The best basketball player in the history of each country

With the World Cup finally here, what better occasion to delve deep into the history of all the countries ever to qualify for the event and choose the pre-eminent star for each nation? (Additionally, we’ve included somewhat notable basketball countries with at least one representative on your beloved HoopsHype international GOATs list).

From heavyweights like USA and France to minnows like Cape Verde and Montenegro, we cover it all.

As always, we weigh in NBA accomplishments far more than FIBA ones when rating players, so prepare for some surprises.

Algeria: Miloud Doubal 🇩🇿

Algeria’s Nadir Hifi, currently shining in the French League, might be on his way to the NBA. However, Algeria’s basketball peak came at the beginning of the century. Their 2001 Afrobasket silver medal paved the way for their sole World Cup appearance in 2002. Point guard Miloud Doubal, who spent much of his career in France, was second in assists that year, trailing only Carlos Arroyo.

Runner-up: Ali Bouziane

Angola: Bruno Fernando 🇦🇴

Angola didn’t have an NBA player until 2019, when Bruno Fernando was drafted in the second round by Atlanta. The 6-foot-10 center ended the drought for the most decorated National Team in African basketball, following the footsteps of legends like Jean-Jacques Conceiçao, Olimpio Cipriano, or Carlos Morais, who signed a training camp deal with Toronto several years ago. The next step for Fernando is leaving a mark in FIBA competitions for his home country.

Runner-up: Carlos Morais

Argentina: Manu Ginobili 🇦🇷

Since NBA players represent Team USA, only one team has been able to win an Olympic gold medal besides the United States. Its leader was Manu Ginobili. The Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champion was the key player for the Argentinians’ Golden Generation miracle in 2004, scoring 29 against the U.S. in the semifinal game. Hard to find a player as successful in both NBA and FIBA competitions.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 8
Runners-up: Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni

Australia: Ben Simmons 🇦🇺

From the nation that produced talents like Andrew Gaze, Andrew Bogut, and Patty Mills, Ben Simmons stands out for his peak performance.  Remembering that the Nets guard was a three-time All-Star and one of the best defensive players in the NBA for a while gives us hope he can return to his best form. In the meantime, the Australian National Team has moved on from him, looking to win another medal in the 2023 World Cup.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 29 (as of 2022)
Runners-up: Andrew Bogut, Patrick Mills, Joe Ingles, Andrew Gaze

Bahamas: Mychal Thompson 🇧🇸

The first international player ever to go No. 1 in the NBA draft, Nassau-born Mychal Thompson will always be remembered as a key rotation player in the twilight years of the Showtime Lakers. Due to the FIBA rules of his era, Klay’s dad never had the chance to play for his National Team, though.

Accolades: Two NBA titles
International GOAT ranking: No. 36
Runners-up: Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Jusuf Nurkic 🇧🇦

Since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1993, Bosnia-Herzegovina has been a regular presence at the Eurobasket despite never getting close to medals. Jusuf Nurkic, though not frequently playing for the National Team, is the most notable Bosnian player. He’s been the starting center for the Blazers for seven seasons and was the leading shot blocker in the 2022 Eurobasket.

Accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team
International GOAT ranking: No. 75 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Mirza Teletovic

Brazil: Nenê 🇧🇷

This is going to ruffle some feathers since we’re picking him over a national sports icon and quite possibly the top scorer in basketball history (Oscar Schmidt), but we’re going with Nenê here since no Brazilian player fared better competing against the best of the best. The best-paid South American player in NBA history (ahead of Manu Ginobili), Nenê enjoyed a long 17-year career as a solid center in the league. During this time, he was also a standout for the Brazilian National Team, but success rarely came with the former Nuggets big man on the court, winning only one silver medal, at age 19, in the 2001 AmeriCup. (When it comes to FIBA tourneys, Oscar is clearly Brazil’s GOAT).

