List of European basketball players in the United States

Goga Bitadze (left) of Georgia defends Kristaps Porziņģis of Latvia during a 2022 game between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Dallas Mavericks teammates Boban Marjanović (left) of Serbia and Luka Dončić of Slovenia before a 2021 game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland

This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether inside or outside the U.S., and former players (both living and deceased).

For the purpose of this article, a "European player in the United States" is defined as a citizen of a FIBA Europe member country who was playing in the U.S. while a citizen of said country. Examples of players who do not fall within this definition are:

  • Howard Carter, who became a naturalized citizen of France after having played professionally in that country, and never played in the U.S. while a French citizen.
  • Jeff Taylor, whose story is similar to that of Carter, except that his eventual country of citizenship was Sweden. However, his son Jeffery, born in Sweden as a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Sweden, is listed.
  • Kelenna Azubuike, who despite being born and raised in the United Kingdom has never held British citizenship. He was born a Nigerian citizen.
  • Admiral Schofield, born in the UK to a U.S. military family. Since 1983, children born under these circumstances will not have British nationality unless a parent had such nationality. He was born in 1997 to parents who hold only U.S. nationality.

In addition, NBA players are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have played only for a Canada-based team (currently the Toronto Raptors, and in the past the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Huskies). Similarly, those who have played in what is now the NBA G League are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have only played for the Raptors' Canada-based affiliate, Raptors 905.

Players still active in the United States are bolded. Players active in a league in another country are written in italics.

If a player is listed as being a dual citizen, his or her country of birth is indicated first.

Austria

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Belarus

NBA/WNBA

G League/College


Belgium

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jusuf Nurkić with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Bulgaria

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Croatia

Bojan Bogdanović (left) of the Washington Wizards and Mario Hezonja (right) of the Orlando Magic during a 2017 game
Ivica Zubac with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Cyprus

G League/College

Czech Republic

Tomáš Satoranský with the Washington Wizards in 2018

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Denmark

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Estonia

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Finland

Lauri Markkanen with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

France

Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs in 2024
Evan Fournier with the Orlando Magic in 2019

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Georgia

Zaza Pachulia with the Golden State Warriors in 2017

NBA/WNBA

G League/College


Germany

Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks in 2009
Franz Wagner with the Orlando Magic in 2022

NBA/WNBA

G League/College


Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Hungary

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Iceland

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Ireland

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Israel

Omri Casspi with the Sacramento Kings in 2009

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Italy

Danilo Gallinari with the New York Knicks in 2010

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Kosovo

G League/College

Latvia

Dāvis Bertāns with the Washington Wizards in 2019

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Lithuania

Domantas Sabonis with the Indiana Pacers in 2019
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Luxembourg

NBA/WNBA

Montenegro

Nikola Vučević with the Orlando Magic in 2013

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Netherlands

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

North Macedonia

NBA/WNBA


G League/College


Norway

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Poland

Marcin Gortat with the Washington Wizards in 2014

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Portugal

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Romania

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Russia

Andrei Kirilenko with the Utah Jazz in 2008

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Serbia

Nikola Jokić during 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend
Peja Stojaković with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Slovakia

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Slovenia

Goran Dragić with the Phoenix Suns in 2011

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Spain

Pau Gasol with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008
José Calderón with the Detroit Pistons in 2013

NBA/WNBA


G League/College

Sweden

Jonas Jerebko with the Detroit Pistons in 2009

NBA/WNBA

G League/College


Switzerland

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Turkey

Alperen Şengün with the Houston Rockets in 2023
Hedo Türkoğlu with the Orlando Magic in 2008

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

Ukraine

Alex Len with the Atlanta Hawks in 2020

NBA/WNBA

G League/College

United Kingdom

Luol Deng with the Chicago Bulls in 2009

NBA/WNBA

G League/College


See also

References

  1. ^ "Calasan signs with Purdue after Utes coach quits" (PDF). El Paisano. September 28, 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2022.