List of European basketball players in the United States

This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether inside or outside the U.S., and former players (both living and deceased).

Goga Bitadze (left) of Georgia defends Kristaps Porziņģis of Latvia during a 2022 game between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Dallas Mavericks teammates Boban Marjanović (left) of Serbia and Luka Dončić of Slovenia before a 2021 game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland

For the purpose of this article, a "European player in the United States" is defined as a citizen of a FIBA Europe member country who was playing in the U.S. while a citizen of said country. Examples of players who do not fall within this definition are:

  • Howard Carter, who became a naturalized citizen of France after having played professionally in that country, and never played in the U.S. while a French citizen.
  • Jeff Taylor, whose story is similar to that of Carter, except that his eventual country of citizenship was Sweden. However, his son Jeffery, born in Sweden as a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Sweden, is listed.
  • Kelenna Azubuike, who despite being born and raised in the United Kingdom has never held British citizenship. He was born a Nigerian citizen.
  • Admiral Schofield, born in the UK to a U.S. military family. Since 1983, children born under these circumstances will not have British nationality unless a parent had such nationality. He was born in 1997 to parents who hold only U.S. nationality.

In addition, NBA players are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have played only for a Canada-based team (currently the Toronto Raptors, and in the past the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Huskies). Similarly, those who have played in what is now the NBA G League are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have only played for the Raptors' Canada-based affiliate, Raptors 905.

If a player is listed as being a dual citizen, his or her country of birth is indicated first.

Austria edit

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Belarus edit

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Belgium edit

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Bosnia and Herzegovina edit

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Bulgaria edit

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Croatia edit

 
Bojan Bogdanović (left) of the Washington Wizards and Mario Hezonja (right) of the Orlando Magic during a 2017 game

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Cyprus edit

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Czech Republic edit

 
Tomáš Satoranský with the Washington Wizards in 2018

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Denmark edit

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Estonia edit

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Finland edit

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France edit

 
Evan Fournier with the Orlando Magic in 2019

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Georgia edit

 
Zaza Pachulia with the Golden State Warriors in 2017

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Germany edit

 
Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks in 2009

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Greece edit

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Hungary edit

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Iceland edit

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Ireland edit

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Israel edit

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Italy edit

 
Danilo Gallinari with the New York Knicks in 2010

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Kosovo edit

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Latvia edit

 
Dāvis Bertāns with the Washington Wizards in 2019

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Lithuania edit

 
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009

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Montenegro edit

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Netherlands edit

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North Macedonia edit

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Former players

• Pero Antic - Atlanta Hawks

Norway edit

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Poland edit

 
Marcin Gortat with the Washington Wizards in 2014

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Portugal edit

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Romania edit

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Russia edit

 
Andrei Kirilenko with the Utah Jazz in 2008

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Serbia edit

 
Nikola Jokić during 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend

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Slovakia edit

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Slovenia edit

 
Goran Dragić with the Phoenix Suns in 2011

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Spain edit

 
José Calderón with the Detroit Pistons in 2013

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Sweden edit

 
Jonas Jerebko with the Detroit Pistons in 2009

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Switzerland edit

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Turkey edit

 
Hedo Türkoğlu with the Orlando Magic in 2008

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Men
Women

Former players edit

Ukraine edit

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United Kingdom edit

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Former players edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Buffalo College Basketball - Preview 2000". ESPN.com. ESPN. November 2, 2000. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Calasan signs with Purdue after Utes coach quits" (PDF). El Paisano. September 28, 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Sebastian Saiz Bio - OLEMISSSPORTS.COM - OLE MISS Official Athletic Site". www.olemisssports.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02.
  4. ^ "Ilya Tyrtyshnik Bio - Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". www.olemisssports.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-12.