Top accolades: All-Rookie 1st Team, one FIBA Americas silver medal
International GOAT ranking: No. 51
Runners-up: Oscar Schmidt, Leandro Barbosa, Tiago Splitter

Bulgaria: Sasha Vezenkov 🇧🇬

Sasha Vezenkov is set to begin his NBA journey in a few months, but he’s already earned notable accolades in Europe. The Bulgarian power forward clinched the Euroleague MVP award last season and was the third-highest scorer in the 2022 Eurobasket, trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lauri Markkanen. The new Kings player is a beacon of hope for a National Team that hasn’t competed in a major international competition since the 1968 Olympics.

Runner-up: Atanas Golomeev

Cameroon: Joel Embiid 🇨🇲

The reigning MVP hasn’t yet played in any FIBA competition, despite the attempts of Cameroon to secure the services of its most prestigious baller (with France and Team USA also lurking). But no matter what Joel Embiid eventually decides, the 76ers superstar is already a lock in the African basketball Mount Rushmore as one of the most dominant big men of this era. That’s something he probably didn’t expect when he started playing hoops at age 15 in Yaoundé.

Accolades: One MVP, one All-NBA 1st Team selection, four All-NBA 2nd Team selections, six All-Stars, four All-Defensive Team selections

International GOAT ranking: No. 11 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Pascal Siakam

Canada: Steve Nash 🇨🇦

Easily the most important player so far in Canada’s basketball history, Steve Nash led a pretty weak team to a Top 8 spot in the 2000 Olympics, winning also two medals in the AmeriCup. Missing the 2004 Olympics was the last straw for Nash, who decided to focus on his NBA career afterward. He would get two MVP awards as one of the best point guards ever, while Canada is looking for its first Olympic spot in 23 years.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 34
International GOAT ranking: No. 4
Runners-up: Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, Rick Fox, Tristan Thompson

Cape Verde: Walter Tavares 🇨🇻

This year, Cape Verde became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup, a feat ironically achieved with the help of one of the largest professional players in the world. At 7-foot-3, Walter Tavares has established himself as a star in Europe after brief stints in Atlanta and Cleveland, winning two Euroleagues and a Final Four MVP with Real Madrid. He will make history this summer, leading the small archipelago in the central Atlantic Ocean to the big stage.

Runner-up: Betinho Gomes

Central African Republic: Anicet Lavodrama 🇨🇫

In the 1988 Olympics, the Central African Republic, a modest-sized nation, represented Africa, having clinched the Afrobasket title the prior year. This event highlighted Anicet Lavodrama, a powerful center drafted three years earlier by the Cavs, but who ended up becoming a cult figure in the Spanish League. He worked as a scout after his retirement, discovering a future NBA champion during a trip to Africa: Serge Ibaka.

Runner-up: Romain Sato

Chile: Rufino Bernedo 🇨🇱

Chilean basketball is having a modest resurgence in recent years, but its heyday came in the 1950s when the National Team earned two World Championship bronze medals and a fifth-place in the 1952 Olympics. The captain and star of Chile during those years was Rufino Bernedo, the leading scorer in the inaugural 1950 World Championship, where he also made the All-Tournament 1st Team as the top small forward.

Runner-up: Sebastian Herrera

China: Yao Ming 🇨🇳

Still the face of Chinese basketball more than two decades after being drafted, Yao Ming is easily the greatest Asian player of all time. Eight-time NBA All-Star, three-time Asian champion, and the top scorer in the 2006 World Cup, his presence in the paint was a force to reckon with in every tournament he played. Unfortunately, his dedication to the Chinese National Team even while injured was a big factor in his early retirement.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 16
Runner-up: Yi Jianlian

Colombia: Jaime Echenique 🇨🇴

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Colombia, one of the largest countries in Latin America, has had limited representation in basketball. Their sole World Cup appearance was in 1982 when they qualified as the host but lost every game. The best hope for the National Team is Jaime Echenique, who had a brief NBA stint with Washington in 2021. The 28-year-old center has the size and the talent to be a factor in international competitions.

