List of European basketball players in the United States explained
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.
If a player is listed as being a dual citizen, his or her country of birth is indicated first.
Austria
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Belarus
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Belgium
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Bulgaria
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Croatia
See also: List of Croatian NBA players.
Active in the US
- Bojan Bogdanović – Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons
- Tomislav Ivišić – Illinois Fighting Illini
- Zvonimir Ivišić – Kentucky Wildcats
- Karlo Matković – New Orleans Pelicans, Birmingham Squadron
- Dario Šarić – Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors
- Ivica Zubac – Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles D-Fenders / South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers
Active outside the US
Former players
Cyprus
Active outside the US
Czech Republic
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Denmark
Active outside the US
Former players
Estonia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Finland
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
France
See also: List of French NBA players.
Active in the US
- Nicolas Batum – Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers
- Malcolm Cazalon – Detroit Pistons, Motor City Cruise
- Sidy Cissoko – NBA G League Ignite, San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs
- Bilal Coulibaly – Washington Wizards
- Pacôme Dadiet – New York Knicks
- Moussa Diabaté – Michigan Wolverines, Los Angeles Clippers, Ontario Clippers
- Ousmane Dieng – Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue
- Joel Embiid (dual Cameroonian/French citizen) – Philadelphia 76ers
- Embiid played college basketball at the University of Kansas and professionally for the 76ers before acquiring French citizenship in 2022.
- Evan Fournier – Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks
- Rudy Gobert – Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Killian Hayes – Detroit Pistons
- Zaccharie Risacher – Atlanta Hawks
- Rayan Rupert – Portland Trail Blazers, Rip City Remix
- Tidjane Salaün – Charlotte Hornets
- Alex Sarr – Washington Wizards
- Olivier Sarr – Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Kentucky Wildcats, Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue
- Armel Traoré – Los Angeles Lakers
- Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
- Guerschon Yabusele - Boston Celtics, ASVEL, Philadelphia 76ers
Active outside the US
- Joël Ayayi – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Washington Wizards, Capital City Go-Go, Lakeland Magic
- Valériane Ayayi – San Antonio Stars
- Nando de Colo – San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors
- Yakhouba Diawara – Pepperdine Waves, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat
- Céline Dumerc – Atlanta Dream
- Sandrine Gruda – Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks
- Jaylen Hoard - Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Portland Trail Blazers, Texas Legends, Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue
- Edwige Lawson-Wade – Four WNBA teams, most notably the San Antonio Silver Stars
- Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot – Philadelphia 76ers, Delaware 87ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, Atlanta Hawks
- Théo Maledon – Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue, Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm, Phoenix Suns
- Frank Ntilikina – New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets
- Yves Pons – Tennessee Volunteers, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Hustle
- Killian Tillie – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Hustle
- Kim Tillie – Utah Utes
- Will Yeguete (dual French/Central African Republic citizen by birth) – Florida Gators
Former players
- Tariq Abdul-Wahad – Michigan Wolverines, San Jose State Spartans, and four NBA teams
- Frédéric Adjiwanou – Saint Mary's Gaels
- Alexis Ajinça – Four NBA teams
- Lucienne Berthieu – Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets
- Rodrigue Beaubois – Dallas Mavericks
- Boris Diaw – Five NBA teams
- Stéphane Dondon – Virginia Cavaliers
- Paoline Ékambi – Marist Red Foxes
- Isabelle Fijalkowski – Colorado Buffaloes, Cleveland Rockers
- Mickaël Gelabale – Seattle SuperSonics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and two D-League teams
