The Best and Finest Collection of Current or Active Foreign Players in the NBA.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is perhaps the world’s most popular basketball league in the world. With the likes of Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron James of the Miami Heat strutting their wares as premier basketball players nowadays, watching basketball can be truly worthwhile and exciting. They dazzle fans all across the globe with their mesmerizing slams, uncanny repertoire of moves that the young kids loves and emulates, and silky smooth offensive attacks to the hoops. Additionally, these two future Hall of Famers made the game truly a wholesome treat to watch. The league doesn’t hinge its popularity on these two remarkable athletes, for it is teeming and brimming with talents that make watching basketball even more interesting and intense. The league doesn’t only boasts of great American basketball players, for it is now considered a Mecca for great international players as well. The league become a sort of United Nations as top foreign basketball players donning the national colors of their respective countries made their exodus to the league, a gambit that promises huge paycheck that they can never earn on their homeland.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is perhaps the world’s most popular basketball league in the world. With the likes of Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron James of the Miami Heat strutting their wares as premier basketball players nowadays, watching basketball can be truly worthwhile and exciting. They dazzle fans all across the globe with their mesmerizing slams, uncanny repertoire of moves that the young kids loves and emulates, and silky smooth offensive attacks to the hoops. Additionally, these two future Hall of Famers made the game truly a wholesome treat to watch. The league doesn’t hinge its popularity on these two remarkable athletes, for it is teeming and brimming with talents that make watching basketball even more interesting and intense. The league doesn’t only boasts of great American basketball players, for it is now considered a Mecca for great international players as well. The league become a sort of United Nations as top foreign basketball players donning the national colors of their respective countries made their exodus to the league, a gambit that promises huge paycheck that they can never earn on their homeland.
Here are my top ten 10 active international players in the NBA that are creating ripples and...
... making their presence felt in one of the most competitive yet exciting sporting leagues in the world. I based my assessment on the impact they bring to their team and into the league like their individual achievements, rings won, court leadership, defensive hustle, and overall skills in different categories such as points, assists, steals, and rebounds, .
Dirk Nowitzki
The German sniper, this gangling center can really score night in night out. Gifted with shooting touch that is a rarity to big men (Shaquille O’Neal, is a good example of a behemoth with an atrocious shooting skill among the players in NBA, no wonder he is always given a hack a Shaq treatment literally by his defenders to take advantage of his poor freethrow shooting). Nowitzki who is drafted ninth in the 1998, is the cornerstone of the Mavericks team. His ability to shoot with remarkable accuracy even beyond the three point territory helps loosen up the defense of the opposing team, since his defender will follow him leaving the shaded lane vulnerable to attacks. Dirk Nowitzki’s steered his Dallas Mavericks to its first ever NBA title last 2011.
Here are the career highlights of Dirk Nowitzki
- Played in NBA All Star Game nine (9) times.
- Nine-time member of the vaunted All-NBA Teams
- The first ever foreign player to clinch the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in the 2006-07 regular season
- He stirred Germany to a third place in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and second place in the EuroBasket 2005
- The Euroscar European Basketball Player of the Year in 2005
Steve Nash
One of the flashiest point guards the league have had produced, this Canadian cager believes that basketball is a game played by five players. Moreover, Nash is a late bloomer and was a virtually unknown during his first few years in the NBA but with sheer dedication he worked hard on improving his stock. Little by little, he worked his way on top with his gutsy plays, and unselfishness while handing out those precious assists. His court vision is at par best with John Stockton and his ability to slice through the defensive stance thrown by his defenders and can compete toe and nail with Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. Nash is no doubt the hottest and top point guard for the past few years in the NBA. The way he initiate the plays will certainly make his already formidable teammates feel a lot better. Nash is a consummate player too, since he can dish out defensive plays that prove to be feisty and pesky to all his nemesis on the court. And last but not definitely the least, Nash who is also a deadly three point shooter is named the ninth best point guard of all time by ESPN.
