NBA · 1 month ago

Bleacher Report Ranks the 10 Best European Players in NBA History

Paul Connor

Host · Writer

1. Nikola Jokic
Playing Career: 2012-Present

Position: Center

Team(s): Denver Nuggets

Career Stats (10 Seasons): 31.7 MPG | 21.8 PPG | 10.9 RPG | 7.2 APG | 1.3 SPG | 0.7 BPG | .560 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA Champion (2023)

- NBA Finals MVP (2023)

- 3x NBA Most Valuable Player (2021, 2022, 2024)

- 7x NBA All-Star (2019-2025)

- 5x All-NBA First Team (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)

- 2x All-NBA Second Team (2020, 2023)

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10. Vlade Divac
Playing Career: 1989-2005

Position: Center

Team(s): Los Angeles Lakers (1989-1996, 2004-2005), Charlotte Hornets (1996-1998), Sacramento Kings (1999-2004)

Career Stats (16 Seasons): 29.8 MPG | 11.8 PPG | 8.2 RPG | 3.1 APG | 1.1 SPG | 1.4 BPG | .495 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA All-Star (2001)

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9. Marc Gasol
Playing Career: 2008-2021

Position: Center

Team(s): Memphis Grizzlies (2008-2019), Toronto Raptors (2019-2020), Los Angeles Lakers (2020-2021)

Career Stats (13 Seasons): 33.2 MPG | 14.0 PPG | 7.4 RPG | 3.4 APG | 0.9 SPG | 1.4 BPG | .481 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA Champion (2019)

- 3x NBA All-Star (2012, 2015, 2017)

- All-NBA First Team (2015)

- All-NBA Second Team (2013)

- NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
8. Rudy Gobert
Playing Career: 2013-Present

Position: Center

Team(s): Utah Jazz (2013-2022), Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-Present)

Career Stats: 12.6 PPG | 11.7 RPG | 1.4 APG | 0.7 SPG | 2.1 BPG | .656 FG%

Career Highlights:

- 3x NBA All-Star (2020-2022)

- All-NBA Second Team (2017)

- 3x All-NBA Third Team (2019-2021)

- 4x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2024)

- 7x NBA All-Defensive First Team (2017-2022, 2024)

- NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2025)

- NBA Rebounding Leader (2022)

- NBA Blocks Leader (2017)
7. Andrei Kirilenko
Playing Career: 2001-2011, 2012-2015

Position: Small Forward/Power Forward

Team(s): Utah Jazz (2001-2011), Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-2014)

Career Stats (13 Seasons): 30.0 MPG | 11.8 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 2.7 APG | 1.4 SPG | 1.8 BPG | .474 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA All-Star (2004)

- NBA All-Defensive First Team (2006)

- 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2004, 2005)

- NBA Blocks Leader (2005)
6. Tony Parker
Playing Career: 2001-2019

Position: Point Guard

Team(s): San Antonio Spurs (2001-2018), Charlotte Hornets (2018-2019)

Career Stats (18 Seasons): 30.5 MPG | 15.5 PPG | 2.7 RPG | 5.6 APG | 0.8 SPG | 0.1 BPG | .491 FG%

Career Highlights:

- 4x NBA Champion (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

- NBA Finals MVP (2007)

- 6x NBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012-2014)

- 3x All-NBA Second Team (2012-2014)

- All-NBA Third Team (2009)
5. Pau Gasol
Playing Career: 2001-2019

Position: Power Forward

Team(s): Memphis Grizzlies (2001-2008), Los Angeles Lakers (2008-2014), Chicago Bulls (2014-2016), San Antonio Spurs (2016-2019), Milwaukee Bucks (2019)

Career Stats (18 Seasons): 33.4 MPG | 17.0 PPG | 9.2 RPG | 3.2 APG | 0.5 SPG | 1.6 BPG | .507 FG%

Career Highlights:

- 2x NBA Champion (2009, 2010)

- 6x NBA All-Star (2006, 2009-2011, 2015, 2016)

- 2x All-NBA Second Team (2011, 2015)

- 2x All-NBA Third Team (2009, 2010)

- NBA Rookie of the Year (2002)
4. Luka Doncic
Playing Career: 2018-Present

Position: Point Guard

Team(s): Dallas Mavericks (2018-2025), Los Angeles Lakers (2025-Present)

Career Stats (7 seasons): 34.9 MPG | 28.6 PPG | 8.6 RPG | 8.2 APG | 1.2 SPG | 0.5 BPG | .468 FG%

Career Highlights:

- 5x NBA All-Star (2020-2024)

- 5x All-NBA First Team (2020-2024)

- NBA Rookie of the Year (2019)

- NBA Scoring Champion (2024)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Playing Career: 2013-Present

Position: Power Forward

Team(s): Milwaukee Bucks

Career Stats (12 Seasons): 32.9 MPG | 23.9 PPG | 9.9 RPG | 5.0 APG | 1.1 SPG | 1.2 BPG | .551 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA Champion (2021)

- NBA Finals MVP (2021)

- 2x NBA Most Valuable Player (2019, 2020)

- 9x NBA All-Star (2017-2025)

- 7x All-NBA First Team (2019-2025)

- 2x All-NBA Second Team (2017, 2018)

- NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)

- 4x NBA All-Defensive First Team (2019-2022)
2. Dirk Nowitzki
Playing Career: 1998-2019

Position: Power Forward

Team(s): Dallas Mavericks

Career Stats (21 Seasons): 33.8 MPG | 20.7 PPG | 7.5 RPG | 2.4 APG | 0.8 SPG | 0.8 BPG | .471 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA Champion (2011)

- NBA Finals MVP (2011)

- NBA Most Valuable Player (2007)

- 6th All-Time in Career Points (31,560)

- 14x NBA All-Star (2002-2012, 2014, 2015, 2019)

- 4x All-NBA First Team (2005-2007, 2009)

- 5x All-NBA Second Team (2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011)

- 3x All-NBA Third Team (2001, 2004, 2012)
1. Nikola Jokic
Playing Career: 2012-Present

Position: Center

Team(s): Denver Nuggets

Career Stats (10 Seasons): 31.7 MPG | 21.8 PPG | 10.9 RPG | 7.2 APG | 1.3 SPG | 0.7 BPG | .560 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA Champion (2023)

- NBA Finals MVP (2023)

- 3x NBA Most Valuable Player (2021, 2022, 2024)

- 7x NBA All-Star (2019-2025)

- 5x All-NBA First Team (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)

- 2x All-NBA Second Team (2020, 2023)

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10. Vlade Divac
Playing Career: 1989-2005

Position: Center

Team(s): Los Angeles Lakers (1989-1996, 2004-2005), Charlotte Hornets (1996-1998), Sacramento Kings (1999-2004)

Career Stats (16 Seasons): 29.8 MPG | 11.8 PPG | 8.2 RPG | 3.1 APG | 1.1 SPG | 1.4 BPG | .495 FG%

Career Highlights:

- NBA All-Star (2001)

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Bleacher Report Ranks the 10 Best European Players in NBA History

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