- Damien Inglis – Milwaukee Bucks, Canton Charge, Westchester Knicks
- Ian Mahinmi – San Antonio Spurs, Austin Toros, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards
- Jérôme Moïso – UCLA Bruins and six NBA teams
- Joakim Noah (dual US/French citizen by birth) – Four NBA teams
- Tony Parker – San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets
- Johan Petro – Five NBA teams
- Mickaël Piétrus – Five NBA teams
- Antoine Rigaudeau – Dallas Mavericks
- Laure Savasta – Washington Huskies, Sacramento Monarchs
- Pape Sy – Atlanta Hawks
- Ronny Turiaf – Gonzaga Bulldogs and seven NBA teams
Georgia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Germany
Active in the US
- Tristan da Silva (dual German/Brazilian citizen) – Colorado Buffaloes, Orlando Magic
- Isaiah Hartenstein – Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks
- Ariel Hukporti – New York Knicks, Westchester Knicks
- Maxi Kleber – Dallas Mavericks
- Satou Sabally (US and Gambian citizen by birth) – Oregon Ducks, Dallas Wings
- Benny Schröder – Oklahoma Sooners, George Washington Revolutionaries
- Dennis Schröder – Atlanta Hawks, Bakersfield Jam, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets
- Daniel Theis – Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers
- Franz Wagner – Michigan Wolverines, Orlando Magic
- Moritz Wagner – Michigan Wolverines, Los Angeles Lakers, South Bay Lakers, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic
Active outside the US
- Isaac Bonga – Los Angeles Lakers, South Bay Lakers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Raptors 905
- Richard Fröhlich – UTSA Roadrunners
- Niels Giffey – Connecticut Huskies
- Elias Harris – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles D-Fenders
- Yassin Idbihi – Buffalo Bulls
- Christopher McNaughton – Bucknell Bison
- Tim Ohlbrecht – Houston Rockets and two D-League teams
- Tibor Pleiß - Utah Jazz
- Martin Seiferth – Oregon Ducks, Eastern Washington Eagles
- Robin Smeulders (German, Austrian, and Dutch citizen by birth) – Portland Pilots
- Lucca Staiger – Iowa State Cyclones
- Christian Sengfelder – Fordham Rams, Boise State Broncos
- Christian Standhardinger (German/Filipino citizen by birth) – Nebraska Cornhuskers, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
- Duane Washington Jr. (dual German/US citizen by birth) – Ohio State Buckeyes, Indiana Pacers, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Phoenix Suns, Westchester Knicks
- Konrad Wysocki – Princeton Tigers
Former players
Greece
See also: List of Greek NBA players.
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Alex Antetokounmpo – Raptors 905, Wisconsin Herd
- Kostas Antetokounmpo – Dayton Flyers, Dallas Mavericks, Texas Legends, Los Angeles Lakers, South Bay Lakers, Windy City Bulls
- Zach Auguste (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) - Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Nick Calathes (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Florida Gators, Memphis Grizzlies
- Pat Calathes (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Saint Joseph's Hawks
- Tyler Dorsey (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Oregon Ducks, Atlanta Hawks, Erie BayHawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Hustle, Dallas Mavericks, Texas Legends
- Antonis Fotsis – Memphis Grizzlies
- Kosta Koufos (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Ohio State Buckeyes, Utah Jazz, Utah Flash, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, NBA G League Ignite
- Evanthia Maltsi – Connecticut Sun
- Paris Maragkos – George Washington Colonials, American Eagles
- Georgios Papagiannis – Sacramento Kings
- Kostas Papanikolaou – Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets
- Ioannis Papapetrou – Texas Longhorns
- Nick Paulos (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – UNC Greensboro Spartans
- Artemis Spanou – Robert Morris Colonials (women)
- Georgios Tsalmpouris – Iowa State Cyclones
Former players
Hungary
Active in the US
Former players
Iceland
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Ireland
Active in the US
Former players
Israel
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
- Sue Bird (dual US/Israeli citizen) – Seattle Storm
- Bird, born in the U.S. to a Jewish father, acquired Israeli citizenship in 2006. She represents the U.S. internationally.
- Nadav Henefeld – Connecticut Huskies
- Doron Sheffer – Connecticut Huskies
Italy
See also: List of Italian NBA players.