Runner-up: Alvaro Teheran

Croatia: Drazen Petrovic 🇭🇷

The Mozart of Basketball. You can’t earn a nickname like that without massive talent and creativity, and Drazen Petrovic had both. His brief four-year NBA career was pretty good, but he was at his best in FIBA competition. The shooting guard won three Olympic medals and the 1990 World Cup gold with Yugoslavia, next to other future NBA stars like Toni Kukoc and Vlade Divac. At the peak of his game, a car accident took him away from us in 1993 at age 28.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 15
Runners-up: Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Bojan Bogdanovic

Cuba: Andres Guibert 🇨🇺

The most talented player to come from Cuba in the modern era, Andres Guibert defected to Puerto Rico in 1993 during an international championship and got an NBA contract with the Timberwolves, where he played for two seasons. Despite not sticking in the league, the shooting guard had a long professional career between Europe and his adoptive homeland Puerto Rico before retiring in 2004.

Runner-up: Ruperto Herrera

Czech Republic: Tomas Satoransky 🇨🇿

Since Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1993, the Czech Republic didn’t reach a major FIBA tournament again until the 2019 World Cup. There, Tomas Satoransky delivered an impressive 8.5 assists per game, helping his team secure a surprising 6th-place finish, one spot ahead of Team USA. To make it better, Satoransky also led the Czech Republic to the 2020 Olympics, beating Canada in the qualifiers on their own turf. Solid run for the former NBA playmaker.

Runners-up: Jiri Zidek, Jiri Welsch

Dominican Republic: Al Horford 🇩🇴

Al Horford is the highest-paid international player in the NBA, surpassing the likes of Nowitzki, Gasol, and Olajuwon. The Dominican center, still going strong in Boston, has carved out a long career as a dependable all-around big man, earning five All-Star selections. With this National Team, Horford has a bronze medal in the 2011 AmeriCup as his biggest achievement, but for the most part, has prioritized his health over busy summers in recent years.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 12 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Karl-Anthony Towns

DR of the Congo: Dikembe Mutombo 🇨🇩

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During his Hall of Fame career, Dikembe Mutombo never played for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an afterthought even in African basketball. His dedication to the NBA paid off, making him one of the greatest defensive centers. His charisma resonated both on and off the court. Despite his focus on the NBA, he remained deeply connected to his homeland, investing millions from his basketball earnings to better the living conditions in his war-torn country.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 10
Runner-up: Bismack Biyombo

Republic of Congo: Serge Ibaka 🇨🇬

The son of former basketball players, Serge Ibaka started playing early in his native country, then moved to Spain as a teenager to pursue a professional career. His immense potential as a defender led him to the NBA, where he won a championship and received three nods for the All-Defensive 1s Team. Despite representing the Republic of the Congo in an Under-18 Afrobasket, Ibaka chose to play for Spain later on, winning the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 42
Runners-up: Nobel Boungou Colo, Giovan Oniangue

Ecuador: Fortunato Muñoz 🇪🇨

In the most recent World Cup, Bogdan Bogdanovic ranked as the second-highest scorer. Who was the No. 2 scorer in the first one? That would be Fortunato Muñoz from Ecuador. He guided the small South American nation to its sole World Cup appearance in 1950. Ecuador secured an eighth-place finish, even defeating future FIBA giants Yugoslavia and Spain during the competition. Different times, for sure.

Runner-up: Alfredo Arroyave

Egypt: Alaa Abdelnaby 🇪🇬

A familiar face for 76ers fans as the color analyst in their local broadcasts, Alaa Abdelnaby spent five years in the NBA in the early 90s. Solid post scorer, but inconsistent, he played the second half of his career in Europe and the CBA before retiring in 2000.

Runner-up: Mohsen Medhat Warda, Abdel Nader

Finland: Lauri Markkanen 🇫🇮

The 2022-23 NBA season was Lauri Markkanen’s coming-out party in the NBA, earning All-Star and Most Improved Player honors. The Jazz forward had already delivered stellar performances for his National Team, though. In the 2022 Eurobasket, Finland achieved its best ranking since 1967, finishing 7th, largely due to Markkanen’s impressive play. He has a chance to take his country to new heights in the 2023 World Cup.

