Greatest foreign-born players in NBA history

ROLANDO BLACKMAN

Born in Panama, shooting guard Rolando Blackman was a four-time NBA All-Star playing for the Dallas Mavericks. A career 19.8-points-per-game scorer, Blackman is now the director of player development for the Mavs.

LUOL DENG

Born in what is now South Sudan, small forward Luol Deng has been a stellar two-way NBA player since he debuted with the Bulls in 2004. Now with the Heat, Deng will be looking to help Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh challenge LeBron James and the Cavs in the East come playoff time.

VLADE DIVAC

Serbian-born center Vlade Divac is one of seven players in NBA history to record 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots. Divac is currently the general manager of the Sacramento Kings.

TIM DUNCAN

Although he is a U.S. citizen, Spurs power forward Tim Duncan was actually born in the Virgin Islands, a U.S. territory but not a state. Duncan has quietly had one of the greatest careers in NBA history, wining five championships, two MVPs and appearing in 15 All-Star games.

PATRICK EWING

A dominant center on both ends of the floor, Patrick Ewing came tantalizingly close to bringing home an NBA title to Madison Square Garden several times over the course of his Hall of Fame career. An 11-time All-Star with the Knicks, Ewing was born in Jamaica.

MARC GASOL

Pau’s younger brother, Marc Gasol, has established himself as one of the best centers in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies. Although the Spanish-born player is not the same player his older brother is on offense, Marc is easily the better defender of the Gasols, as he won NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

PAU GASOL

Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol has been one of the NBA’s most dynamic big men for almost 15 years. A two-time NBA champion with the Lakers, the Spanish-born Gasol knows how to pull off any and every low-post move to perfection, and he is a superb passer for a seven-footer.

MANU GINOBILI

Argentinian-born shooting guard Manu Ginobili has been one of Gregg Popovich’s most trusted players over the past decade. Ginobili is now nearing the end of his career, but in his prime, Manu was a jack-of-all-trades on the court. He could pass, shoot, play defense and do whatever was needed to pull off a victory. The 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Ginobili will likely end up in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

AL HORFORD

Born in the Dominican Republic, Atlanta Hawks power forward Al Horford made a wise decision choosing basketball over baseball. Horford is a three-time All-Star and won two college national championships at Florida.

KYRIE IRVING

By the time Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving retires, he’ll be much higher up on this list. An American citizen, but born in Australia, Irving is a mega-talent and is just beginning to scratch the surface of what he is capable of. The only question regarding Irving is whether he can manage to stay healthy.

ANDREI KIRILENKO

Born in Russia, small forward Andrei Kirilenko was a dominant perimeter defender during his prime with the Utah Jazz. Amazingly, Kirilenko led the NBA in blocks as a wing player in 2005, averaging 3.3 per game. After over a decade in the NBA, Kirilenko returned home to Russia where he played one final season with CSKA Moscow before retiring.

TONI KUKOC

Long and athletic, Croatian Toni Kukoc would play at all five positions during his prime in Chicago. Kukoc won three NBA titles with the Bulls and was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1996.

YAO MING

Standing 7 feet, 6 inches, Yao Ming didn’t even need to jump to dunk a basketball. The former Houston Rockets center had a successful career in the NBA, evident by the fact he made eight All-Star teams. But like many big men before him, foot problems ended Yao’s career prematurely. Still, Yao was an awesome player to watch.

DIKEMBE MUTOMBO

Born in the Republic of the Congo, Dikembe Mutombo is one of the most universally beloved players in NBA history. Basketball accolades aside, Mutombo has done amazing humanitarian work in Africa and is a global ambassador for the game. And who could ever forget that finger wave?

STEVE NASH

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, point guard Steve Nash helped revolutionize the way basketball is played today in the NBA. The high-octane, spread pick-and-roll offense he ran in his prime with the Phoenix Suns has left an indelible mark. Nash, a two-time NBA MVP, retired in 2015 after two injury plagued season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

JOAKIM NOAH

The son of a Swedish mother and French tennis pro father, Joakim Noah is one the NBA’s feistiest players. The Chicago Bulls center won NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and is a two-time All-Star. Noah was also teammates with Al Horford on the Florida Gators teams that won two NCAA titles.

DIRK NOWITZKI

One of the best stretch fours in NBA history, Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki will be remembered as one of the greatest shooting big men. The German-born Nowitzki is a 13-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA First Team selection and led the Mavs to their first NBA title in franchise history in 2011.

HAKEEM OLAJUWON

Born in Nigeria, former Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon was not only the NBA’s first great foreign-born player, but also its greatest. Olajuwon appeared in 12 All-Star games, won two NBA championships and one MVP award. “The Dream” was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame after his retirement in 2002.

TONY PARKER

One of the craftiest point guards in NBA history, French-born Tony Parker has been the floor general for San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich for well over a decade. Parker is a four-time NBA champion with the Spurs and even took home Finals MVP in 2007.

DRAZEN PETROVIC

Born in war-torn Yugoslavia (present-day Croatia) Drazen Petrovic’s NBA career was cut short tragically in 1993 when he died in an automobile accident. Petrovic was an immensely gifted offensive player and averaged 22.3 points per game for the New Jersey Nets the season before his death.

ARVYDAS SABONIS

Born in Lithuania, center Arvydas Sabonis didn’t make his debut in the NBA until he was 31. It's a shame, because in his prime, Sabonis was supposedly one of the most skilled centers ever to step on to a basketball court. Still, Sabonis had a successful NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers.

DETLEF SCHREMPF

A German immigrant, forward Detlef Schrempf played 16 seasons in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Seattle Sonics and Portland Trail Blazers. A three-time All-Star, Schrempf was a key player on the 1996 Sonics team that made it to the NBA Finals.

RIK SMITS

Standing 7 feet, 4 inches, Dutch-born Rik Smits towered over just about every player he matched up against the floor. Smits played all 12 of his NBA seasons in Indiana with the Pacers, racking up 12,871 points.

PEJA STOJAKOVIC

Peja Stojakovic was an absolute assassin from beyond the arc. Born in Yugoslavia, Stojakovic was a three-time All-Star and two-time NBA Three-Point Shootout champion over the course of his stellar career.

KIKI VANDEWEGHE

German-born forward Kiki Vandeweghe was a two-time All-Star during his 13-year NBA career. A career 19.7-points-per-game scorer, Vandeweghe has also worked in the Denver Nuggets' front office and was head coach of the Nets for a season.

That's a wrap...