National Basketball Association Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Foreign players=== ====International influence==== {{Further|List of foreign NBA players}} Following pioneers like [[Vlade Divac]] (Serbia) and [[Dražen Petrović]] (Croatia) who joined the NBA in the late 1980s, an increasing number of international players have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA. Below is a short list of foreign players who have won NBA awards or have been otherwise recognized for their contributions to basketball, either currently or formerly active in the league: <!--The following list only lists notable international players who had NEVER attended U.S. colleges before playing in the NBA. Only one from each country, thanks.--> * [[Dražen Petrović]], Croatia – 2002 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], four-time [[Euroscar]] winner, two-time [[Mr. Europa]] winner, MVP of the [[1986 FIBA World Championship]] and [[EuroBasket 1989]], two-time Olympic silver medalist, World champion, European champion, [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008)|50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/drazen-petrovic/|title=Drazen Petrovic Biography|website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref> * [[Vlade Divac]], Serbia – 2019 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], two-time Olympic silver medalist, 2001 [[NBA All-Star]], two-time World champion, three-time European champion, 1989 Mr. Europa winner, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/vlade-divac/|title=Vlade Divac Biography|website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref> * [[Šarūnas Marčiulionis]], Lithuania – 2014 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]. First player from the Soviet Union and one of the first Europeans to sign a contract with an NBA club and to play solidly in the league, helping to lead the way for the internationalization of the league in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/sarunas-marciulionis/|title=Sarūnas Marciulionis Biography|website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref><!--I believe Marčiulionis and Sabonis are just too notable together to distinguish only one of them. --> * [[Toni Kukoč]], Croatia – 2021 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], three-time NBA champion with Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), 1996 [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award|Sixth Man Award]] winner, named in 2008 as one of the [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/toni-kukoc|title=Toni Kukoc Biography|website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref> * [[Arvydas Sabonis]], Lithuania – 2011 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], five-time Euroscar winner, two-time Mr. Europa winner, Olympic gold medalist in [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]] with the [[Soviet Union national basketball team|Soviet Union]] and bronze medalist in [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992]] and [[Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996]] with [[Lithuania men's national basketball team|Lithuania]], 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/arvydas-sabonis/|title=Arvydas Sabonis Biography|website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref> * [[Peja Stojaković]], Serbia – NBA champion with Dallas Mavericks (2011), MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2001]], member of the all-tournament team in the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], 2001 [[Euroscar]] winner, two-time Mr. Europa winner, two-time [[NBA Three-Point Shootout champion]], three-time NBA All-Star. * [[Dirk Nowitzki]], Germany – NBA champion with Dallas Mavericks (2011), MVP of the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]] and [[EuroBasket 2005]], member of the all-tournament team in the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], six-time Euroscar winner, 2005 Mr. Europa, two-time [[FIBA Europe Player of the Year]], 2007 [[National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award|NBA MVP]], 2011 [[Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award]], 2006 [[NBA Three-Point Shootout champion]] and 14-time NBA All-Star. * [[Hedo Türkoğlu]], Turkey – 2008 [[NBA Most Improved Player Award|Most Improved Player Award]] winner, member of the all-tournament team in the [[2010 FIBA World Championship]]. * [[Pau Gasol]], Spain – two-time NBA champion with Los Angeles Lakers (2009 and 2010), six-time [[NBA All-Star]], 2002 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], two-time Mr. Europa, [[2006 FIBA World Championship]] MVP, four-time [[Euroscar Award|Euroscar]], two-time [[FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award|FIBA Europe Player of the Year]], MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2009]] and [[EuroBasket 2015]], winner of the [[J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award|NBA Citizenship Award]] in 2012. * [[Andrei Kirilenko]], Russia – 2004 NBA All-Star, MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2007]], 2007 FIBA Europe Player of the Year. * [[Tony Parker]], France – four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, [[2007 NBA Finals]] MVP, six-time NBA All-Star and 2007 Euroscar winner. * [[Manu Ginóbili]], Argentina – four-time NBA champion with San Antonio Spurs, 2008 Sixth Man Award winner, two-time NBA All-Star, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors, Olympic gold medalist in [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2004]] with [[Argentine national basketball team|Argentina]]. * [[Yao Ming]], China – 2016 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[2002 NBA draft]] and eight-time NBA All-Star. * [[Leandro Barbosa]], Brazil – NBA champion with Golden State Warriors (2015),<ref name=barbosachamp>{{cite news|last1=Salvadore|first1=Damon|title=Leandro Barbosa Makes NBA History as Golden State Warriors Defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in Finals|url=http://www.latinpost.com/articles/60324/20150617/leandro-barbosa-makes-nba-history-as-golden-state-warriors-defeat-cleveland-cavaliers.htm|access-date=January 20, 2016|work=Latin Post|date=June 17, 2015|ref=Leandro Barbosa Makes NBA History as Golden State Warriors Defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in Finals}}</ref> 2007 Sixth Man Award winner. * [[Andrea Bargnani]], Italy – first overall pick in the [[2006 NBA draft]] by the [[Toronto Raptors]]. * [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]], Greece – NBA champion with the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] (2021), [[2021 NBA Finals]] MVP, two-time NBA MVP, 2017 Most Improved Player, five-time NBA All-Star. * [[Nikola Jokić]], Serbia – NBA champion with the [[Denver Nuggets]] (2023), [[2023 NBA Finals]] MVP, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA All-Star, 2016 NBA All-Rookie First Team, Olympic silver medalist. * [[Luka Dončić]], Slovenia – 2019 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], three-time [[NBA All-Star]], European champion <!--Please don't put Steve Nash and Andrew Bogut in the list, as both of them had attended U.S. colleges. They are mentioned directly below.--> On some occasions, young players, most but not all from the English-speaking world, have attended U.S. colleges before playing in the NBA. Notable examples are: * Nigerian [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] – first overall pick in the [[1984 NBA draft]], two-time champion, 12-time NBA All-Star, 1994 NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] (only player to receive the MVP Award, Defensive Player of the Year Award, and Finals MVP award in the same season,) and Hall of Famer. * Congolese [[Dikembe Mutombo]] – fourth overall pick in the [[1991 NBA draft]], four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer. * Dutchman [[Rik Smits]] – second overall pick in the [[1988 NBA draft]], 1998 NBA All-Star, played 12 years for the Indiana Pacers. * German [[Detlef Schrempf]] – two-time NBA Sixth Man Award winner, three-time NBA All-Star. * Canadians [[Steve Nash]] (two-time NBA MVP, eight-time NBA All-Star, Hall of Famer) and [[Andrew Wiggins]] (first overall pick in the [[2014 NBA draft]], 2015 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]]) * Australians [[Luc Longley]] (three-time champion with the Chicago Bulls), [[Andrew Bogut]] (first overall pick in the [[2005 NBA draft]], 2015 NBA champion with Golden State Warriors) and [[Ben Simmons]] (first overall pick in the [[2016 NBA draft]], 2018 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], three-time NBA All-Star). * Sudanese-born Englishman [[Luol Deng]] – 2007 [[NBA Sportsmanship Award]] winner, two-time NBA All-Star. * Cameroonians [[Joel Embiid]] (2023 NBA MVP, four-time NBA All-Star, 2017 NBA All-Rookie First Team) and [[Pascal Siakam]] (2019 NBA champion with Toronto Raptors, 2019 Most Improved Player, two-time NBA All-Star) Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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