Accolades: One All-Star, one Most Improved Player award, All-Rookie 1st Team selection
Runner-up: Petteri Koponen

France: Tony Parker 🇫🇷

The first French player ever to enter the Hall of Fame, Tony Parker had a decorated career both in the NBA and FIBA basketball. Besides winning four NBA championships with the Spurs, including a Finals MVP award in 2007, he led one of the best generations in France. The only FIBA championship ever for Les Blues, the 2013 Eurobasket, came with Parker as the MVP and top scorer of the tournament.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 69
International GOAT ranking: No. 7
Runners-up: Rudy Gobert, Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum

Georgia: Zaza Pachulia 🇬🇪

The very definition of a hard-nosed, defensive big man, Zaza Pachulia had a long career in the NBA despite rarely excelling in scoring. In his 16 years in the league, he won two championships with the Warriors and forged a reputation as a tough player. He played with his National Team for over a decade, helping them qualify for the Eurobasket for the first time in 2011.

Runners-up: Tornike Shengelia

Germany: Dirk Nowitzki 🇩🇪

Arguably the best player to represent a National Team outside of Team USA, Dirk Nowitzki holds the record for the longest NBA career with a single franchise, the Mavericks. He clinched an NBA championship and an MVP award during his tenure. Though he often played alongside teammates not quite at his level with Germany, his crowning achievement was securing a bronze medal in the 2002 World Cup.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 19
International GOAT ranking: No. 2
Runners-up: Detlef Schrempf, Dennis Schroeder

Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo 🇬🇷

When it comes to basketball, it’s nearly impossible to hear “Greek” without thinking of “Freak” right after that. Giannis Antetokounmpo, born to Nigerian immigrants in Athens and raised without citizenship, has risen to become one of the most iconic Greek athletes ever. With a 2021 NBA championship and two MVP awards under his belt, securing a medal for the Greek National Team in a FIBA tournament is perhaps his main unfinished business.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 22 (as of 2022)
International GOAT ranking: No. 3 (as of 2022)
Runners-up: Nikos Galis, Vassilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis

Iran: Hamed Haddadi 🇮🇷

By far the most important player in Iranian basketball history. Still, the leader of the National Team at age 38, Hamed Haddadi had a pretty decent five-year run in the NBA, mostly with Memphis, before becoming one of the stars in the Chinese League. With five MVP awards, one more than Yao Ming, he’s also the most decorated player in FIBA Asia championships. In terms of production and career longevity, he merits consideration in any Asian GOAT debate.

Runner-up: Samad Nikkhah Bahrami

Israel: Omri Casspi 🇮🇱

During his long career, Omri Casspi played in the NBA for over a decade as the first Israeli player and also secured four championships in his home country’s league. A solid rotation player in the Association, Casspi was the undisputed star on the Israeli National Team for years, though he never got to qualify for any major FIBA tournament. His most notable accomplishment was a 10th place finish in the 2015 Eurobasket.

Runner-up: Miki Berkovich

Italy: Danilo Gallinari 🇮🇹

The Italian National Team last clinched a medal at the 2004 Olympics. Interestingly, the best era for Italian players in the NBA followed this achievement. Among them, Danilo Gallinari has been the most consistent since joining the Knicks in 2008, averaging 15.6 points over his 13 seasons in the Association. Playing for Italy, his biggest accomplishment was finishing fifth at the 2020 Olympics.

Accolades: One Euroleague Rising Star award, one Italian League MVP

International GOAT ranking: No. 39
Runners-up: Dino Meneghin, Marco Belinelli

Ivory Coast: Pape-Philippe Amagou 🇨🇮

The Ivory Coast has seen American-born, naturalized players with NBA experience, like Matt Costello and Alex Poythress. However, Pape-Philippe Amagou stands out as the most impactful for the National Team. The now-retired point guard led the Elephants to a silver medal in the 2009 Afrobasket and clinched four French LNB championships during his pro career.