Active in the US
- Ryan Arcidiacono (dual US/Italian citizen by birth) – Villanova Wildcats, Austin Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Windy City Bulls, Maine Celtics, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers
- Paolo Banchero (dual US/Italian citizen) – Duke Blue Devils, Orlando Magic
- Simone Fontecchio – Utah Jazz
- Danilo Gallinari – New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons
Active outside the US
Former players
Kosovo
Active outside the US
Latvia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Gunta Baško – Siena Saints
- Dairis Bertāns – New Orleans Pelicans
- Dāvis Bertāns – San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Liene Jansone – Siena Saints
- Kaspars Kambala – UNLV Runnin' Rebels
- Haralds Kārlis – Seton Hall Pirates
- Rihards Kuksiks – Arizona State Sun Devils
- Rodions Kurucs – Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks
- Anžejs Pasečņiks – Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Herd
- Aija Putniņa – Colorado Buffaloes
- Zane Tamane – Western Illinois Leathernecks
- During her time at Western Illinois, only men's teams were known as Leathernecks; women's teams were Westerwinds.
- Ričmonds Vilde – SMU Mustangs, Houston Baptist Huskies
Former players
Lithuania
See also: List of Lithuanian NBA players.
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Martynas Arlauskas – Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Ignas Brazdeikis (raised in Canada) – Michigan Wolverines, New York Knicks, Westchester Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Lakeland Magic
- Rapolas Ivanauskas – Northwestern Wildcats, Colgate Raiders, Cincinnati Bearcats
- Mindaugas Katelynas – Chattanooga Mocs
- Antanas Kavaliauskas – Texas A&M Aggies
- Linas Kleiza – Missouri Tigers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors
- Mindaugas Kuzminskas – New York Knicks
- Gabrielius Maldūnas – Dartmouth Big Green
- Laurynas Mikalauskas – Virginia Cavaliers
- Egidijus Mockevičius – Evansville Purple Aces, Long Island Nets
- Donatas Motiejūnas – Shandong Golden Stars
- Deividas Sirvydis – Detroit Pistons, Motor City Cruise, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Wisconsin Herd
- Darius Songaila – Wake Forest Demon Deacons and five NBA teams
- Ąžuolas Tubelis – Arizona Wildcats
- Tautvilas Tubelis – Arizona Wildcats
Former players
Montenegro
See also: List of Montenegrin NBA players.
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Netherlands
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
North Macedonia
Active in the US
Former players
Norway
Active outside the US
Former players
Poland
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Portugal
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Romania
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Russia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Serbia
See also: List of Serbian NBA players and List of Serbian WNBA players.
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Nemanja Calasan (also a naturalized citizen of Switzerland) – Purdue Boilermakers[2]
- Ana Dabović – Los Angeles Sparks
- Nikola Dragović – UCLA Bruins
- Marko Gudurić – Memphis Grizzlies, Fenerbahçe
- Stefan Kenić – Cleveland State Vikings, Chattanooga Mocs
- Balša Koprivica – Florida State Seminoles
- Dejan Kravić – Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Ognjen Kuzmić – Golden State Warriors
- Boban Marjanović – San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
- Jelena Milovanović – Washington Mystics
- Nemanja Nedović – Golden State Warriors
- Filip Petrušev – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Stockton Kings
- Aleksej Pokuševski – Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue
- Nedeljko Prijovic – Texas State Bobcats, Maine Black Bears
- Vasilije Pušica – San Diego Toreros, Northeastern Huskies
- Miroslav Raduljica – Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Dušan Ristić – Arizona Wildcats
- Alen Smailagić – Golden State Warriors
- Miloš Teodosić – Los Angeles Clippers
- Vuk Vulikić – UTEP Miners
Former players
- Miloš Babić – Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat
- Nemanja Bjelica – Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors
- Darko Čohadarević – Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Radisav Ćurčić – Dallas Mavericks
- Nikola Cvetinović – Akron Zips
- Rastko Cvetković – Denver Nuggets
- Predrag Danilović – Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks
- Vlade Divac – Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, and Sacramento Kings