The career highlights of Stephen John Nash
- Named as the West Coast Conference Player of the Year twice
- The league’s Most Valuable Player in the 2004-05 season
- Received the highest civilian honor given by Canada
- One of the 100 most influential people in the world
Manu Ginobili
Though not as elegant as Micheal Jordan in creating an open basket by virtue of silky smooth moves, Argentine Manu Ginobili is one of the most feared player in the league especially when he attack the shaded lane with combination of ferocity and finesse. Great even when there is a tough defender manning him, Nash can be more dangerous during transition plays, fast break and in open court. Ginobili’s relentless onslaught of attacks to the basket helped his team won the NBA championship three times. Despite all of his credentials before setting foot in NBA he was just picked 57th in the Rookie Draft which was considered by basketball experts and aficionados as one of the biggest steals of all time in the draft. Currently, his team the San Antonio Spurs is seeded seventh in the playoffs and considered as one of the darkhorse in the post season. The San Antonio will meet the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
The career highlights of Manu Ginobili
- Received two Lega A Most Valuable awards
- He helped his Argentine national win the much-coveted gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- The Final Four MVP in Euroleague (2000-01 season)
- Earned a remarkable three NBA Championship rings
- Received the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2007-08 season
Tony Parker
A low pick at 28th in the NBA 2001 Draft, Tony Parker of France slowly established himself as one of the most vaunted point guard in the NBA today. His team up with Manu Ginobili in the frontcourt is one of the most formidable one-two combinations in the league for the past several years. His ability to guide his team with smart plays was indeed invaluable. Like Ginobili, Parker has three championship rings on his pocket.
The career highlights of Tony Parker
- Part of the team that won NBA Championships in three occasions (2003, 2005 and 2007)
- An NBA All Star three times
- Made it to NBA Third Team
- Received the 2007 NBA Finals MVP
Pau Gasol
The pride of Spain, Pau Gasol now asserts himself as one of the most formidable center in the NBA team. Picked third in the 2001 Draft, Pau went on to win the Rookie of the Year Plum playing for the now defunct Vancouver Grizzlies. The breakthrough on his career is by helping the Los Angeles win the 2008-2009 NBA Championship at the expense of the Eastern Conference Finals winner Orlando Magic. Currently, the Los Angeles Lakers is seeded first in the Western Conference and will be up against the 8th – seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, (a surprise package) in the playoffs
The career highlights of Pau Gasol
- Hold several franchise records while playing then for the Grizzlies.
- Part of the silver medal winning team in 2008 Beijing Olympics
- Part of the gold medal winning team in the 200 World Championships
- Compiled a total of four medals playing for Spain in the FIBA European Championships 1 gold, 2 silvers and 1 bronze.
- Appeared in an All Star game twice
- Helped the Los Angeles win the NBA Championship in the 2008-09 season
Rounding out my ten top current international players in the NBA:
Hedo Turkoglu
A rare variety of a versatile player, Hedo Turkuglo of Turkey (the first ever Turkish to play in the league) can play almost all positions from point guard to small forward. The 16th pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Turkuglo was voted as the NBA's Most Improved Player Award during the 2007–08 NBA season. In the 2008-09 season Turkuglo was one of the instrumental player in helping the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals. Turkuglo now plays for the Toronto Raptors.
Yao Ming
A lumbering center at 7’6 Yao Ming of China who happens to be tallest player in the league is indeed one of the prized centers because of his solid overall game. With his mobility given his size Yao is an intimidating and an immovable force in the paint. His shot blocking skills is phenomenal and the way he collar rebounds is exceptional. Yao Ming is a household name in China nowadays and his popularity extends to the United States. He is named to the NBA All-tar game seven times and was chosen as part of the All NBA selection five times. The great wall of China as what people dubbed of him is cinched to become one of the most dominant center in the years to come, with proper training and more experience..
Peja Stojakovic
Serbian Peja Stojakovic is perhaps one of the most deadly clutch shooter in the league. Although he tend to shoot first then pass second, 6’10 Stojakovic is one of the most reliable players of all the teams he played for. Stojakovic finished second in voting for the 2001 Most Improved Player Award. He is voted as NBA All Star player thrice and voted to the All-NBA 2nd Team in the 2003 –2004 season. Stojakovic now plays for the New Orleans Hornets.
Andrei Kirilenko
Dubbed as the "K-49" after the Russian famous gun, Andrei Kirilenko is a defensive-minded player who has both the jumping ability and timing in intercepting or swatting away enemy shots. A defensive gem, this Utah Jazz forward fears no one not even Shaquille Oneal or Tim Duncan. The only chink on his armor, however, is his being prone to injuries. Nevertheless, this defensive sentinel is also a team player who would sacrifice garnering points in exchange for a solid team plays and tough defensive stance, even though this Russian Dynamo is not gifted with heft.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
The stalwart of Cleveland Cavaliers in the shaded lane, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a literal giant. Armed with a complete game Ilgauskas will have his hands full in the coming play-offs as his team the Cleveland is the number one seed NBA this season.
Here are my honorable mentions: Leandro Barbosa, Mehmet Okur, Luis Scola, Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Fabricio Oberto, Nene, Yi Jianlian, Andres Nocioni.