Team USA basketball has undoubtedly the deepest talent pool in international basketball. With plenty of NBA talent at their disposal, it's easy to see why Team USA is regarded as a world basketball super power for several years in the Olympics, having won four-straight gold medals and now looking for their fifth.
But despite having already a deep talent pool, there were surprising times when Team USA had to naturalize some NBA players to beef up their roster, particularly their frontcourt to increase their gold-medal chances. Let's take a look at five NBA players who were naturalized to play for Team USA.
Check out the gallery below.
Joel Embiid
Hailing from Cameroon, Joel Embiid had a couple of options to play for in the international basketball scene. Aside from Cameroon, Embiid originally agreed to attain French citizenship with France intending to field Embiid in FIBA competitions, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, just recently that fell apart after Embiid agreed to play for Team USA, attaining U.S. citizenship in the process.
Embiid is the latest and fifth naturalized player in Team USA history. Team USA called on the 2023 NBA MVP in order to beef up Team USA's frontcourt that already had Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.
With several elite big men in the Olympic field led by Nikola Jokic, the addition of Embiid ultimately gives them a better chance to defend the gold medal. In the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics, Embiid is averaging 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Tim Duncan
Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Tim Duncan originally wanted to be an Olympic swimmer. However, after a hurricane hit, Duncan eventually learned how to play basketball, paving the way for his NBA journey. Duncan went on to carve out a decorated career in the NBA, highlighted by five NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, and two NBA MVPs.
Given Duncan's achievements in the NBA, Team USA knew that he'd be the best big man to shore up the national team's frontcourt needs. As a result, this paved the way for Duncan's Olympic appearance for Team USA in 2004 Athens.
Unfortunately, the Duncan-led Team USA squad ended up as a bust in Athens, dropping their Olympic opener against Puerto Rico before Argentina upset them in the semifinals to settle with a bronze medal, which ultimately ended Team USA's dominance at the Olympic stage.
Struggling to play at the international game, Duncan averaged 12.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Ernest Grunfeld
Prior to Team USA fielding NBA players, the national team's first-ever naturalized player was Ernest Grunfeld. Grunfeld was originally born in Satu Mare, Romania, before playing for the University of Tennessee.
Thanks to his elite scoring, the USA national team enlisted the 6-foot-6 forward after his naturalization, paving the way for a stint at the 1975 Pan American Games and 1976 Olympic games in Montreal, both of which Grunfeld helped Team USA win the gold medal.
After a solid amateur basketball career, Grunfeld went on to play in the NBA. He suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks after they drafted him in the 1977 NBA Draft with the 11th overall pick in the first round. Grunfeld also had stopovers with the Kansas City Kings and the New York Knicks.
Patrick Ewing
Originally raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Patrick Ewing's family eventually migrated to the United States of America, where he was discovered for his basketball gifts. Ewing eventually played for Georgetown University, paving the way for his recruitment as a naturalized player for Team USA. He first won gold in his Olympic debut at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
In 1992, with NBA players allowed to play for national teams, the 11-time NBA All-Star returned to national team duties with the Dream Team in Barcelona, dominating the competition en route to a gold-medal finish. Ewing is also the most successful naturalized player for Team USA with two Olympic gold medals.
Hakeem Olajuwon
There's no doubt that Hakeem Olajuwon was arguably the best big man in the NBA during his time. In order to extend Team USA's supremacy in the international scene, having Hakeem Olajuwon represent Team USA would ultimately assure that.
However, born in Nigeria and with past playing experience for Nigeria's junior team, it was a tough wait before FIBA gave the green light for Olajuwon to wear the red, white and blue.
Nonetheless, the two-time NBA Finals MVP received the go signal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Olajuwon averaged only 5.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, as Team USA swept the competition to clinch the second-straight gold medal as the hosts of the Olympics.
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