List of European basketball players in the United States

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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).

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[]

Active in the US[]

Belarus[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Belgium[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

  • D. J. Mbenga – Four NBA teams
    • Mbenga last played outside the US; he was waived by the New York Knicks prior to the 2014–15 season.
  • Kristof Ongenaet – Syracuse Orange
  • Ann Wauters – Four WNBA teams

Bosnia and Herzegovina[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

  • Dzanan Musa - Brooklyn Nets

Former players[]

Bulgaria[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Croatia[]

Active in the US[]

Ante Žižić

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Czech Republic[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Denmark[]

Active in the US[]

  • David Knudsen – Marist Red Foxes

Active outside the US[]

  • David Andersen (dual Australian/Danish citizen by birth) – Three NBA teams
  • Chris Christoffersen – Oregon Ducks, Roanoke Dazzle

Former players[]

Estonia[]

Active in the US[]

Former players[]

Finland[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

France[]

Active in the US[]

  • Alexis Ajinça – Four NBA teams, currently with the New Orleans Pelicans
  • Joël Ayayi – Gonzaga Bulldogs
  • Nicolas Batum – Three NBA teams, currently with the Los Angeles Clippers
  • Evan Fournier – Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics
  • Rudy Gobert – Utah Jazz
  • Sandrine Gruda – Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks
  • Jaylen Hoard - Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Damien Inglis – Milwaukee Bucks
  • Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot – Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets
  • Ian Mahinmi – Four NBA teams, currently with the Washington Wizards
  • Joakim Noah (dual US/French citizen by birth) – Florida Gators, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks
  • Frank Ntilikina – New York Knicks
  • Yves Pons – Tennessee Volunteers
  • Olivier Sarr – Wake Forest Demon Deacons
  • Killian Tillie – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Memphis Grizzlies
  • Théo Maledon – Oklahoma City Thunder

Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Georgia[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

  • Nikoloz Tskitishvili – Four teams, most notably the Denver Nuggets
  • Tornike Shengelia – Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls
  • Duda Sanadze - Graduated from San Diego Toreros in 2016

Former players[]

  • Jake Tsakalidis (dual Georgian/Greek citizen) - Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets
  • Vladimir Stepania - Four NBA teams
  • Zaza Pachulia - 16 seasons in NBA. 2 time NBA champion with Golden State Warriors, currently working for the Warriors as a consultant.

Germany[]

Active in the US[]

  • Isaac Bonga – Toronto Raptors
  • Maxi Kleber – Dallas Mavericks
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – Los Angeles Clippers
  • Satou Sabally (US and Gambian citizen by birth) – Oregon Ducks, Dallas Wings
  • Dennis Schröder – Boston Celtics
  • Daniel Theis – Houston Rockets
  • Franz Wagner – Orlando Magic
  • Moritz Wagner – Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Greece[]

Active in the US[]

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
  • Tyler Dorsey (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Oregon Ducks
  • Kosta Koufos (dual US/Greek citizen by birth) – Ohio State Buckeyes and five NBA teams, currently with the Sacramento Kings
  • Kostas Antetokounmpo – Dayton Flyers, Dallas Mavericks, Texas Legends, Los Angeles Lakers, South Bay Lakers
  • Thanasis Antetokounmpo – Delaware 87ers, Westchester Knicks, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Hungary[]

Active in the US[]

  • Allie Quigley (US/Hungarian dual citizen) – Chicago Sky
    • Quigley played college basketball at DePaul and professionally for four other WNBA teams before acquiring Hungarian citizenship in 2012.
  • Courtney Vandersloot (US/Hungarian dual citizen) – Chicago Sky
    • Vandersloot played college basketball at Gonzaga and professionally for the Sky before acquiring Hungarian citizenship in 2016.

Former players[]

  • Kornél Dávid – Four NBA teams, most notably with the Chicago Bulls
  • Andrea Nagy – FIU Panthers (then Golden Panthers) and three WNBA teams

Iceland[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Ireland[]

Former players[]

  • Pat Burke (dual Irish/US citizen) – Auburn Tigers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns

Israel[]

Active in the US[]

  • Sue Bird (dual US/Israeli citizen) – Seattle Storm
    • Bird, born in the U.S. to a Jewish father, acquired Israeli citizenship in 2006. She represents the U.S. internationally.
  • T. J. Leaf - UCLA Bruins - Indiana Pacers
  • Deni Avdija - Washington Wizards

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Italy[]

Active in the US[]

  • Ryan Arcidiacono (dual US/Italian citizen by birth) – Villanova Wildcats, Chicago Bulls
  • Danilo Gallinari – New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks
  • Nico Mannion (dual Italian/US citizen by birth) – Golden State Warriors
  • Niccoló Melli - Two Nba teams New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks
  • Federico Mussini – St. John's Red Storm
  • Cecilia Zandalasini - Minnesota Lynx

