Subscribe
Follow Us
The NBA has become more global than ever before thanks to the influx of international talent. While USA is still No. 1 in producing NBA talent, the rest of the world is catching up. But more importantly, even some international talents have already cemented themselves in the league with Hall of Fame-worthy careers. Here is a look at 10 countries outside of the USA that have produced the most NBA players.
Check out the gallery.
10. Brazil – 20
Brazil has always been regarded as a dark horse in the FIBA Americas. And this doesn't come as a surprise, given the amount of NBA talent that they have produced. Some notable names include Anderson Varejao, Nene Hilario, and Leandro Barbosa. All are former NBA players who've also made their mark in the international scene. Currently, there's only one Brazilian player in the NBA in the form of Gui Santos, a two-year veteran with the Golden State Warriors.
9. Spain – 21
There's no question that Spain has always been a European powerhouse with their homegrown players and naturalized NBA talent. In fact, they should be serious contenders at the upcoming EuroBasket.
Unfortunately, superstars like Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and Juan Carlos Navarro have already retired. But while the superstars of the golden era have ended their careers, the current era of Spanish basketball rests on the shoulders of Memphis Grizzlies big man Santi Aldama and former Toronto Raptors guard Lorenzo Brown.
8. Puerto Rico – 23
Puerto Rico has been one of the hottest teams in the FIBA Americas thanks to the leadership of New Orleans Pelicans sparkplug Jose Alvarado. Historically, Puerto Rico has made some noise in the international basketball scene, highlighted by defeating Team USA at the 2004 Olympics. That particular squad was led by former Miami Heat guard Carlos Arroyo.
Another notable Puerto Rican player is NBA champion J.J. Barea. Since then, the country has been consistent in producing NBA talent over the years.
7. Croatia – 25
Historically, Croatia has a rich basketball tradition with several NBA ties. Besides, this was the country that produced Toni Kukoc, the first European to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award coupled with three NBA titles. However, it seems that the country has been quite mediocre as of late in the international scene. Nonetheless, Ivica Zubac has been stellar as the resident big man for the Los Angeles Clippers.
6. Germany – 26
Germany has been incredibly successful in developing NBA talent. In fact, this is the team that emerged as champions at the 2023 FIBA World Cup led by Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder and the Orlando Magic's Wagner brothers.
But apart from these NBA caliber players, their pool goes beyond their current roster with NBA champion Isaiah Hartenstein and Los Angeles Lakers power forward Maxi Kleber also eligible to represent the German national team. In the past, the biggest name from Germany was Dirk Nowitzki, who's arguably the best NBA big man to ever come from Europe.
5. Nigeria – 32
For quite some time, Nigeria has often been regarded as an African powerhouse, given their influx of NBA talent, most of which have been role players. Although two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo would've been an enticing prospect to call their own, the Antetokounmpo brothers opted to represent Greece internationally.
Nonetheless, national team mainstays like Josh Okogie and Gabe Vincent played a decisive role in defeating Team USA during an exhibition game prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Furthermore, Adem Bona is looking like a promising big man for the Philadelphia 76ers.
4. Serbia – 33
Headlined by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Serbia will be a force to be reckoned with once again at the upcoming EuroBasket. To make matters more interesting, he will be surrounded by current NBA players to increase their title chances. Serbia has no shortage of basketball glory in the past, as several players like Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic have made their marks for the national team and in the NBA.
3. Australia – 40
Australia is the king of the Oceania basketball region for a reason. The country has had no shortage of NBA talent for several decades. With Australian legends like Shane Heal and Andrew Gaze up to guys like Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, and Andrew Bogut, the country has enjoyed a lot of success in the international scene, which has also paved the way for many NBA talents.
Nowadays, the league continues to enjoy a lot of Australian stars like Josh Giddey and Ben Simmons, who should be signed in the near future. Dyson Daniels and Josh Green have also established themselves as premiere perimeter defenders, while Joe Ingles continues to give Father Time a good workout.
2. France – 54
Another European powerhouse that has not only produced plenty of NBA talent but also elite ones is France. To make matters more interesting, France has been a hotbed for NBA lottery picks as of late, producing top overall picks in back-to-back years in the form of 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher.
Throw in four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, and it's easy to see why France is also a world-class basketball super power. But at the end of the day, no one can deny that Tony Parker remains the best basketball player out of the country, among the talents it has produced. He is, after all, the European star with the most NBA titles, having won four with the San Antonio Spurs.
1. Canada – 67
It's easy to overlook that basketball was created by a Canadian, James Naismith. As a result, it's only natural that Canada ranks second to the USA in producing the most NBA players. But surprisingly, only a select few have really made their mark in the league. The biggest example is two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.
But fast-forward to today, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is rewriting the history books with his stellar 2024-25 NBA season that saw him come away with MVP honors and an NBA Finals MVP. Players like Jamal Murray, Andrew Wiggins, Dillon Brooks, and Zach Edey have also been turning heads in the league.