Runner-up: Herve Lamizana

Japan: Rui Hachimura 🇯🇵

Jordan: Sam Daghles 🇯🇴

Besides being a G League coach and (briefly) a HoopsHype blogger, Sam Daghles was the leader on the court for the best Jordanian team of all time, earning consecutive medals in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2009 and 2011. A skilled playmaker, he finished fourth in assists in the 2010 World Cup, only behind three future NBA players like Pablo Prigioni, Marcelo Huertas, and Milos Teodosic.

Runner-up: Zaid Abbas

Latvia: Kristaps Porzingis 🇱🇻

Injuries have hindered Kristaps Porzingis since his All-Star recognition in 2018, yet he remains the pride of Latvia from his professional beginnings in Spain. In the 2017 Eurobasket, he finished as the third-best scorer to lead the small Baltic country to the quarter finals – their best performance since 1939. Unfortunately, plantar fasciitis has prevented Porzingis from playing the first World Cup ever for Latvia.

Accolades: One All-Star
International GOAT ranking: No. 41 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Gundars Vetra

Lebanon: Fadi El Khatib 🇱🇧

The godfather of Lebanese basketball, Fadi El Khatib is a living legend in a country that loves hoops. A natural-born scorer at the wing position, he led Lebanon to win three silver medals in the FIBA Asia Championship at the start of the century and averaged 17.6 points in the 2002 World Championship. He retired in 2020 at age 41, but his influence is still notable for a program that returned to the main international stage  at the 2023 World Cup.

Runners-up: Wael Arakji

Lithuania: Arvydas Sabonis 🇱🇹

A massive player in every sense of the word. The 7-foot-3 center built his legacy early in his career with standout performances in FIBA competitions, including winning a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics with the Soviet Union. After Lithuania gained its independence, he became the most recognizable citizen of the Baltic nation, leading it to two consecutive Olympic bronze medals. The former Blazers center is currently the president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 18
Runners-up: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Domantas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis

Malaysia: Tan Kim Chin 🇲🇾

From Drazen Petrovic to Stephen Curry, the FIBA World Cup has seen some legendary shooters, but the most impressive display in a game may have come from an unknown Malaysian wing. In 1986, Tan Kim Chin shot 8-for-8 from downtown against Argentina, helping him finish the tournament Top 10 in scoring. Malaysia didn’t get to win a single game, but Tan Kim Chin will always have a place in the history of the tournament.

Runner-up: Li Wei Chee

Mexico: Gustavo Ayon 🇲🇽

Mexico was a legit force in basketball in the Americas until the mid-70s, then faded from major FIBA events. It all changed in the past decade, largely due to a new generation led by Gustavo Ayon. Beyond his brief NBA stint and a commendable European career, the Titan from Nayarit shone as the star and MVP when the Mexican National Team clinched gold at the 2013 AmeriCup.

Runner-up: Eduardo Najera, Manuel Raga

Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic 🇲🇪

In 2019, Montenegro became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup (Cape Verde broke the record this year), and will return in 2023. His star in both events will also be the only All-Star for the Balkan nation: Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls center played his first tournament with the Montenegrin National Team in 2011, right before starting his NBA career, and is still committed as a seasoned veteran.

Accolades: Two All-Stars
International GOAT ranking: No. 24
Runner-up: Nikola Pekovic

Netherlands: Rik Smits 🇳🇱

The Dunking Dutchman, represented his National Team in just one World Championship, where he averaged 17.4 points during the 1986 tournament as a college player. But Rik Smits is easily the first name that comes to mind associated with basketball in the Netherlands. The 7-foot-4 center spent 12 years in the NBA, always with Indiana, including an All-Star nod and having to face a prime Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 Finals to end his career.

