This ranking presents the 15 best European basketball players of all time, celebrating their remarkable achievements and contributions to the NBA. It emphasizes how these legends, including champions like Dirk Nowitzki, MVPs like Nikola Jokic, and trailblazers like Arvydas Sabonis, have influenced the league with their unique skills and international flair.
When it comes to the NBA, the debate regarding the greatest players ever is always quite heated and controversial.
This is equally true regarding European basketball, which has produced over the years some of the best players ever to tread the international hardwood floors.
European players have become an increasingly important slice of the American league, especially in the last twenty years. The dominance of Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic is undeniable. Even further back in time, there are examples of players who have left a real mark on the NBA.
Therefore, I decided to rank the 15 best European basketball players of all time, with the condition that only players who have played in the NBA were included since it remains the strongest league in the world.
Top 15 best European NBA players
15. Domantas Sabonis
It makes quite an impression to start this ranking with Domantas Sabonis, the son of one of the legends of European basketball.
Although Domantas is still in the midst of his NBA career, at 28 years old, he has already racked up very impressive numbers for a player who, at the beginning of his career, was not necessarily considered a safe choice.
A big man with point guard hands, Domantas, especially after his move to Sacramento Kings has become one of the most effective players in the NBA and a true triple-double machine.
On November 6, he became the first player in NBA history to finish a game with a triple-double without committing a foul, missing a shot, or having a turnover.
Domantas Sabonis's career stats (as of the end of the 2023-2024 season):
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 601 | 436 | 16.0 | 4.8 | 10.4 | 0.8 | 55.9% | 34.0% | 73.2% |
14. Detlef Schrempf
Younger readers will most likely not be very familiar with Detlef Schrempf, considering that the German player began his NBA career in the mid-1980s.
But Schrempf had a very high-level NBA career. He was voted Sixth Man of the Year two years in a row (1991 and 1992), and in the 1992-93 season, he was the only NBA player to finish the year among the Top 25 players in points, rebounds, and assists.
He was selected three times to the All-Star Game and reached an NBA final in 1996 with the Seattle Supersonics, losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.
One of the best 3-point shooters of that period, Schrempf was a true pioneer for German basketball, paving the way for other players who came to the league in later years, such as Dirk Nowitzki and Dennis Schröder.
His figure was so iconic in the Seattle area that even the Band of Horses, one of the biggest indie rock bands in the USA, originally from Seattle, named one of their songs after him.
Detlef Schrempf's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 1136 | 524 | 13.9 | 3.4 | 6.2 | 0.8 | 49.1% | 38.4% | 80.3% |
13. Rudy Gobert
If we considered only awards and accolades, in all likelihood, Rudy Gobert would deserve a higher place within this ranking.
So far, the French center has been a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time All-Star, and a seven-time member of the NBA's All-Defensive First Team.
Put very clearly, Gobert is one of the best defensive players in NBA history, even though he is arguably the most hated player in the league.
His lower ranking is not dictated by this. More than anything else, by his tendency to fail to maintain in the playoffs what good he produced during the regular season, where he often, especially on offense, struggled to make a real impact for his team.
This does not detract from the fact that Gobert is one of the best NBA European players of his generation and is destined to add even more to his haul of awards and accolades in the coming years.
Not to mention that even with the French national team, Gobert has already achieved very important victories, including 2 silver medals at the Olympics, two bronze medals at the FIBA World Cup, and a silver and a bronze at EuroBasket.
Rudy Gobert's career stats (as of the end of the 2023-2024 season):
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 757 | 665 | 12.7 | 1.3 | 11.8 | 2.1 | 65.5% | 0.0% | 63.9% |
12. Vlade Divac
Here we are with another true legend of European basketball. Vlade Divac was among the first European players to join the NBA in the late 1980s and one of the first who made a significant impact in the American league.
Thanks to his passing qualities, Divac soon became a staple of the Los Angeles Lakers. He later moved to Sacramento to become one of the greatest Kings player ever.
Although he never won an NBA title during his career, his legacy is unquestionable.
Divac was the first European player to play more than 1,000 games in the league and is also one of seven players in NBA history to have collected at least 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, and 1,500 blocks.
