According to FIBA rules, every country has the privilege of enlisting a maximum of one naturalized player on their roster. Because of this, some countries have used the opportunity to beef up their rosters by naturalizing foreign players.

Some notable countries that did this was powerhouse Spain, a nation that utilized Bucks big man Serge Ibaka and former NBA player Nikola Mirotic. On the other hand, Team USA has also naturalized the likes of Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan.

Given that Team USA is often loaded with NBA stars, it isn’t a surprise that some American NBA players find themselves representing other countries in the international arena. Although some of these players traced their roots to the nations they play for, there are a handful who were naturalized for their basketball skills and desire to play for the country. While the former is relatively tolerated, the latter has received a handful of criticisms. For this piece, we’ll be looking at 10 American NBA players who were naturalized and recruited to play for other countries.

Jarvis Hayes

Naturalized by: Qatar

Drafted in the same class as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, Hayes was the Washington Wizards’ first round pick back in 2003. Although he showcased his potential with the Wizards, injuries started to hamper his career which led him to bounce in the league by playing for the Detroit Pistons and the New Jersey Nets.

In the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, Hayes represented Qatar as their naturalized player. Qatar finished sixth in the tournament with Hayes averaging 16.7 points, six rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

Marques Bolden

Naturalized by: Indonesia

A lot of people remember Marques Bolden playing for Duke. After leaving Duke, Bolden would go on to play for two seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers. While he currently plays in the NBA G League, Bolden also represents Indonesia in FIBA sanctioned tournaments.

Bolden's presence helped Indonesia win their first gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games.

Sam Young

Naturalized by: Lebanon

Sam Young had a lengthy NBA career that saw him noticeably play backup to Rudy Gay when he was with the Memphis Grizzlies. After playing for the Grizzlies, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers before wrapping up his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers.

After his NBA stint, Young would go on to play in different leagues overseas. He was eventually naturalized by Asian powerhouse, Lebanon. Young last represented Lebanon in the Asian Qualifiers in 2019 where he posted 15.5 points and eight rebounds per game.

D.J. Strawberry

Naturalized by: Cameroon

D.J. Strawberry is a name that rings a bell for several NBA fans. He’s the son of legendary baseball player Darryl Strawberry. Furthermore, the younger Strawberry also played in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns.

Although his NBA career was short, Strawberry found a new home in Cameroon. He last represented Cameroon in the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket, averaging 12 points and 4.5 dimes per game.

Trey Johnson

Naturalized by: Qatar

Apart from Jarvis Hayes, Qatar also naturalized NBA veteran Trey Johnson. Johnson played for several teams in the NBA including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, and the New Orleans Hornets.

Although he never saw minutes in the NBA, Johnson starred for the Qatar national team at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship. He posted averages of 21.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

Shane Larkin

Naturalized by: Turkey

During his time in the NBA, Shane Larkin proved that he can be a spark plug off the bench. His NBA career saw him play four different teams in four seasons, averaging 5.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game.

After opting to play in Europe, the Turkish national team decided to naturalize Larkin. Since then, he has become the national team’s best scoring guard.

Lorenzo Brown

Naturalized by: Spain

Spain was highly criticized in the EuroBasket scene for naturalizing Lorenzo Brown. Many believed that the powerhouse nation already had a bevy of local talent to compete internationally. Furthermore, Brown had no family ties in Spain. But despite this, Spain decided to field the NBA veteran with Ricky Rubio’s injury and the Gasol brothers’ retirement.

Brown was a thorn to opposing teams in the 2022 EuroBasket. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 dimes per game to help Spain finish with the gold medal. With his numbers, some even argued that he deserved the tournament MVP trophy.

Nick Fazekas

Naturalized by: Japan

Nick Fazekas starred in Nevada before making the jump into the NBA. In his brief NBA career, Fazekas rode the bench of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks.

Fortunately, he has found a home in Japan. Playing as the team’s naturalized center, he stars alongside current NBA stars Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe.

Anthony Randolph

Naturalized by: Slovenia

Anthony Randolph was a skilled player that was enough to get him drafted in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately after six seasons, Randolph could no longer find a home in the NBA.

Fortunately for Randolph, he was adopted by Slovenia. This allowed him to run the show in 2017 EuroBasket alongside NBA stars Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic. The trio would help Slovenia win the gold medal.

Andray Blatche

Naturalized by: Philippines

NBA fans may remember Andray Blatche as a talented big who also carries a bag of antics and shenanigans. While Blatche had all the tools to succeed in the NBA, attitude problems and discipline were the main culprits of his career decline.

After 2014, Blatche found himself playing overseas professionally in China and representing the Philippines in international tournaments. In the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, Blatche helped the Philippines secure the silver medal.