 206th in blocks, 292nd in scoring, 458th in steals, 472nd in assists

Share of the vote: 68.9 percent

A highly skilled center who can pull down double-doubles in his sleep, Nikola Vucevic is very difficult to defend because he can do so many things with the basketball. Vucevic can shoot, pass and post up, and you don’t want to foul him because of his shooting touch from the foul stripe.

Joakim Noah (France) 🇫🇷

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Top accolades: One All-NBA 1st Team selection, two All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Eurobasket silver medal

NBA rank: 131st in blocks, 175th in rebounds, 463rd in assists

Share of the vote: 67.1 percent

One of the most energetic players ever, Joakim Noah was considered one of the best centers in the league at his peak. Even though his jumper didn’t have much range on it, Noah was still quite skilled thanks to his ball-handling and playmaking out of the high post/short midrange areas. Also an elite defender in his prime mostly thanks to effort and instincts.

Ben Simmons (Australia) 🇦🇺

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team, three All-Stars, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections

NBA rank: 391st in assists

Share of the vote: 64.9 percent

Shooting woes aside, Ben Simmons is a freakish talent at lead guard, with the size of some centers and the athleticism of a swingman, but with the ball-handling and vision necessary to play point guard at a very high level. Also an unreal defender thanks to his effort on that end along with his excellent physical tools.

Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) 🇷🇺

Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-Star, three All-Defensive Team selections, one Olympic bronze medal, one Eurobasket, gold medal, one Eurobasket MVP award, one Euroleague MVP award

NBA rank: 40th in blocks, 130th in steals, 337th in rebounds, 385th in assists, 413th in scoring

Share of the vote: 64.4 percent

Long and athletic, the Russian forward was adept at filling the stat sheet from top to bottom. Andre Kirilenko was a Swiss Army knife on both ends of the floor, capable of filling multiple roles, though he particularly shined defensively thanks to his fantastic insticts, quick feet and great length.

Rik Smits (Netherlands) 🇳🇱

Steve Healey/Indianapolis Star

Top accolades: One All-Star

NBA rank: 75th in blocks, 218th in scoring, 235th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 63.6 percent

A skilled but lean big man with fantastic size at 7-foot-4, Rik Smits had soft touch around the basket that helped him knock down turnaround jumpers with aplomb. He did struggle some as a rebounder, though, due to his slender frame.

Goran Dragic (Slovenia) 🇸🇮

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team selection, one All-Star, one Most Improved Player award, one Eurobasket gold medal, one Eurobasket MVP award

NBA rank: 110th in assists, 259th in steals, 260th in scoring

Share of the vote: 62.7 percent

A point guard with a lot of tenacity and energy on offense, Goran Dragic could often create a fast break out of nothing. He has also been an adept halfcourt scorer who could use screens to get to the basket, where he was one of the best finishers in the paint thanks to his iron-clad shoulders. Dragic was also a fine outside shooter, making him the whole package offensively.

Luis Scola (Argentina) 🇦🇷

TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Top accolades: One Olympic gold medal, two World Cup silver medals, nine FIBA Americas medals

NBA rank: 273rd in rebounds, 451st in scoring

Share of the vote: 62.2 percent

Few people were more devoted to their National Team than Luis Scola, who put up big numbers for Argentina on a regular basis and carved himself a nice career in the NBA

Scola will go down as one of the best international competitors ever, but that doesn’t mean his NBA career wasn’t memorable, as the Argentinian big man lasted 10 years in the Association and was an effective scorer and passer, especially during his time with the Rockets.

Luol Deng (South Sudan) 🇸🇸

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two All-Stars, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection

NBA rank: 201st in scoring, 222nd in rebounds, 238th in steals, 306th in blocks, 424th in assists

Share of the vote: 59.1 percent

Born in South Sudan, Luol Deng eventually moved to the UK and represented its short-lived program at the Olympics. He could do a bit of everything in his heyday, including score, shoot, create and rebound at his swingman spot while defending at a pretty high level. Great motor too. Shined in Chicago as a Thibs favorite

Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuania) 🇱🇹

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Top accolades: Two All-Stars

NBA rank: 49th in blocks, 165th in rebounds, 320th in scoring

Share of the vote: 55.5 percent

Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a unique big man thanks to his size and slender frame, but he was productive and effective in his role as a floor-spacing center who could block some shots on the defensive end.

Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) 🇱🇹

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two All-Stars

Share of the vote: 55.5 percent

Southpaw big man with playmaking, rebounding and scoring chops down low, Domantas Sabonis has developed into a very well-rounded, All-Star-level big man, already posting a more impressive NBA career than his father did.

Andrew Bogut (Australia) 🇦🇺

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 3rd Team selection, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection

NBA rank: 82nd in blocks, 170th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 55.5 percent

Injuries prevented Andrew Bogut from posting the career many expected from the No. 1 overall pick, but even so, he enjoyed a solid span of time in the NBA as one of the better centers in the league, even winning a title as a pivotal role player for the Warriors. In his prime, great screen-setter and playmaker for a center.

Mychal Thompson (Bahamas) 🇧🇸

Mike Powell/Getty Images

Top accolades: Two NBA titles

NBA rank: 85th in blocks, 116th in rebounds, 219th in scoring, 372nd in steals, 388th in assists

Share of the vote: 52.8 percent

Known by the current generation for being Klay Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson was a center who could do plenty of scoring in the paint and spent the early part of his career putting up solid numbers with the Blazers before becoming more of a role player on the Showtime Lakers.

Ricky Rubio (Spain) 🇪🇸

Charlie Neibergall – Pool/Getty Images

Top accolades: Two Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, two Eurobasket gold medals, one World Cup MVP award, one Euroleague title

NBA rank: 71st in assists, 101th in steals

Share of the vote: 51.6 percent

Although he may have not fully lived up to the hype created by his legendary Euro YouTube highlight videos before getting to the NBA, Ricky Rubio has still enjoyed a fantastic NBA as well as international career thanks to his wizardry as a passer and solid ball-handling.

Dino Radja (Croatia) 🇭🇷

Allsport USA/A

Top accolades: Two Olympic silver medals, one World Championship bronze medal, two Eurobasket gold medals, two Euroleague titles, one Euroleague Final Four MVP

Share of the vote: 50.7 percent

Dino Radja formed a beyond dominant duo in Europe along with Kukoc in legendary Jugosplastika Split. One of the few bright spots for the lowly 90’s Celtics, Radja averaged nearly 20 points nightly in his third NBA season, before returning to Europe a couple of seasons later to finish out his career.

Danilo Gallinari (Italy) 🇮🇹

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One Euroleague Rising Star award, one Italian League MVP

NBA rank: 337th in scoring

Share of the vote: 48.4 percent

A sharpshooting wing with great size, Danilo Gallinari can do more than just shoot from beyond the arc with his feet set, as he’s got an underrated face-up and post-up game… though his defense leaves a bit to be desired.

Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) 🇨🇲

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Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 2nd Team, one All-Star, one Most Improved Player award

Share of the vote: 46.7 percent

Pascal Siakam, still in the middle of his prime, started off as a very raw prospect and developed into an energetic swingman who can guard multiple positions and terrorize opponents in transition. A much-improved halfcourt scorer, too, Siakam makes a huge nightly impact on both ends of the floor.

Sarunas Marciulionis (Lithuania) 🇱🇹

Mike Powell /Allsport

Top accolades: Three Olympic medals, three Eurobasket medals, one Eurobasket MVP

Share of the vote: 46.7 percent

There’s an ongoing narrative that Euro pioneers didn’t get any confidence from coaches in the NBA, but Sarunas Marciulionis proved that’s wrong by receiving playing time early on in his NBA career. For a guard, he was super strong which allowed him to score around the paint regularly.

Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia) 🇱🇻

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One All-Star

NBA rank: 228th in blocks

Share of the vote: 45.3 percent

A shot-blocking, three-point shooting big man in a freakish 7-foot-3 package, Kristaps Porzingis appeared headed to a perennial All-Star career until injuries began to affect him. Still young, there’s a chance Porzingis can regain that form down the road but at worst, he’s still an effective, above-average starter.