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Latvia[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Lithuania[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Montenegro[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Netherlands[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Norway[]

Active outside the US[]

  • Terrence Oglesby (dual Norwegian/US citizen by birth) – Clemson Tigers
  • Torgrim Sommerfeldt – Manhattan Jaspers

Former players[]

  • Torgeir Bryn – Texas State Bobcats (then Southwest Texas State), Los Angeles Clippers and several minor-league teams

Poland[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Portugal[]

Former players[]

  • Ticha Penicheiro – Old Dominion Lady Monarchs and three WNBA teams, most notably the Sacramento Monarchs

Romania[]

Active in the US[]

  • Sabrina Ionescu (dual US/Romanian citizen by birth) – Oregon Ducks, New York Liberty; has represented the U.S. at youth and senior levels.

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Russia[]

Active in the US[]

  • Timofey Mozgov – New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic (current)
  • Pavel Zakharov – Gonzaga Bulldogs

Active outside the US[]

  • Victor Khryapa – Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls
  • Yaroslav Korolev – Los Angeles Clippers and two D-League teams
  • Fedor Likholitov – VCU Rams
  • Sergei Monia – Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings
  • Ruslan Pateev – Arizona State Sun Devils
  • Pavel Podkolzin – Dallas Mavericks, Fort Worth Flyers
  • Alexey Shved – Three NBA teams
  • Sergey Karasev – Cleveland Cavaliers, Canton Charge, Brooklyn Nets

Former players[]

  • Svetlana Abrosimova – Connecticut Huskies and three WNBA teams
  • Yelena Baranova – Three WNBA teams
  • Sergei Bazarevich – Atlanta Hawks
  • Dmitri Domani – Saint Joseph's Hawks
  • Becky Hammon (dual US/Russian citizen) – San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars
    • Hammon played U.S. college basketball at Colorado State, and also in the WNBA for the New York Liberty, before becoming a Russian citizen in 2008.
  • Andrei Kirilenko (also naturalized in the U.S.) – Four NBA teams, most notably with the Utah Jazz
  • Svetlana Pankratova – VCU Rams
  • Maria Stepanova – Phoenix Mercury
  • Sasha Kaun – Kansas Jayhawks, Cleveland Cavaliers

Serbia[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Slovakia[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Slovenia[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Spain[]

Active in the US[]

  • Maite Cazorla – Oregon Ducks, Atlanta Dream
  • Marc Gasol – Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, currently with the Los Angeles Lakers
  • Pau Gasol – Six NBA teams, currently with the FC Barcelona but most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers
  • Willy Hernangómez – New York Knicks, currently with the Charlotte Hornets
  • Juancho Hernangómez – Denver Nuggets, currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Serge Ibaka (born in the Republic of the Congo) – Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, currently with the Los Angeles Clippers
  • Sancho Lyttle (dual Vincentian/Spanish citizen) – Houston Comets, Atlanta Dream, currently with the Phoenix Mercury
    • Although Lyttle also played U.S. college basketball (at Houston), she was not a Spanish citizen at that time.
  • Astou Ndour (born in Senegal) – San Antonio Stars, Chicago Sky
  • Leticia Romero – Kansas State Wildcats, Florida State Seminoles, Dallas Wings
  • Ricky Rubio – Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

Sweden[]

Active in the US[]

  • Farhiya Abdi (dual Swedish/Somali citizen by birth) – Los Angeles Sparks
  • Jonas Jerebko (dual Swedish/US citizen by birth) – Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors
  • Amanda Zahui B. (dual Swedish/Ivorian citizen by birth) – Minnesota Golden Gophers, Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings, New York Liberty

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

  • Midde Hamrin – Lamar Lady Cardinals
  • Tanja Kostic – Oregon State Beavers and three teams in the ABL and WNBA

Switzerland[]

Active in the US[]

  • Thabo Sefolosha – Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz
  • Clint Capela – Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks

Turkey[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Men
Women

Former players[]

Ukraine[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

  • Slava Medvedenko – Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks
  • Vitaly Potapenko – Wright State Raiders and four NBA teams
  • Alexander Volkov – Atlanta Hawks

United Kingdom[]

Active in the US[]

Active outside the US[]

Former players[]

  • Richard Midgley – California Bears
  • Menelik Watson – Marist Red Foxes Switched sports to football where he transferred to Saddleback College and than to Florida St before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders. He presently plays OT for the Oakland Raiders

References[]

  1. ^ http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sebastian_saiz_861782.html
  2. ^ http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/ilya_tyrtyshnik_1049197.html

Giannis Antetokounmpo

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