Currently, the NBA's international talent has been at its peak. With several international players making their way into the MVP and All-Star ranks, including three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the rest of the world is catching up. But while any team could possibly be blessed with either the next Luka Donic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Jokic, international stars don't always translate their game well at the NBA level. Here is a look at 10 international stars who failed in the NBA.
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Yi Jianlian
Yi Jianlian was the next big thing after Yao Ming in the Chinese basketball scene. He was an agile 7-footer who loved to face up, convincing the Milwaukee Bucks to select him sixth overall at the 2007 NBA Draft. But despite starring for the Chinese national team and winning several CBA championships, Yi failed to acclimate to the NBA style of play. He relied too much on his jumpers. On the other hand, he simply couldn't keep up defensively, especially against more athletic and physically gifted centers. He averaged only 7.9 points per game before returning to China, where he became a five-time CBA Domestic MVP.
Yuta Tabuse
Yuta Tabuse is highly respected in Japanese hoops. After all, he won the 2003 JBL Rookie of the Year before trying his luck in the NBA. Yuta's NBA dreams materialized when he saw action with the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first full-Japanese player to suit up in the league. Unfortunately, despite being revered in Japan, Yuta only averaged 1.8 points per game in just four outings before his NBA tenure came to an end. He later won three B. League championships and represented the Japanese national team.
Facundo Campazzo
Facundo Campazzo was one of the best playmakers in Europe. The Argentinian guard even won a pair of EuroLeague championships with Real Madrid. He also played an instrumental role in leading Argentina to a silver medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. As a result, his NBA call-up eventually came in 2020 thanks to the Denver Nuggets. However, standing at 5-foot-10, Campazzo was severely undersized, making him a liability for teams defensively. After 138 games across three seasons, the Argentinian star decided to return to Europe with Real Madrid. He only tallied 5.3 points per game in the NBA.
Vassilis Spanoulis
Vassilis Spanoulis is one of the legends for Greece. He is a former EuroLeague MVP, after all. Furthermore, a lot of NBA fans certainly took notice when he led Greece past USA at the 2006 FIBA World Cup for a silver-medal finish. Shortly after, Spanoulis joined the Houston Rockets. However, it only took him 31 games to realize that he was better off in Europe. The three-time EuroLeague champion averaged just 2.7 points per game at the NBA level.
Luigi Datome
Luigi Datome was a dominant force in Europe. He was a EuroLeague champion and was crowned LBA MVP. Datome also turned heads as a fixture of the Italian national team. The 6-foot-8 forward, however, was a nonfactor in the NBA. Having stopovers with the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, Datome never found sufficient footing for his career to take off. Unable to see consistent minutes, his opportunities were so limited that he returned back to Europe after only two seasons. In two years, the Italian forward mustered only 3.4 points per game.
Zoran Dragic
Unlike his older brother, Goran Dragic, Zoran Dragic wasn't able to establish himself in the NBA. The younger Dragic was a force to be reckoned with in the European scene, earning five Slovenian League Championships, a Spanish League championship, an Italian Cup, and Turkish Cup. With his brother, they were both national team cornerstones. However, his NBA stint was basically forgettable. He averaged just 1.8 points per game, playing only in garbage minutes for the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns.
Sarunas Jasikevicius
Widely known for his national team greatness with Lithuania, Sarunas Jasikevicius did turn some heads, especially after leading his country to the EuroBasket crown in 2003, with him named tournament MVP. Naturally, the Lithuanian guard enticed NBA scouts, prompting the Indiana Pacers to reward him with a contract. Unfortunately, Jasikevicious could hardly keep up against NBA players who were more athletically gifted. The difference in pace limited him to just 6.8 points per outing in just two NBA seasons.
Nando de Colo
Nando de Colo was one of France's brightest stars. Aside from bringing home a pair of Olympic silver medals, he's also a EuroLeague MVP with two championships. While his career in Europe worked out, it was a different story in the NBA. De Colo couldn't keep up with the league's pace and physical demands. Although he helped the San Antonio Spurs reach the 2013 NBA Finals, the French star was relegated to a reserve role. After two seasons, De Colo returned to Europe and enjoyed a fruitful career.
Jan Vesely
It wasn't long ago when European basketball fans were high on Jan Vesely thanks to his aerial acrobatics and thunderous dunks. In fact, the Washington Wizards even bought the hype, drafting him sixth overall at the 2011 NBA Draft. But unlike against European competition, Vesely struggled against more athletic players. It also didn't help that he struggled from the charity stripe, shooting only 41%. Limited offensively, the 2019 EuroLeague MVP was gone from the league in three years.
Milos Teodosic
Had Milos Teodosic joined the NBA earlier, he probably would've made a name for himself better among NBA fans. After all, he was once dubbed as the best point guard that wasn't in the league. Teodosic was the 2010 EuroLeague MVP, after all, before leading Serbia to silver-medal finishes at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and 2016 Olympics. But by the time he joined the NBA, Teodosic was already 30 years old. He has also already accumulated a long list of injuries. As a result, Teodosic only averaged 8.0 points per game and returned to Europe after only two seasons.