Serge Ibaka (Republic of Congo) 🇨🇬

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Top accolades: One NBA title, three All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic silver medal, one Eurobasket silver medal

NBA rank: 27th in blocks, 159th in rebounds, 343rd in scoring

Share of the vote: 43.5 percent

Serge Ibaka broke onto the basketball scene early on in his NBA career, reaching the 2012 Finals as a member of the Thunder and making a huge impact on that team with his ridiculous shot-blocking prowess. Later on in his career, once his athleticism dwindled, he even extended his range to the three-point line.

Hidayet Turkoglu (Turkey) 🇹🇷

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Top accolades: One Most Improved Player award, one World Cup silver medal, one Eurobasket silver medal

NBA rank: 248th in assists, 316th in scoring, 328th in steals, 402nd in rebounds, 477th in blocks

Share of the vote: 43.5 percent

A supersized swingman who could do a bit of everything, including score, rebound and pass, Hidayet Turkoglu would have been even more effective in the modern era shooting more three-pointers, but even for his time, he was an underrated small forward.

Nicolas Batum (France) 🇫🇷

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Top accolades: One Olympic silver medal, two World Cup bronze medals, one Eurobasket gold medal

NBA rank: 201th in assists, 241st in blocks, 269th in steals, 314th in rebounds, 396th in scoring

Share of the vote: 42.7 percent

A beyond serviceable role player throughout his entire career, Nicolas Batum was one of the original 3-and-D swingmen that became so popular in the 2010s, capable of locking down multiple positions on one end and knocking down open threes on the other. Underrated playmaker, too.

Jamal Murray (Canada) 🇨🇦

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team

Share of the vote: 39.1 percent

A confident bucket-getter at lead guard, Jamal Murray has the shooting ability and quick release to get hot at moment’s notice and absolutely take over a game, but at a star level, which has even been proven in the playoffs. His issue has been with consistency.

Nenê (Brazil) 🇧🇷

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 1st Team, one FIBA Americas silver medal

NBA rank: 158th in steals, 170th in blocks, 193rd in rebounds, 326th in scoring

Share of the vote: 36.4 percent

Nenê had a face-up game that was difficult to defend out of the midrange to low post, as he had the quickness to blow by slow-footed opponents and the moves to outcraft even more athletic foes.

Mehmet Okur (Turkey) 🇹🇷

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Top accolades: One NBA title, one All-Star, one Eurobasket silver medal

NBA rank: 301th in blocks, 325th in rebounds, 474th in scoring

Share of the vote: 35.6 percent

One of the original stretch Euro big men in the NBA, at least one that would willingly bomb away from three, Mehmet Okur was a player ahead of his time. In today’s NBA, he’d fire even more threes up and have a more impressive scoring average. Regardless, Okur enjoyed a solid 10-year NBA career.

Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) 🇱🇹

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team, two Eurobasket silver medals

NBA rank: 176th in rebounds, 187th in blocks, 480th in scoring

Share of the vote: 35.6 percent

The further along he gets in his career, the more Jonas Valanciunas’ play improves, as he’s gone from a role player early on into a solid, above-average starter now. The big Lithuanian is a double-double machine with a strong post game thanks to having boulders for shoulders. He’s even hitting threes now.

Patrick Mills (Australia) 🇦🇺

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one Olympic bronze medal

Share of the vote: 35.1 percent

Patrick Mills, more commonly referred to as Patty, helped guide Australia to its first gold medal in men’s basketball at the last Olympics, a deserved reward to his super-strong play with the National Team for a decade. He’s limited athletically and physically but makes up for it with feisty play and a lightning-quick jumper, one with range and that he can hit off the dribble.