Top accolades: One All-Star
International GOAT ranking: No. 27
Runner-up: Swen Nater

New Zealand: Steven Adams 🇳🇿

Steven Adams is the most recognizable basketball player from New Zealand, yet he hasn’t participated in a major tournament for the Tall Blacks. While his older sister, Valerie, a two-time Olympic shot-put champion, has prominently represented their country in international competitions, Adams has made a significant impact in the NBA. A starting center since his second season in the league, the Grizzlies player remains one of the strongest big men in the basketball world.

Accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team
International GOAT ranking: No. 52 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Kirk Penney

Nigeria: Hakeem Olajuwon 🇳🇬

Since allowing NBA pros to join their National Teams, USA Basketball has included only one naturalized player in major tournaments: Hakeem Olajuwon. Born in Nigeria, this legendary center became an American citizen in 1993 and clinched gold for Team USA in 1996. Despite his achievements with the U.S., Olajuwon’s Nigerian roots remain strong. He is still celebrated as the greatest African-born basketball player, even more than two decades after his retirement.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 11
International GOAT ranking: No. 1
Runner-up: Ike Diogu

Panama: Rolando Blackman 🇵🇦

The No. 2 scorer in Mavericks history, Rolando Blackman left Panama at age eight and never represented his National Team at a time when NBA players were banned from FIBA competitions. Almost 30 years after his retirement, the versatile swingman is still the NBA’s top scorer among Latin American players, ahead of Manu Ginobili and Al Horford.

Accolades: Four All-Stars
International GOAT ranking: No. 20
Runners-up: Rolando Frazer

Paraguay: Javier Martinez 🇵🇾

Always in the shadow of neighboring giants Argentina and Brazil, the Paraguayan National Team hasn’t played in a major FIBA competition since 1967. But the South American country became quite competitive for a while thanks to Javier Martinez. A solid scorer and playmaker, he led Paraguay to a couple of Top 10 AmeriCup finishes and had a stellar career in Argentina before retiring in 2019.

Runner-up: Bruno Zanotti

Peru: Ricardo Duarte 🇵🇪

Nowadays, Peru is not exactly known as a basketball powerhouse, but the South American country had a solid National Team until the 1960s. The soul of Peruvian basketball during its golden years was Ricardo Duarte, a 6-foot-8 center who played internationally for 20 years. He was also the top scorer in the 1964 Olympic Games, ahead of future NBA players like Bill Bradley and Lucious Jackson.

Runners-up: Raul Duarte

Philippines: Jordan Clarkson 🇵🇭

There may not be any country that loves hoops more than the Philippines. Yet, no Filipino-born player has made it to the NBA. However, they scored a big commitment from Jordan Clarkson to play for the National Team. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, who has Filipino heritage from his mother’s side, is the standout name for the Philippines in the 2023 World Cup.

Runner-up: Alvin Patrimonio

Poland: Marcin Gortat 🇵🇱

Marcin Gortat, known as “The Polish Hammer,” remained true to his roots throughout his career. After 12 years in the NBA, he retired in 2019, having ignited a resurgence in the Poland National Team. Under his influence, they secured a 9th-place finish as hosts of the 2009 Eurobasket. Since then, Poland hasn’t missed a single continental competition and even qualified for the 2019 World Cup, their first in over 50 years.

Accolades: One German League title, three German Cup titles
International GOAT ranking: No. 65

Runner-up: Mieczyslaw Lopatka

Puerto Rico: Jose Juan Barea 🇵🇷

Not the first NBA champion coming from Puerto Rico (that was Butch Lee) or the first one to globally impact FIBA basketball (that would be Piculin Ortiz), but Jose Juan Barea offers the best combination of both worlds. The former Mavericks guard enjoyed a long career in the NBA while earning plenty of hardware with the National Team, including a silver medal in the 2013 AmeriCup and finishing as the top scorer in the 2014 World Cup.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 70
Runners-up: Carlos Arroyo, Piculin Ortiz

Qatar: Abdulrahman Saad 🇶🇦

Qatar is set to host the 2027 FIBA World Cup. While their selection might remind some of last year’s soccer hosting, in basketball, they’ve at least had some exposure to high-level competition. They secured a spot in the 2006 World Championship after clinching back-to-back bronze medals in the FIBA Asia Championship. Although their World Championship campaign was tough, with five losses, Abdulrahman Saad had great moments, including scoring 20 points against Lithuania.

