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3.2k voters

The Best Current NBA International Players

Updated April 24, 2020 33.0k votes 3.2k voters 42.5k views72 items

List RulesVote up the top players in the league born outside the U.S.

With so many of the greatest NBA players of all time being from outside the US, it's time to recognize the best international NBA players currently in the league. From point guards to centers, NBA's top international basketball players are among the best in every position. While some are still learning English, they have no problem Euro stepping around defenders and winning championships (Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki). Who are the best international NBA players in the league today?

Hailing from Spain, brothers Pau and Marc Gasol are two of the best big men currently playing in the NBA. In 2013, Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo AKA "The Greek Freak" made a big splash in the league, quickly becoming a rising superstar. Other great foreign NBA players include Cameroonian Joel Embiid, French Rudy Gobert, and Canadian Andrew Wiggins.

Vote for the best international basketball players currently playing in the NBA. If you see your favorite foreign player missing, add him to the list.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Greece
Position: Small forward / Guard
Age: 26
Birthplace: Athens, Greece
Number: 34
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo (born December 6, 1994) is a Greek professional basketball player for... more on Wikipedia
2
1,400
321
Luka Dončić
Slovenia
Position: Guard, Small forward
Number: 11
Teams: Dallas Mavericks
Luka Dončić (born February 28, 1999) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
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#107 of 161 The Best NBA Players With No Championship Rings#76 of 786 The Top NBA Players Of All Time
3
1,107
413
Nikola Jokić
Serbia
Position: Center
Age: 25
Birthplace: Sombor, Serbia
Number: 15
Teams: Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić (born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
4
1,095
470
Joel Embiid
Cameroon
Position: Center
Birthplace: Yaoundé, Cameroon
Number: 21
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Hans Embiid (born 16 March 1994) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
5
684
282
Pascal Siakam
Cameroon
Position: Power forward
Number: 13
Teams: Toronto Raptors
Pascal Siakam (born April 2, 1994) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
6
741
348
Ben Simmons
Australia
Position: Point guard/forward
Number: 12
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers
Benjamin David Simmons (born 20 July 1996) is an Australian professional basketball player for... more on Wikipedia
7
244
90
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Canada
Position: Guard
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Number: 2
Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder
Shaivonte Aician Gilgeous-Alexander (born July 12, 1998) is a Canadian professional basketball... more on Wikipedia
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#21 of 141 The Greatest Kentucky Basketball Players of All Time#136 of 175 The Greatest Shooting Guards in NBA History

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749
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Rudy Gobert
France
Position: Center
Age: 28
Birthplace: Saint-Quentin, France
Number: 27
Teams: Utah Jazz
Rudy Gobert-Bourgarel (born June 26, 1992) is a French professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
9
857
495
Kristaps Porzingis
Latvia
Position: Power forward / Center
Age: 25
Birthplace: Ventspils, Latvia
Number: 6
Teams: Dallas Mavericks
Kristaps Porziņģis (born 2 August 1995) is a Latvian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
10
456
244
Domantas Sabonis
Lithuania
Position: Center / Power forward
Age: 24
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon
Number: 11
Teams: Indiana Pacers
Domantas Sabonis (born May 3, 1996) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
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222
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Buddy Hield
Bahamas
Position: Guard
Birthplace: Freeport, Bahamas
Number: 24
Teams: Sacramento Kings
Chavano Rainier "Buddy" Hield (born December 17, 1992) is a Bahamian professional basketball... more on Wikipedia
12
373
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Bojan Bogdanović
Croatia
Position: Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 31
Birthplace: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Number: 44
Teams: Utah Jazz
Bojan Bogdanović (Croatian pronunciation: [ˌbǒjan boɡˈdǎːnoʋit͜ɕ]; born April 18, 1989) is a... more on Wikipedia
13
236
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Serge Ibaka
Spain, Congo
Position: Power forward, Center
Age: 31
Birthplace: Brazzaville, Congo
Number: 9
Teams: Toronto Raptors
Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila (; born 18 September 1989) is a Congolese-Spanish professional... more on Wikipedia
14
454
289
Nikola Vučević
Montenegro
Position: Center
Age: 30
Birthplace: Morges, Switzerland
Number: 9
Teams: Orlando Magic
Nikola Vučević (born 24 October 1990) is a Montenegrin professional basketball player who... more on Wikipedia
15
448
286
Clint Capela
Switzerland
Position: Power forward, Center
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
Number: 15
Teams: Houston Rockets
Clint N'Dumba-Capela (born May 18, 1994) is a Swiss professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
16
330
207
Danilo Gallinari
Italy
Position: Small forward
Age: 32
Birthplace: Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy
Number: 8
Teams: Atlanta Hawks
Danilo Gallinari (Italian pronunciation: [daˈniːlo ɡalliˈnaːri]; born August 8, 1988) is an... more on Wikipedia
17
218
128
Jusuf Nurkić
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Position: Center
Age: 26
Birthplace: Živinice, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Number: 27
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers
Jusuf Nurkić (born August 23, 1994) is a Bosnian professional basketball player who currently... more on Wikipedia
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#105 of 165 The Greatest NBA Centers of All Time#70 of 294 The Top 100+ NBA Players Today
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358
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Dennis Schröder
Germany
Position: Point guard
Age: 27
Birthplace: Braunschweig, Germany
Number: 17
Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder
Dennis Schröder (born September 15, 1993) is a German professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
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#36 of 107 The Best Foreign NBA Players of All Time#38 of 146 The Best European NBA Players of All Time
19
130
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Deandre Ayton
Bahamas
Position: Center
Number: 22
Teams: Phoenix Suns
Deandre Edoneille Ayton (born July 23, 1998) is a Bahamian professional basketball player for... more on Wikipedia
20
531
379
Steven Adams
New Zealand
Position: Center
Age: 27
Birthplace: Rotorua, New Zealand
Number: 12
Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder
Steven Funaki Adams (born 20 July 1993) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for... more on Wikipedia
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#7 of 102 The Most Likable Players In The NBA Today#82 of 96 The Most Overrated Players In The NBA Today
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460
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Bogdan Bogdanović
Serbia
Position: Shooting guard, Small forward, Power forward
Age: 28
Birthplace: Belgrade, Serbia
Number: 8
Teams: Atlanta Hawks
Bogdan Bogdanović (Serbian: Богдан Богдановић; born August 18, 1992) is a Serbian professional... more on Wikipedia
22
498
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Marc Gasol
Spain
Position: Center
Age: 35
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Number: 33
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Marc Gasol Sáez (born 29 January 1985) is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los... more on Wikipedia
23
181
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Lauri Markkanen
Finland
Position: Power forward
Number: 24
Teams: Chicago Bulls
Lauri Elias Markkanen (born May 22, 1997) is a Finnish professional basketball player for the... more on Wikipedia
24
337
241
Joe Ingles
Australia
Position: Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 33
Birthplace: Happy Valley, Australia
Number: 2
Teams: Utah Jazz
Joseph Howarth Ingles (born 2 October 1987) is an Australian professional basketball player... more on Wikipedia
25
465
351
Al Horford
Dominican Republic
Position: Power forward, Center
Age: 34
Birthplace: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Number: 42
Teams: Boston Celtics
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986) is a Dominican professional basketball player... more on Wikipedia

Clint Capela

Deandre Ayton