Dejan Bodiroga (Serbia) 🇷🇸

Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport

Top accolades: One Olympic silver medal, two World Championship gold medals, three Eurobasket gold medals, three Euroleague titles, one Euroleague MVP, two Euroleague Final Four MVP awards

Share of the vote: 35.1 percent

Perhaps the most accomplished FIBA player never to give the NBA a try, Dejan Bodiroga was a dominant offensive player in Europe in his heyday. There are always questions about how well his pretty peculiar game would have adjusted to the NBA, considering his limited athleticism, slow movement skills and high-usage rate. Even so, Bodiroga boasts a spectacular FIBA resume.

Steven Adams (New Zealand) 🇳🇿

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team

NBA rank: 222nd in blocks, 291st in rebounds

Share of the vote: 33.3 percent

Steven Adams does shine in one area: as a screen-setter. Besides that, Adams can do some scoring down low when he’s set up by teammates and rebounds well enough, though he’s better at boxing out than actually securing the ricochets off the glass.

Andrew Wiggins (Canada) 🇨🇦

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Rookie of the Year award, All-Rookie 1st Team, one FIBA Americas bronze medal

NBA rank: 341st in scoring, 384th in steals

Share of the vote: 31.1 percent

Much of the talk throughout his career has been about his impact being inconsistent for a No. 1 overall pick, but recently Andrew Wiggins has been playing the best basketball of his career, making his presence felt as both a scorer and defender. Up-and-down accuracy with his jumper, but Wiggins is an elite leaper who could put anyone on a poster.

Clint Capela (Switzerland) 🇨🇭

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One-time rebounding champion

NBA rank: 190th in blocks, 326th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 29.8 percent

Clint Capela went from skinny big man with little endurance early in his career into an above-average starter in the league, one who makes a high-level impact as a shot-blocker and rebounder. Capela has led the NBA in rebounding already once in his career.

Leandro Barbosa (Brazil) 🇧🇷

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one Sixth Man of the Year award, two FIBA Americas gold medals

NBA rank: 379th in steals, 443rd in scoring

Share of the vote: 28.0 percent

A lightning-quick guard who could get from one end of the floor to the other in a flash, Leandro Barbosa was a one-man fast break in his prime. Despite an unorthodox release on his jumper, the Brazilian could also shoot the three-ball at a respectable level, making him a well-rounded scorer in his peak.

Jose Manuel Calderon (Spain) 🇪🇸

Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: Two Olympic silver medals, one World Championship gold medal, one Eurobasket gold medal

NBA rank: 63rd in assists, 360th in steals

Share of the vote: 28.0 percent

A floor general in every sense of the term, Jose Manuel Calderon could always be counted upon to run an offense at a solid level. He was usually thinking more about creating for teammates than trying to score himself, which is a bit of a shame since the Spaniard could really shoot the basketball. Calderon hit nearly 41 percent of his threes for his career.

Oscar Schmidt (Brazil) 🇧🇷

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Top accolades: One World Championship bronze medal, one FIBA Americas bronze medal

Share of the vote: 26.7 percent

A scoring machine, Oscar Schmidt was all offense but with literally no defense to go with it. Even so, Schmidt is considered the all-time leading scorer in basketball history… though mostly playing for not-so-great teams.

Boris Diaw (France) 🇫🇷

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, one Most Improved Player award, one World Cup bronze medal, one Eurobasket gold medal

NBA rank: 147th in assists, 264th in blocks, 303th in rebounds, 412th in steals, 436th in scoring

Share of the vote: 24.9 percent

French forward Boris Diaw was a do-everything forward who could score a bit but also rebound. His most impressive skill, however, was as a playmaker, where he had elite vision as a creator, especially for a man of his size. Had he stayed in better shape, there’s a chance he could have been something more in the Association.

Tristan Thompson (Canada) 🇨🇦

Ronald Martinez/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, All-Rookie 2nd Team

NBA rank: 187th in rebounds, 281st in blocks

Share of the vote: 24.0 percent

At his best, Tristan Thompson was a ferocious offensive rebounder and a fantastic screen-setter who could finish out of the pick-and-roll. He played a vital role in LeBron James’ lone title with the Cavaliers, playing with a ton of energy and defending well, even at times against switches.