Joining him on that list are the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Pau Gasol.
In 2019, Divac was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame, thus becoming part of the league's history.
Vlade Divac's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 1134 | 979 | 11.8 | 3.1 | 8.2 | 1.4 | 49.5% | 23.5% | 69.2% |
11. Toni Kukoc
Toni Kukoc was by far one of the most talented European players ever. An incredibly versatile scorer, a passer of the highest order, and a perfect complement to the Chicago Bulls' superstars of those years, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Arriving in the NBA in 1993 after a long courtship with the Bulls, Kukoc won three NBA titles with the Chicago franchise and the Sixth Man of the Year title in 1996.
The player also remained in Chicago immediately after Bulls management began a rebuild by waiving Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan, making him the team's first offensive option.
Later, he was also traded. Kukoc ended his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, with whom he played from 2002 to 2006. Today, he serves as an advisor to the Bulls' ownership.
Not only is Kukoc one of the best European basketball players of all time, but he's also among the most underrated in NBA history.
Toni Kukoc's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 846 | 260 | 11.6 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 44.7% | 33.5% | 72.9% |
10. Arvydas Sabonis
We have discussed the son, and now it is time to discuss the father, one of the legends of European basketball. Arvydas Sabonis' career speaks for itself, but his time in the NBA remains one of the greatest what-ifs in the game's recent history.
The Lithuanian player arrived in the NBA when he was already 31 years old and had suffered many injuries that greatly limited his mobility. Despite these problems, the Trail Blazers still decided to bet on him and make him one of the franchise's key players in the following years.
During Sabonis' time in Portland, the Trail Blazers were consistent contenders in the West, reaching the Conference Finals twice but failing to reach the NBA Finals.
His incredible game vision and ability to shoot effectively from a distance, at a time when most big men played only close to the basket, made him a true revolutionary of the game.
Even today, many American journalists believe that if Sabonis had arrived in the United States at the peak of his career, Portland could have won at least a couple of NBA titles.
Arvydas Sabonis' career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 470 | 314 | 12.0 | 2.1 | 7.3 | 1.1 | 50.0% | 32.8% | 78.6% |
9. Predrag Stojakovic
In the early 2000s, one of the most fun teams to follow in the NBA was definitely the Sacramento Kings. One of the key elements of that team was Predrag Stojakovic, who, by far, was one of the best shooters in recent NBA history.
During those years at the Kings, Stojakovic became an iconic player for European fans and for fans in Sacramento, where he remained an extremely popular figure even after his career ended.
Stojakovic then managed to win his only NBA title when his career was coming to an end, thanks to his experience with the Dallas Mavericks, culminating in a series of excellent performances in the playoffs.
During his NBA career, Stojakovic was a 3-time All-Star and twice won the 3-point shooting contest at the All-Star Game.
Personally, I think Stojakovic's ranking within the Top 10 is absolutely justified, not only because of how many championships he has won in his career but also because of the impact he has had in the NBA.
Predrag Stojakovic's' career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 804 | 665 | 17.0 | 1.8 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 45.0% | 40.1% | 89.5% |
8. Marc Gasol
Few players could have held a candle to having a brother like Pau Gasol in the family. The Spaniard big man, who was an integral part of the successes of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson's Los Angeles Lakers, was a simply sensational player.
His brother Marc, however, has been able to hold his own more than well, not only with the Spanish national team but also during his time in the NBA.
The fates of the two brothers were intertwined from the beginning. Marc, in fact, had been selected by the Lakers in the 2007 draft, but his rights were later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the trade that brought Pau to the Lakers.
That trade turned out to be a real blessing for Marc, who stayed in Memphis for an impressive 11 years, becoming one of the most important players in the franchise's history.
He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and was also a three-time All-Star during his years in Memphis.
However, Marc won his only NBA title with the Toronto Raptors, where he moved in 2019 and became the perfect defensive anchor of a team where Kawhi Leonard was the absolute star.
When you think of the best European big men in the history of the game, it is impossible to keep out Marc Gasol.
