The NBA is the highest level of basketball in the world. Of course, there are only 15 roster spots on 30 teams, though, so even the biggest-named superstars can't last in the league forever. True hoopers never want to give up their basketball dreams, though, and many megastar players have continued to lace up their shoes after their NBA careers are over and take on an overseas career.
The NBA isn't the only high-level league around the world. In fact, with the popularity of the sport increasing, and there have been tons of notable leagues and teams outside of the United States that have gained notoriety. Most recently, Patrick Beverley, one of the most infamous NBA players of recent, has left the NBA to go play for Hapoel Tel Aviv BC of the Israeli Premier League.
The jump overseas comes after a 12-year NBA career that includes some big moments, tons of feuds, and plenty of unforgettable interactions. It also comes over a decade after Beverley got his professional basketball start playing overseas in Ukraine, Greece, and Russia.
In this article, we aren't going to look at players who got their starts playing across the pond, as European stars like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic did before being drafted to the NBA. We also aren't going to look at the best or the most dominant players outside of the NBA. Instead, we are going to rank the 10 most notable NBA players who made the transition to playing outside of the United States after their NBA careers were over. These players made a name for themselves as NBA players, but their careers continued post-NBA. Check out the gallery to see the list.
10. Kemba Walker
Our final spot on the list of most notable NBA players to ever continue their basketball careers outside of the United States is one of the most recent superstars to go across the pond. Kemba Walker was playing in the NBA on the Dallas Mavericks as recently as 2023. Of course, he is most known for his time with the Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats, though (as well as his memorable collegiate career at UConn).
In the NBA, Cardiac Kemba, known for his clutch shot-making ability, went to four All-Star Games. Unfortunately, injuries and regression started to hit him towards the end of his career once he left the Hornets. Those factors left him without an NBA gig after his age-32 season.
Walker was still a big draw, though, and it was widely believed he could get back on track if he could get healthy. Walker signed with AS Monaco of the LNB Pro A and EuroLeague. A bounce-back season that was expected of Walker which could have afforded him another shot in the NBA never came, though. Walker's struggles continued once leaving the NBA, and he announced his retirement from basketball on July 2, 2024, just weeks before Patrick Beverley announced his intentions to play in Israel.
9. Jimmer Fredette
Jimmer Fredette is the one player on this list who isn't most known for his time in the NBA. Like Walker, Fredette is one of the best collegiate basketball players this century. His iconic run at BYU was filled with big moments and high-scoring contests. Despite that, he didn't really work out in the NBA.
The electric shot-maker was the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (which coincidentally was one pick after Walker in the same class). Fredette is a professional-level scorer, but his athleticism and size weren't on par with his NBA peers, and it led to him becoming somewhat of a draft bust.
The BYU product was out of the NBA (for the first time) after only five seasons, as his play style simply didn't translate to the NBA game. Fredette's style certainly translated elsewhere, though. Fredette became a global phenomenon after he signed with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Fredette became a fan-favorite and the best player in the Chinese league. He consistently scored over 50 points, with his career-high in the league reaching 75 points. His per game totals even approached 40 points per game. The success in China did afford Fredette another shot in the NBA in 2019, but the shooting guard only lasted six games before realizing the foreign game was where he belonged.
Fredette would go on to join Panathinaikos in Greece before returning to the Sharks, a team he helped to become one of the most well-known basketball teams outside of the United States. Now, Fredette is hoping to find success in Paris, but this time as a part of Team USA's 3×3 team in the Paris Olympics.
8. DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins was uber-talented during his time in the NBA. It was his antics that often got him in trouble. Cousins was a career 19.6-point-per-game scorer who secured 10.2 rebounds per game over the course of his career. However, he was often ejected and given technical fouls, as he always tended to disagree with the referees.
It wasn't Cousins' disagreements with authority that led to him leaving the NBA, though. A handful of lower body injuries sapped Cousins of his strength and athleticism, which led to a rapid decline in his production. Cousins most recently played in the NBA in 2022 with the Denver Nuggets.
Now, he suits up for the Taiwan Mustangs of “The Asian Tournament.” He played last season with the Taiwan Beer Leopards, and his successful season with the team ended with a Finals MVP. In 2023 Cousins even played in Puerto Rico with Mets de Guaynabo.
Cousins has confirmed an NBA comeback is out of the picture, but you will likely see him continue to put up big numbers elsewhere for years to come. While he was a villain in the NBA, he has become a fan-favorite in Taiwan. Cousins was even named the Most Popular Player of the Year in 2023-24.
7. Bob McAdoo
Bob McAdoo wasn't your average journeyman. Most players with that title are role players who join new teams consistently because they are willing to take whatever contract they can get. McAdoo, though, was a superstar. Even so, he played for seven different teams during his NBA career.
McAdoo was used to being on the move, as he never stayed put in one city for more than four years in the NBA. Because of that, it came as no surprise that he played overseas after his NBA career was over.
The two-time NBA champion joined Olimpia Milano in Italy after his NBA career ended. McAdoo was one of the first great American players to play in Europe, and he found a lot of success in Italy. He won two EuroLeague titles, two Italian League championships, and an Italian Cup with the team. McAdoo later joined Filanto Forli and Teamsystem Fabriano before retiring after hitting the wrong side of 40 years old.
6. Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins was known for his high-flying ability in the NBA. He is one of the greatest dunkers the game has ever seen. That made his departure to Europe somewhat surprising, as the European game is more known for fundamentals, finesse, and skills than raw athleticism.
Of course, the Atlanta Hawks legend was no slouch in those aspects of basketball, either. The nine-time All-Stars transition across the pond was surprising for a different reason, though. Wilkins left the NBA for Panathinaikos in the Greek Basketball League in 1995. Wilkins was an All-Star only one year prior, so he still had plenty left to give an NBA team.
The Human Highlight Film was highly coveted by Panathinaikos, so they brought him on board on a deal worth $7 million. At the time, it was the richest basketball contract outside of the NBA ever. Wilkins put up huge numbers in Greece, but the end of his first season with the team wasn't pretty. He sat out with an injury that they team didn't believe was worth sitting out for, and it led to them terminating the second year of his contract.
Wilkins ended up returning back to the NBA for another year. He joined the San Antonio Spurs before heading back to Europe in 1997, where he joined Fortitudo Bologna in Italy. Another productive season overseas resulted in another chance in the NBA. Wilkins ultimately ended his basketball career with the Orlando Magic after his second return stateside.
5. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard has become pretty famous during his time out of the NBA for his viral social media posts. The long-time NBA player (18 year long career) is now playing overseas, most recently for the Taoyuan Leopards. Howard would famously make social media posts where he would tell NBA players who had a bad game to come join him in Taiwan.
This exact joyful personality has made him a beloved player in Taiwan. However, Howard has stated he believes he could help an NBA team, so it is possible he still wants to return to the NBA.
For now, Howard will team up with both DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook on the Taiwan Mustangs in The Asian Tournament. The three former NBA players will form an elite trio in the newly formed league in July.
4. Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen is another player who went the international route after his NBA career was over, although it wasn't for long. The legendary six-time champion was one of the best defensive players ever and the Robin to Michael Jordan's batman on the Chicago Bulls.
He retired from the NBA in 2004 after finishing his career out playing for the team he started with after stints with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. He didn't get back into basketball until 2008. Then, he joined Torpan Pojar and the Sundsvall Dragons. Pippen was obviously well past his prime at this point, but sports returns are always fun.
Now, Pippen's son – Scotty Pippen Jr. – is following in his dads footsteps and making a name for himself in the NBA. He played some key minutes for the Memphis Grizzlies last season.
3. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman was a global superstar during his playing days. He was known worldwide during his time with the Chicago Bulls, both for his unique style of play on the court, and his even more interesting personality off of it. Rodman has always fascinated basketball fans, so it should come as no surprise that he played all over the place after his NBA career was over.
Rodman played for Fuerza Regia (Mexico), Tijuana Dragons (Mexico), Torpan Pojar (Finland) and the Brighton Bears (Britain) after his NBA career. His incredible hustle, defense prowess, and rebounding expertise never left, either.
Rodman even famously played an exhibition game in the Philippines while wearing face paint. Basketball is ultimately a form of entertainment, and no matter where The Worm played his games at, he was sure to entertain the crowd in one way or another. People paid good money to see basketball's most interesting character.
2. Allen Iverson
NBA fans often discuss players who didn't look right in the jerseys of the team they played on at the end of their careers. Allen Iverson on the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies regularly comes up in these debates, but fans should talk more about his stint on Besiktas, too.
The Philadelphia 76ers legend was an All-Star in 2010, but he was a shell of his former self. He ended up going to Turkey to play his final year of basketball in 2011 before calling it quits. Iverson only played in 10 games for the team before his career officially ended.
1. Magic Johnson
An HIV diagnosis put a halt on Magic Johnson's career. One of the greatest NBA players ever and arguably the best point guard of all time, Johnson won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the '80s. Johnson was an incredible playmaker with an unmatched ability to operate in transition, and he is the main reason the Showtime Lakers were so memorable and entertaining.
While he wasn't a spring chicken when he was forced to hang up his shoes in 1991, he also wasn't out of his prime. The point guard finished second in MVP voting and led his team to a NBA Finals appearance in his last year before he went on a hiatus. He was also only a year removed from winning the MVP award in back-to-back seasons. Johnson surely had a lot of good years ahead of him, but he was forced to call it quits because of his scary diagnosis.
Luckily, Johnson's basketball career wasn't completely over. After four years out of basketball, Johnson returned to the Lakers for the 1995-96 season. He wasn't quite as dominant as he was before, but he still averaged 14.6 points and 6.0 assists per game in 32 games en route to finishing 12th in MVP voting. After that season, Johnson officially called it quits for the NBA, but that basketball itch was still there.
Nearly a decade after his initial retirement, Johnson joined a Swedish team called ‘M7 Boras' in 1999. Johnson was a part-owner of the team, and he joined them on the court for five games. Johnson proved he still had something left in the tank, as the team didn't lose during that stretch. However, the team had to reconstruct after the season, which forced Johnson to end his playing days on a Danish team called ‘The Great Danes.'
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