Juan Carlos Navarro (Spain) 🇪🇸

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team, three Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, two Eurobasket gold medals, one Eurobasket MVP award, two Euroleague titles, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award

Share of the vote: 23.6 percent

A pure scorer with his own patented floater (“La Bomba”), Juan Carlos Navarro had a terrific career with FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team but only had a cup of coffee with the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA. Could probably have been a solid role player in the league for many years, but preferred to be the man for his hometown club.

Rick Fox (Canada) 🇨🇦

Tom Hauck/Getty Images

Top accolades: Three NBA titles, All-Rookie 2nd Team

NBA rank: 191st in steals, 281st in assists, 399th in blocks, 447th in scoring, 473rd in rebounds

Share of the vote: 20.9 percent

A reliable role player at the swingman spot during the Shaq and Kobe dynasty of the Lakers, Rick Fox was the glue that helped keep the team together, never trying to do too much but coming through when he was needed. Fox always kept the ball moving, could hit an open shot and defended well enough for his position.

Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia) 🇭🇷

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team

Share of the vote: 18.7 percent

A swingman with great size and a quick shooting touch, Bojan Bogdanovic has made a solid career in the NBA out of providing instant scoring, first as a reserve but mostly as a starter. Can get hot and take over games with his shooting quickly.

Evan Fournier (France) 🇫🇷

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One Olympic silver medal, two World Cup bronze medals, one Eurobasket bronze medal

NBA rank: 486th in scoring

Share of the vote: 17.8 percent

Evan Fournier may not thrive in any one area on offense, but he’s a reliable three-level scorer who can get hot at a moment’s notice and doubles as a solid playmaker. His defense may not be much to write home about, but he can do some scoring off the dribble with his soft shooting touch.

Marcin Gortat (Poland) 🇵🇱

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One German League title, three German Cup titles

NBA rank: 128th in blocks, 152nd in rebounds

Share of the vote: 15.1 percent

Affectionately called the Polish Hammer, Marcin Gortat was a deadly scorer out of the pick-and-roll, particularly later on in his career once he got out from under Dwight Howard’s shadow. Gortat had excellent hands and used his strength well when setting screens and attacking the glass.

Joe Ingles (Australia) 🇦🇺

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One Olympic bronze medal, one Euroleague title

NBA rank: 394th in assists

Share of the vote: 14.7 percent

Joe Ingles didn’t make it to the NBA until his age-27 season and once he did make it over, it took him a while to become the player he is now. An absolutely outstanding shooter, Ingles is also an underrated defender and playmaker out of the pick-and-roll.

Dennis Schroeder (Germany) 🇩🇪

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Top accolades: One German League Best Young Player award

NBA rank: 269th in assists, 492nd in scoring

Share of the vote: 14.2 percent

His accolades won’t jump off the page, but either way Dennis Schroeder is already one of the best international point guards ever thanks to his confident scoring prowess out of the backcourt. He may be a bit inconsistent, but overall, he’s a positive-impact player on the floor.

Nikos Galis (Greece) 🇬🇷

Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP via Getty Images

Top accolades: One Eurobasket gold medal, one Eurobasket MVP

Share of the vote: 14.2 percent

Nikos Galis became one of the best scorers in FIBA basketball history and put Greece in the basketball map after four years of college basketball at Seton Hall. A solid playmaker and a ferocious competitor, he was also a strong player for Euro standards back in the day, often playing bigger than his actual size.

Predrag Danilovic (Serbia) 🇷🇸

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Top accolades: One Olympic silver medal, four Eurobasket gold medals, two Euroleague titles, one Euroleague Final Four MVP

Share of the vote: 13.7 percent

Predrag Danilovic was an elite scorer in Europe who did a whole lot of winning overseas. Had a lethal shooting touch which he paired with stingy defensive chops. Did not shy away in big moments.

Swen Nater (Netherlands) 🇳🇱

Richard Brodzeller, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Top accolades: Two All-ABA 2nd Team selections, two ABA All-Star selections

NBA rank: 234th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 9.3 percent

One of the best players in Clippers franchise history until recent years, Swen Nater was a big man with little range but who was a monster rebounder, leading the NBA and the ABA in nightly rebounds one time apiece. Also a very reliable finisher down low.