Runner-up: Ali Turki

Russia: Andrei Kirilenko 🇷🇺

Now the president of the Russian Basketball Federation, Andrei Kirilenko is easily the best Russian player ever in the NBA, where he made the All-Star once. With Russia, AK-47 was also the leader in its most successful post-Soviet years, winning the 2007 Eurobasket and the bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 26
Runner-up: Sergei Belov

Senegal: Gorgui Dieng 🇸🇳

Sticking in the NBA at age 33, Gorgui Dieng has become the most recognizable player from Senegal. Besides a vacated NCAA championship with Louisville, the big man’s biggest success came with the National Team, winning two bronze medals in the Afrobasket and playing with Senegal in the 2014 World Cup. In Spain, Dieng ranked third in rebounds and played an impressive 36.3 minutes per game, the highest in the tournament.

Runner-up: Boniface N’Dong

Serbia: Nikola Jokic 🇷🇸

It’s strange that the best player ever for one of the most successful nations in FIBA basketball (as Serbia or Yugoslavia) hasn’t won much with his National Team. At age 28, Nikola Jokic only has the 2016 Olympics silver medal to show for his FIBA career. Despite having the Nuggets superstar on their side, Serbia unexpectedly fell short of the semifinals in both the 2019 World Cup and the 2022 Eurobasket. They won’t see Jokic return until at least the 2024 Olympics.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 58 (as of 2022)
International GOAT ranking: No. 6 (as of 2022)
Runners-up: Predrag Stojakovic, Vlade Divac, Dejan Bodiroga

Slovenia: Luka Doncic 🇸🇮

Luka Doncic, poised to be the face of Slovenian basketball for years, has mirrored his NBA trajectory in FIBA play. He had an explosive introduction in 2017, winning the Eurobasket at age 18 next to MVP Goran Dragic, and continues to put up amazing numbers for his country to this day. Leading the small country of Slovenia to fourth place in the 2020 Olympics is as commendable as his All-NBA nods.

Accolades: Four All-NBA 1st Team selections, four All-Stars, one Eurobasket gold medal, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award

International GOAT ranking: No. 9 (as of 2022)
Runner-up: Goran Dragic

South Korea: Ha Seung-Jin 🇰🇷

One of the tallest players in NBA history at 7-foot-3, Ha Seung-Jin became the first and, so far, only Korean player in the league after the Blazers selected him in the 2004 draft. Despite his size, he never had a fighting chance in the league before returning to South Korea three years later. As a consolation, the big man won two national championships and became a staple for the National Team for years, earning a bronze medal in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.

Runner-up: Yang Dong-Geun

South Sudan: Luol Deng 🇸🇸

One of the best African players in the NBA, Luol Deng never had the opportunity to play for his war-torn nation. Instead, he represented his adopted country, Great Britain, in FIBA competitions. Still, the former All-Star has significantly supported South Sudan, helping spotlight the landlocked nation in basketball. He’s done this first as a head coach and now as the federation president. Qualifying for the World Cup is a massive achievement for a nation that came into existence just 12 years ago.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 31
Runners-up: Manute Bol, Kenny Kuany

Spain: Pau Gasol 🇪🇸

Pau Gasol turned a sporadically successful National Team into a global powerhouse. The two-time NBA champion led his country to win the 2006 World Cup, several Eurobasket golds, and three consecutive Olympic medals, making the Spanish National Team the most decorated non-Team USA program of the 21st century. Even without his great NBA career, Gasol would have been a legit Hall of Famer just for his FIBA accomplishments.