- Zoran Vasiljev – El Camino JC, Dakota State University
- Aleksandar Đorđević – Portland Trail Blazers
- Luka Drča – Utah Utes
- Rade Džambić – Texas–Pan American Broncs
- Gordana Grubin – Los Angeles Sparks, Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, and Houston Comets
- Mile Ilić – New Jersey Nets
- Marko Jarić – Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis Grizzlies
- Zoran Jovanović – LSU Tigers
- Nikola Koprivica – Washington State Cougars
- Nenad Krstić – New Jersey Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Boston Celtics
- Darko Miličić – Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics
- Žarko Paspalj – San Antonio Spurs
- Mirko Pavlović – Southern Illinois Salukis
- Miroslav Pecarski – Marist Red Foxes
- Jasmina Perazić – Maryland Terrapins
- Kosta Perović – Golden State Warriors
- Nemanja Petrović – Saint Joseph's Hawks
- Ivan Radenović – Arizona Wildcats
- Vladimir Radmanović – Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago Bulls
- Zoran Radović – Wichita State Shockers
- Nikola Rakićević – Buffalo Bulls
- Igor Rakočević – Minnesota Timberwolves
- Željko Rebrača – Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers
- Boban Savović – Ohio State Buckeyes
- Predrag Savović – UAB Blazers, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, and Denver Nuggets
- Marko Špica – Central Michigan Chippewas
- Jelena Špirić – Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Peja Stojaković – Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks
- Dragan Tarlać – Chicago Bulls
Slovakia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Slovenia
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Spain
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Álex Abrines – Oklahoma City Thunder
- Francis Alonso – UNC Greensboro Spartans
- Ivan Aurrecoechea – New Mexico State Aggies
- Víctor Claver – Portland Trail Blazers
- Anna Cruz – New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx
- Marta Fernández – Los Angeles Sparks
- Usman Garuba - Houston Rockets
- Willy Hernangómez – New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans
- Juancho Hernangómez – Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors
- Serge Ibaka (born in the Republic of the Congo) – Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks
- Nuria Martínez - Minnesota Lynx
- Nikola Mirotić (born in Montenegro) – Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks
- Leonor Rodríguez – Florida State Seminoles
- Sergio Rodríguez – Four NBA teams
- Ricky Rubio – Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers currently with the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Sebastian Saiz – Ole Miss Rebels[3]
- Marta Xargay - Phoenix Mercury
Former players
Sweden
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
Switzerland
Active in the US
Former players
Turkey
See also: List of Turkish NBA players.
Active in the US
Active outside the US
- Men
- Women
Former players
- Ömer Büyükaycan – Loyola Ramblers
- Semih Erden – Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Ersan İlyasova – Six NBA teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks
- Enes Kanter Freedom – Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, currently with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- İbrahim Kutluay – Seattle SuperSonics
- Mehmet Okur – Three NBA teams, most notably the Utah Jazz; currently a player development coach for the Phoenix Suns
- Mirsad Türkcan (born in modern-day Serbia) – New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks
- Hedo Türkoğlu – Six NBA teams, most notably the Orlando Magic
- Ömer Aşık – Three NBA teams, most notably the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets
Ukraine
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
United Kingdom
Active in the US
Active outside the US
Former players
See also
Notes and References
- News: Buffalo College Basketball - Preview 2000 . 9 March 2022 . . . November 2, 2000.
- News: Calasan signs with Purdue after Utes coach quits . 10 March 2022 . El Paisano . September 28, 2007.
- Web site: Sebastian Saiz Bio - OLEMISSSPORTS.COM - OLE MISS Official Athletic Site . www.olemisssports.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131102172819/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sebastian_saiz_861782.html . 2013-11-02.
- Web site: Ilya Tyrtyshnik Bio - Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball . www.olemisssports.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180112193523/http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/ilya_tyrtyshnik_1049197.html . 2018-01-12.
