Top International NBA Stars

Even though basketball has a rich history and was created in the USA, that hasn't stopped some international stars from making it big in the NBA.

Indeed, a few NBA stars from outside the US have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Our list of the top five greatest international NBA players includes the German Dirk Nowitzki, the Slovenian Luka Donic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Dikembe Mutombo, the Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon, and the Spanish Pau Gasol (Spain).

1. Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki is unusual for a basketball player of the 2000s in that he has spent his entire career with the same NBA franchise, the Dallas Mavericks.

Even at the start of his career, his height and shooting range put him ahead of the curve. He has a monopoly on the record for 3-pointers made by players under 7 feet tall in NBA history.

Although he only won one championship, his 25.3 point playoff scoring average belies his lack of postseason dominance.

Nine times in his 20-year career, he scored more than that, and in the 2003–04 playoffs, he averaged 26.6 points per game to lead all scorers.2.

2. Luka Doncic

Doncic has just begun his professional career, but barring serious injury, he has a great shot at becoming one of the NBA's rising stars.

Even legends of the 1980s and 1990s who faced off against Larry Bird, like former Pistons forward John Salley, have compared him to the Celtics' all-time great.

The Mavericks' guard has 46 triple doubles overall, and he is the only player in NBA history to achieve that feat before the age of 21.

His season-high total of 17 triple-doubles will stand for the 2019-2020 season.

3. Dikembe Mutombo

If you were playing a team coached by Mikembe and you tried to drive to the basket, you would almost certainly run into Mutombo, and it probably wouldn't be a good experience for you.

The wagging of his huge finger as if to say "no, no, no" after he successfully blocked a shot has become his trademark.

Even though there were many other great shot blockers in the NBA at the time, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman, David Robinson, and many others, Dikembe still led the league in blocks for three consecutive seasons.

In particular, while playing for the Denver Nuggets, Mutombo averaged 4.1, 3.9, and 4.5 blocks per game in the 1993–94, 1994–1995, and 1995–1996 seasons, respectively, to rank first in the NBA in blocks each year.

A few years later, in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001, he achieved similar success on the glass, averaging 14.1 and 13.5, respectively, in each season.

In contrast to Nowitzki and Doncic, Mutombo suited up for a plethora of different teams over the course of his career.

He has suited up for several different teams, including the Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, and Rockets. After Mutombo retired from the NBA, he returned to his native country to aid the sick and poor there.

4. Hakeem Olajuwon

Olajuwon, also known as "Hakeem the Dream," was a dominant presence in the paint for the NBA.

Many of his best moments feature him demonstrating his superior footwork, and his "sub-moves" to complement his main moves have been widely praised.

His signature "dream shake" is a slick crossover followed by a fadeaway jump shot from anywhere on the court.

Olajuwon stood out on defense due to his exceptional number of blocked shots and steals for a player of his size.

In fact, for five separate seasons he averaged over two steals and two blocks per game.

Only four other players have managed this feat, and none of them have repeated the feat.

Bobby Jones, David Robinson, and Gerald Wallace are the others. NBA Rookie of the Year in 1984–1985, Olajuwon spent the majority of his career with the Houston Rockets.

During his time in the NBA, he won two titles in rebounding and was named Most Valuable Player twice.

5. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol had the good fortune to play on many championship teams during his career.

He played for the Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and Milwaukee Bucks, and he won two championships during his career.

In the same vein as Mutombo, Gasol has used his notoriety to try to do some good in the world outside of basketball.

He continues to put money and time into basketball, and he also spends a lot of time encouraging others to get active and lead healthier lives. In Spain, he was a professional player as well, but it's important to note that online betting should never be a part of a healthy lifestyle.

During his time in the NBA, he was a six-time all-star, a two-time champion, and the "Rookie of the Year" in 2001-2002 after averaging 18.5 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

Many great international NBA players have played and will play in the NBA in the future.