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

GOAT ranking: No. 57
International GOAT ranking: No. 5
Runners-up: Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Jose Manuel Calderon

Switzerland: Clint Capela 🇨🇭

France, Germany, and Italy have all won Eurobaskets, while the country that borders all three countries, Switzerland, hasn’t qualified since 1955. Despite the irrelevance of Swiss basketball, the Central European country has had two legit NBA players lately, the recently retired Thabo Sefolosha and Clint Capela, still in his prime years. Any hope of breaking the FIBA drought for Switzerland relies in the short term on the Hawks’ starting center.

Accolades: One-time rebounding champion
International GOAT ranking: No. 53
Runner-up: Thabo Sefolosha

Taiwan: Chen Tsu-Li 🇹🇼

Taiwan had one of the most powerful Asian National Teams in the 50s, even earning a spot in the 1956 Olympics. Its star was Chen Tsu-Li, who led the country to a surprising fourth position in the 1959 World Cup, finishing also as the top scorer of the tournament. Truth be told, it also helped that the Soviet Union and Bulgaria forfeited their games against the Taiwanese squad due to political reasons.

Runner-up: Lin Chih-Chieh

Tunisia: Salah Mejri 🇹🇳

The first and so far only Tunisian player in NBA history, Salah Mejri was a staple during the most successful era of the North African National Team. The towering 7-foot-2 center led Tunisia to three gold Afrobasket medals, besides winning a Euroleague with Real Madrid before moving to the Mavericks. At age 37, Mejri has been quite active in Middle Eastern leagues, with a stint in Kuwait last season.

Runner-up: Macram Ben Romdhane

Turkey: Hidayet Turkoglu 🇹🇷

Still one of the faces of Turkish basketball as the president of the national federation, Hidayet Turkoglu had a long career in the NBA, where he won the Most Improved Player Award in 2008. He guided Turkey to silver medals in the 2001 Eurobasket and the 2010 World Cup. In the latter tournament, hosted by Turkey, Turkoglu earned All-Tournament Team honors, falling only to Team USA in the final.

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

International GOAT ranking: No. 44
Runners-up: Mehmet Okur, Ersan Ilyasova, Enes Kanter Freedom

Ukraine: Alexander Volkov 🇺🇦

A skilled all-around player at 6-foot-10, Alexander Volkov was one of the Euro pioneers who gave the NBA a try in the late 80s and early 90s playing a couple of seasons (mostly on a reserve role) for the Atlanta Hawks. With the Soviet Union, he medaled every year between 1985 and 1990 with the highlight being winning gold at the 1988 Olympics as one of the key players on a stacked team. Like a bunch of the players on this list, Volkov also became president of his country’s basketball federation eventually.

Runner-up: Vitaly Potapenko

United States: Michael Jordan 🇺🇸

Outside the USA, many discovered Michael Jordan during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when he donned the American uniform. The world fell in love forever with this sport as the Dream Team dominated in Barcelona in 1992. While in the United States his NCAA and NBA career take priority, it’s impossible to underestimate how huge his FIBA appearances were to make basketball a global phenomenon.

Accolades: Six NBA titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 14 All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, nine All-Defensive 1st Team selections

GOAT ranking: No. 1
Runners-up: LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson

Uruguay: Esteban Batista 🇺🇾

Uruguay hasn’t qualified for a major FIBA tournament since 1986, but its basketball has been well-represented by Esteban Batista the last two decades. The hard-nosed center played from 2005 to 2007 for Atlanta, retiring a few months ago after a strong career in European and South American basketball. As of today, he’s the only Uruguayan ever to make it to the NBA.

Runner-up: Jayson Granger

Venezuela: Carl Herrera 🇻🇪

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Carl Herrera became a legend in Venezuela, where he grew up. A strong athletic forward, he became the first Venezuelan to play in the NBA, winning two titles in Houston as a rotation player for the Rockets. Herrera also took his country to its first World Cup and Olympics in the early 90s, cementing its status as one of the top teams in the Americas. A true basketball lifer, he stayed active until 2008, retiring at age 41.

Runners-up: Greivis Vazquez

Story originally appeared on HoopsHype