Sports
The Greatest African NBA Players of All Time
List Rules
Vote up the greatest Africa-born players ever to play in the NBA.
Our list of African NBA players includes a group of famous names including Dikembe Mutombo, Serge Ibaka, Luc Mbah a Moute, and yes, even Steve Nash (born in South Africa). Some of these players are the best blockers in the NBA, while others are part of a select list of impact players off the bench. Each of the players on this list were born in Africa and went on to play basketball in the NBA.
Now it's your turn to vote on who are the best African NBA players. Vote below and if we left anyone off the list, feel free to add them so that other basketball fans and Rankers can vote on your addition.
Ranked by
- 1Lagos, Nigeria
- Teams: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born January 21, 1963) is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association ...more - 2Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Teams: Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Hans Embiid (born 16 March 1994) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After one year of college basketball ...more - 3Douala, Cameroon
- Teams: Toronto Raptors
Pascal Siakam (born April 2, 1994) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the New ...more - 4Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966) is a Congolese American retired professional basketball player. Mutombo played 18 seasons in the National Basketball ...more - 5Johannesburg, South Africa
- Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers
Stephen John Nash OC OBC (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ...more - 6London, England
- Teams: Toronto Raptors
Ogugua "OG" Anunoby Jr. (born 17 July 1997) is a British-American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for ...more - 7Turalei, Sudan
- Teams: Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat
Manute Bol (; d. June 19, 2010) was a Sudanese-born American basketball player and political activist. Listed at 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) tall, Bol was one of the three tallest players in the history of ...more - 8Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Teams: Milwaukee Bucks
Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila (born 18 September 1989) is a Congolese-Spanish professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ibaka was drafted by the ...more - 9Springfield, Illinois
- Teams: Golden State Warriors
Andre Tyler Iguodala ( ig-wə-DAH-lə; born January 28, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The swingman was ...more - 10Dakar, Senegal
- Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers
Elhadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall (born December 10, 1995) is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Fall was born and ...more - 11Khartoum, Sudan
- Teams: Orlando Magic
Bol Manute Bol (born November 16, 1999) is a Sudanese-American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the ...more - 12Lagos, Nigeria
- Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves
Joshua Aloiye Okogie (born September 1, 1998) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a 6'3 shooting ...more - 13Democratic Rep
- Teams: Utah Jazz
Emmanuel Kabeya Mudiay (born March 5, 1996) is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played high school basketball for Grace ...more - 14Wau, South Sudan
- Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers
Luol Ajou Deng (born 16 April 1985) is a British professional basketball player who last played for Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a two-time NBA All-Star ...more - 15Goma, DR Congo
- Teams: Golden State Warriors
Jonathan Malangu Kuminga (born 6 October 2002) is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at 6 feet 8 inches ...more - 16Modesto, California
- Teams: Miami Heat
Gabriel Nnamdi Vincent (born June 14, 1996) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also plays for the Nigerian ...more - 17Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- Teams: Toronto Raptors
Precious Ezinna Achiuwa (born September 19, 1999) is a Nigerian professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for ...more - 18Wau, Sudan
- Teams: Detroit Pistons
Thon Marial Maker (born 25 February 1997) is a South Sudanese Australian professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended high school ...more - 19Kayes, Mali
- Teams: New Orleans Pelicans
Cheick Diallo (born September 13, 1996) is a Malian professional basketball player for Avtodor Saratov of the VTB United League. Diallo was a five-star recruit and the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of ...more - 20Kébémer Department, Senegal
- Teams: Atlanta Hawks
Gorgui Sy Dieng (born January 18, 1990) is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). On October 31, 2016, Dieng signed a ...more - 21Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Teams: Charlotte Bobcats
Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi "Emeka" Okafor (born September 28, 1982) is an American professional basketball player. Okafor attended Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas and the University of Connecticut, ...more - 22Atlanta, Georgia
- Teams: San Antonio Spurs
Al-Farouq Ajiede Aminu (born September 21, 1990) is an American-Nigerian professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays ...more - 23Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (born 9 September 1986) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Mbah a Moute ...more - 24Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Teams: Charlotte Hornets
Bismack Biyombo Sumba (born August 28, 1992) is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the seventh ...more - 25Portland, Oregon
- Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks
Ime Sunday Udoka ( EE-may oo-DOH-kə; born August 9, 1977) is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National ...more
