The NBA All-Star Game is an annual showcase of the best players in the NBA season. More often than not, an All-Star selection is a strong validation that a player has reached an elite level.

Given that basketball is a global sport, it isn't surprising that more and more international players are earning All-Star selections. With the influx of elite international players, it's worth looking back at the first international players who paved the way. Let's take a closer look at the first NBA All-Star from different countries.

Argentina: Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili made history in 2005 after becoming the first Argentinean player to play in the All-Star Game. He would return to the event six years later. Furthermore, Ginobili helped the Spurs win four NBA championships overall.

Australia: Kyrie Irving

Although he represents Team USA internationally, Kyrie Irving does have Australian roots. He became the first Aussie player to become an All-Star in 2013 before taking All-Star Game MVP honors just a year later.

Cameroon: Joel Embiid

Despite only starting to play basketball at 15 years old, Joel Embiid has become a dominant force in the NBA. He first made his presence felt after becoming the first Cameroon All-Star in 2018 before ruling the NBA as the reigning NBA MVP.

Canada: Steve Nash

Considered to be one of the best playmakers of the game, Steve Nash made Canada proud after becoming the first Canadian All-Star in 2002. After that, Nash went on to become a back-to-back MVP.

China: Yao Ming

Not a lot of Asian basketball players make it to the NBA, making Yao Ming a special player. Yao dominated the NBA and became the first and lone Asian player thus far to reach All-Star levels, which paved the way for his Hall of Fame induction.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Dikembe Mutombo

There's no question that Dikembe Mutombo is an elite defensive center. With his mark on defense, it's clear to see why he was the first and also the best NBA player to come out of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Dominican Republic: Al Horford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeeSQs0hqio

Al Horford is easily one of the best stretch big men in the NBA. In fact, his historic All-Star selection in 2010 surely paved the way for younger players from the Dominican Republic, including Karl-Anthony Towns.

England: Luol Deng

With plenty of meaningful years with the Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng established himself as a legitimate All-Star forward. He eventually became the first British player to achieve the feat in 2012 before returning to the event a season later.

Finland: Lauri Markkanen

Currently one of the brightest stars for the Utah Jazz, Lauri Markkanen made Finland proud after being named a reserve for the 2023 All-Star Game. He's also the first player from a Nordic country to ever play in the annual showcase.

France: Tony Parker

Arguably the best player to come out of France, it's easy to see why Tony Parker is one of the best international players to ever step foot in the NBA. Parker helped the Spurs win four NBA championships. Moreover, he became the first French All-Star in 2006, paving the way for the likes of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.

Germany: Detlef Schrempf

While Dirk Nowitzki is the best player to come out of Germany, it's easy to overlook that it was Detlef Schrempf that, not only opened the doors for Germany but for the entire European continent. Schrempf became the third international player and the first European to ever make the All-Star Game.

Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Not only is Giannis Antetokounmpo arguably the greatest Milwaukee Buck, but he's also easily the best player to ever come out of Greece. With plenty of accolades to his name, he's ultimately the Greek Freak, including becoming the first Greek to appear in the All-Star Game in 2017.

Jamaica: Patrick Ewing

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First making the All-Star Game in 1986, Patrick Ewing made history as the first Jamaican player to ever get selected for the event. Since then, he would go on to become an 11-time All-Star, cementing himself as one of the best centers in NBA history.

Latvia: Kristaps Porzingis

Only a handful of Latvian players make it to the NBA. However, Kristaps Porzingis certainly shocked the world with the skills of a modern-day big man. As a result, he became the first Latvian to play in the All-Star Game in 2018.

Lithuania: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Although he's more known for being LeBron James' teammate, people often overlook that Zydrunas Ilgauskas became the first Lithuanian All-Star. Big Z made the annual showcase twice in his career.

Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic

In the NBA, not a lot of centers can match the firepower of Nikola Vucevic. In 2019, Vooch made history for Montenegro, becoming the first All-Star from that country.

Nigeria: Hakeem Olajuwon

Leading the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships, Hakeem Olajuwon is easily a force to be reckoned with. With Nigerian descent, Olajuwon became the first Nigerian All-Star in 1985, becoming one of the first international players to appear in the annual exhibition. He's also the first Nigerian to win the coveted NBA championship.

Panama: Rolando Blackman

Rolando Blackman was one of the international players to grace the All-Star Game. With roots tracing from Panama, Blackman's scoring allowed him to flaunt his skills in the All-Star showcase four times in his career.

Russia: Andrei Kirilenko

Dubbed as AK47, there's no doubt that Andrei Kirilenko is easily a Russian trailblazer. The only Russian first-round draft pick became also the first Russian to make the All-Star Game in 2004 while also racking up the All-Defensive team honors.

Serbia: Vlade Divac

While Serbia is great at producing basketball talent, with the likes of Nikola Jokic, Nikola Jovic, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, there's no doubt that it was Vlade Divac who blazed the trail for Serbian basketball players to make its mark in the NBA. Divac became the first Serbian to accomplish the feat at the 2001 All-Star Game.

Slovenia: Goran Dragic

While everyone seems to be talking about Slovenia's Luka Doncic, people shouldn't forget that the nation's first great basketball prospect was Goran Dragic. In fact, he was the first Slovenian All-Star in 2018.

Spain: Pau Gasol

There's no doubt that Spain put the basketball world on notice thanks to the rise of Pau Gasol. Aside from making his first All-Star Game appearance in 2006, Gasol helped Kobe Bryant and the Lakers win a pair of memorable NBA championships.