Marc Gasol's' career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 891 | 866 | 14.0 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 48.1% | 36.0% | 77.6% |
7. Drazen Petrovic
Talking about Drazen Petrovic is always extremely difficult, not only because we are talking about a player who literally dominated European basketball for several years, becoming an absolute icon of the movement, but also because his tragic death at only 28 years of age is still extremely difficult for all fans to accept.
When Petrovic arrived in the NBA at age 25, when he had already won everything there was to win in Europe, the start in the United States was very difficult for him.
Although Portland wanted him badly, his minutes in Oregon were always very limited, and the player became increasingly frustrated with the situation until he was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1991.
With the Nets, Petrovic quickly became a key player on a team that began to become a stable presence in the playoffs, although it never became a real contender.
During his seasons with the Nets, it was clear that Petrovic could become a real force in the NBA with an increased role. Unfortunately, his death at only 28 years old prevented us from seeing how high he could have gone in the NBA.
This does not detract, however, from the fact that his legacy is among the most important ever left in the history of European basketball.
Drazen Petrovic's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 290 | 149 | 15.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 50.6% | 43.7% | 84.0% |
6. Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic's career has been incredibly precocious. The talented Slovenian made his first-team debut with Real Madrid when he was just 16 and, within just under two years, became the team's star, leading the Blancos to a Euroleague victory.
At 25, Doncic has already won Eurobasket, EuroLeague, Rookie of the Year, and NBA's top scorer titles, is the undisputed star of the Dallas Mavericks, and is generally one of the NBA's top 10 players. Donning his signature number 77, Doncic has become a global icon.
Having reached this point in his career, the only thing he lacks is an NBA ring.
Despite some character limitations, such as excessive protests against referees, and conditioning concerns that even led the Mavericks to trade him, Doncic is simply an extraordinary player, and I am sure that when his career is over, his list of trophies will be much longer than it is now.
Luka Doncic's career stats (as of the end of the 2023-2024 season):
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 410 | 410 | 28.7 | 8.3 | 8.6 | 1.1 | 46.6% | 33.9% | 74.2% |
5. Tony Parker
Tony Parker's NBA career has been truly superlative, especially considering that after 10 minutes of his first pre-draft workout with the San Antonio Spurs, coach Popovich was ready to send him packing because he didn't think he was tough enough.
The Spurs coach later had to reconsider because the French player has always been able to go far beyond what were his limits.
And that is perhaps what makes Parker's career so impressive. The French point guard was certainly not a great defender and was not an excellent shooter, especially from three-point range, but his combination of speed, change of pace, game vision, and leadership made him one of the best point guards of the 2000s.
With the Spurs, Parker won four NBA titles, was MVP of the 2007 Finals, was selected six times to the All-Star Game, and had his number 9 retired by the Texas franchise.
Add all this to what Parker has achieved with the French national team, and you arrive at a very exciting picture that makes Parker easily one of the best European players ever.
Toni Parker's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 1254 | 1151 | 15.5 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 49.1% | 32.4% | 75.1% |
4. Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol was by far one of the most complete big men in the recent history of the game. A true basketball scientist, the Catalan player played a key role in the successes of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant's Lakers.
Bryant himself stated several times that even digging into the past, it would be very difficult to find a player with a skill set similar to Gasol's.
The Catalan center, in fact, was a super effective scorer in the low post, an excellent passer, a great shot-blocker, and generally a player of superior basketball intelligence.
A two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star, one of four players in NBA history to reach at least 20000 points, 10000 rebounds, 3500 assists, and 1500 blocks, Gasol's numbers tell only part of his greatness.
And just think, Pau initially didn't even want to be a basketball player; he had enrolled in college to study medicine and wanted to try to fight the plague of AIDS. An absolutely incredible human being, even before he was a player.
Pau Gasol's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 1226 | 1150 | 17.0 | 3.2 | 9.2 | 1.6 | 50.7% | 36.8% | 75.3% |
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The path that led Giannis Antetokounmpo to be one of the best players in the NBA and one of the best European players ever is truly unique.
Born in Greece to Nigerian parents without a work permit, until the age of 18, Antetokounmpo had neither Greek nor Nigerian citizenship, which made it impossible for him to leave the country.