Jose Juan Barea (Puerto Rico) 🇵🇷

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, two FIBA Americas medals, three Centrobasket gold medals, two Centrobasket MVP awards

NBA rank: 187th in assists

Share of the vote: 8.4 percent

An absolute pest on both ends of the floor in his career, Jose Juan Barea was never afraid of taking a huge shot and could knock them down from all over the floor, even off the dribble. Could also finish around the basket thanks to a pretty tear-drop floater. Although vertically limited, he was able to use his body well on post-up attempts (ask LeBron James about that) and was always willing to take charges.

Samuel Dalembert (Canada) 🇨🇦

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

NBA rank: 34th in blocks, 117th in rebounds

Share of the vote: 5.3 percent

A very solid role player at center for many years, Samuel Dalembert averaged a double-double just once in his career but was a high-level shot-blocker for a long time. Limited offensively, but could finish around the basket.

Vassilis Spanoulis (Greece) 🇬🇷

BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images

Top accolades: One World Cup silver medal, one Eurobasket gold medal, three Euroleague titles, one Euroleague MVP award, three Euroleague Final Four MVPs

Share of the vote: 5.3 percent

Jeff Van Gundy was no fan of his, as the ball-handling, bombastic shooting guard Vassilis Spanoulis played just 272 minutes in his lone NBA season with the Rockets. But in Europe, he’s an absolute legend. He’ll go down as one of the most clutch players in FIBA basketball. Leads the modern-era Euroleague in scoring.

Rudy Fernandez (Spain) 🇪🇸

Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team, three Olympic medals, two World Cup gold medals, three Eurobasket gold medals, two Euroleague titles

Share of the vote: 4.4 percent

Memorable Spanish 2-guard Rudy Fernandez could finish around the rim at a high level thanks to phenomenal athleticism (he beat Russell Westbrook for a spot in the NBA dunk contest) and could bomb away with deft shooting. His on-court antics made him one of the most hated players among European fans.

Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) 🇧🇸

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 1st Team

Share of the vote: 3.1 percent

A still-blossoming center gifted with many important tools, including prototypical size and length, good athleticism and great hands, the best is ahead for Deandre Ayton, who played a vital part in the Suns reaching the 2021 Finals.

Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia-Herzegovina) 🇧🇦

Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team

NBA rank: 292nd in blocks

Share of the vote: 3.1 percent

Jusuf Nurkic may still be in the midst of his prime, though a devastating leg injury did set him back some. Even so, he’s a well-rounded big man with great size who bullies opponents down low and can do some playmaking out of the short midrange.

Tiago Splitter (Brazil) 🇧🇷

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Top accolades: One NBA title, two FIBA Americas gold medals, three All-Euroleague Team selections

Share of the vote: 3.1 percent

A solid big man in the NBA who could set sturdy screens and score out of the pick-and-roll, Tiago Splitter won an NBA championship as a member of the Spurs, playing his role at the 5-spot at a capable level.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES

Sergei Belov, Andrew Gaze, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Dino Meneghin, Dimitris Diamantidis, Dragan Kicanovic, Marco Belinelli, Radivoj Korac, Ersan Ilyasova, Jamaal Magloire, Nemanja Bjelica, Milos Teodosic, Nando De Colo, Andres Nocioni, Kresimir Cosic, Enes Freedom, Theodoros Papaloukas, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Aleksandar Djordjevic, Buddy Hield, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Zaza Pachulia.

WHO WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS LIST?

There are occasionally grey areas when it comes to the nationality of some players since many have multiple passports. For this exercise, we kept it simple with two basic rules: 1. If you only represented USA internationally, you’re not eligible for this list. 2. If you didn’t have a passport from a foreign country by age 18, you’re not eligible either.

By doing that, we filter out players who had few links with a foreign country aside from representing their National Team (say Chris Kaman with Germany).

Image: Coley Cleary / USA TODAY Sport Media Group illustration

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