During his childhood, he and his siblings did all kinds of odd jobs to help bring money into the house.
After a couple of seasons in the Greek lower categories, Antetokounmpo showed up at the 2013 draft as something of a mystery object, a player with certainly intriguing potential but about whom many knew little or nothing.
Within a few seasons, however, everyone in the NBA realized that Antetokounmpo's potential was extraordinary.
A player endowed with uncommon athleticism and strength is always ready to attack the basket and get the counterattack going whenever there is a chance, often utilizing his signature Euro step to evade defenders.
Along with its growth, the Milwaukee Bucks also slowly became a major force in the Eastern Conference, eventually winning the NBA title in 2021.
Meanwhile, Giannis had already won the MVP title twice (in 2019 and 2020) and was elected MVP of the Finals in 2021.
At 30 years old and at the peak of his career, Antetokounmpo is now looking for his second NBA title and first medal with the Greek national team, which would further solidify his place among the greatest European players ever.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's career stats (as of the end of the 2023-2024 season):
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | BPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 816 | 769 | 23.6 | 4.9 | 9.8 | 1.3 | 53.3% | 28.7% | 71.7% |
2. Nikola Jokic
Usually, there is not much focus on players who are chosen with the number 41 pick in the draft. When the Nuggets selected Jokic in the 2014 draft, ESPN was not even live.
Over the years, the Serbian player has established himself as the greatest second-round pick in NBA history and is already regarded as one of the best centers of all time.
3-time league MVP, 6-time All-Star, 4 times to the All-NBA First team, and simply the best player in Denver Nuggets history (with all due respect to Carmelo Anthony).
In 2023, he won his first NBA title, reacting as more or less everyone expected: breathing a sigh of relief and asking to be able to return home to Serbia to be near his horses.
It is precisely this aspect of Jokic's personality that makes him even more impressive. Unlike many other superstars of the past, who have built around them an aura of genuine obsession with basketball, Jokic has instead always balanced his love for basketball with that for a normal life, in which he prioritizes his family and his horses.
Even this season, despite the Nuggets' struggles so far, Jokic is proving that he is simply the best player in the world.
In every game, the Serbian center seems capable of extraordinary feats, and his numbers continue to be sensational.
It would take a whole book to mention all the records Jokic has broken since he entered the NBA, to us it is enough to say that we are dealing with a true phenomenon of this sport.
Nikola Jokic's career stats (as of the end of the 2023-2024 season):
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 646 | 596 | 20.9 | 6.9 | 10.7 | 1.2 | 55.7% | 34.8% | 82.8% |
1. Dirk Nowitzki
Our list could have quietly ended with Nikola Jokic, except that before him in the NBA came a certain Dirk Nowitzki.
The German player came to the NBA in the late 1990s when there was still some skepticism in the American league about European players. They were considered too soft and not ready enough for the physicality of NBA players.
When Nowitzki arrived in the United States, very few people knew him. Still, within a few years, his presence transformed the Dallas Mavericks, a historically mediocre franchise, into one of the most consistent and strongest teams in the Western Conference.
Nowitzki's shooting accuracy, combined with his long seven-foot frame and unique shooting mechanics, made his jump shots difficult to contest.
Before the start of the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron James called Nowitzki's one-legged fadeaway the second most unstoppable move ever, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook.
Voted NBA MVP in the 2006-2007 season, Nowitzki became the first European player ever to win the award.
The German player remains the only one in NBA history to have achieved at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, 1,200 steals, and 1,200 blocks. This cements his place among the greatest power forwards ever.
The German player led the Mavericks to win their first NBA title in 2011 and played with the Texas franchise for his entire career until retiring in 2019, when he essentially passed the title of the team leader to young Luka Doncic.
For his impact on the league and the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki absolutely deserves to be named the best European basketball player of all time.
Dirk Nowtizki's career stats:
| GP | GS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG | 3PT | FT |
| 1522 | 1460 | 20.7 | 2.4 | 7.5 | 0.8 | 47.1% | 38.0% | 87.8% |
