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The NBA has been very open to foreign players, especially those coming out of European nations. Some of the greatest in the game like Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginobili, Toni Kukoc and Tony Parker are all European players. These legends first proved their abilities in their domestic leagues and then made their way into the NBA.
Even today, some of the best players in the league come out of Europe. Their ability has taken the league by storm and has created a big market for fellow Europeans.
The best European players going into the 2021-22 NBA season
Earlier, an NBA prospect from European nations was never taken seriously. However, the stellar performances of European legends like Nowitzki and Pau Gasol have brought in a change in this notion.
One of the top European players in the game currently, Giannis Antetokounmpo hails from Greece. His domination in the Playoffs helped the Milwaukee Bucks win their first NBA Championship in almost 50 years.
There are several other big names that can be added to the elite list of European players. In this article, we bring 10 of the best European players currently active in the league.
#10 Jonas Valanciunas
Memphis Grizzlies v Utah Jazz - Game Five
Jonas Valanciunas was drafted 5th overall by the Toronto Raptors. He came into the league after a stunning spell in his home country of Lithuania.
The big man recorded a double-double in his very first game as he scored 12 points and recorded 10 rebounds to become the first Raptors rookie to bag a double-double on debut since Damon Stoudamire [1995].
The Lithuanian bagged the MVP in the 2013 Summer League, which made him the first non-American to achieve this feat. He had a stellar seven-year run with the Raptors, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for Marc Gasol in 2019.
He has been stunning for them, as his presence in the paint has helped the team's offense massively. He averaged 17.1 PPG for the Grizzlies in the regular season.
He is yet to be an All-Star or be selected into the All-NBA team, but if the Lithuanian continues his brilliance with Memphis, he can definitely ascend to his true potential.
# 9 Bojan Bogdanovic
Bojan Bogdanovic made his way into the NBA after several runs at big European clubs. He was picked 31st overall by the Miami Heat in 2011, but was later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves followed by the New Jersey Nets on draft night.
He served as a starter with the Nets, but later fell out of favor with the team. Bogdanovic's career peaked when the player moved to the Utah Jazz in 2019. He was a pivotal part of a young team that had players like Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. In his debut season with the Jazz, he averaged 20.2 PPG and helped them get to the Playoffs.
He repeated his brilliance in the 2020-21 season as he averaged 17.0 PPG, while also recording a career high of 48 points in the game against the Denver Nuggets. Bogdanovic was sensational in the playoffs as he shot brilliantly for the Jazz from beyond the arc.
He will look to continue his great run with the Jazz next year and help the team further advance in the Playoffs.
# 8 Clint Capela
Clint Capela was drafted 25th overall in 2014 by the Houston Rockets. He has since been one of the best rebounders in the league. Capela is also one of the best shot blockers in the NBA.
In the 2017-18 season, the Swiss international averaged 1.9 blocks. He bettered that by averaging 2.0 blocks in the 2020-21 season with the Hawks.
In his first season at Atlanta, Capela massively helped the team's defense as he averaged 14.3 RPG. His defensive rebounding average for the season was 9.6. Capela's dominance this season helped him become the NBA Rebounding Leader of the Year.
However, the ceiling is high for him and he will be looking to impact the team in a better way in the coming years.
#7 Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis was drafted 4th overall by the New York Knicks in 2015. He had some terrific performances for them, including a 40 point performance against the Indiana Pacers in the 2017-18 season.
An ACL injury derailed his career, as he would be ruled out of action for a while, after which he never returned to the Knicks.
Porzingis signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2019. He was set to be paired up with fellow European prodigy Luka Doncic. In his first full season with the Mavs, he averaged 20.4 PPG. He impressed in their playoff runs as well, but Luka Doncic's injury was too heavy to handle as they fell to the Clippers in the second round.
Although he had a poor playoff performance this year, there is no doubting his potential. His ability to shoot the ball so effectively, despite being 7 foot 3 makes him a special talent.
# 6 Nikola Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic was drafted 16th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011. However, his career peaked when he moved to the Orlando Magic the following season. The center made a name for himself as one of the stars in the league after some sensational performances with Magic.
He was first named an all-star in 2019. That year, Montenegrin averaged 20.8 PPG and became the first Magic player since Dwight Howard to be an All-Star. His move to the Chicago Bulls will further help elevate his career, as he gets to play alongside other stars of the game like Lonzo Ball, Demar DeRozan and Zach Lavine.
#5 Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 2016, but was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night. He played in 81 games for the Thunder and averaged 20.1 minutes in his first season. However, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers along with Victor Oladipo for Paul George.
Sabonis' career has grown massively since then. He became one of the stars to be reckoned with and bagged two consecutive All-Star appearances in 2020 and 2021. The Lithuanian is a double-double machine and will look to continue his exploits this season to help the Pacers into the Playoffs.
# 4 Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert was drafted 27th overall by the Denver Nuggets, but was later traded to Utah Jazz on draft night. He has since then become one of the best defensive players in the league. The French international has three Defensive Player of the Year trophies to his name.
He is one of the best shot blockers in the league and his brilliance in the paint has helped him get into 5 NBA All- defensive first teams. Gobert has been very impactful for the Jazz and his stellar performance helped them become the Number 1 seed in the Western Conference last season.
Still aged 29, Gobert has a long way to go. He will be hoping to elevate his game and take the Utah Jazz closer to the NBA Championship this year.
#3 Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic was selected 41st overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2014. He has since become one of the best passing big men in the league. The Serbian had a career year in the 2020-21 season. He featured in all the games for the Nuggets and was also successful in becoming the MVP.
Jokic is a three-time All-Star and also has two first NBA team selections to his name. The Serbian has elevated his game to the next level. However, he will be hoping to continue his brilliance with the Nuggets and lead them to their first championship in franchise history.
# 2 Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic was selected third overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2018, however he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in what has now proven to be one of the most beneficial trades for both teams. The Serbian has grown into being a superstar and is expected to be the face of the league in the coming years.
Doncic has won all the top laurels in Europe and is also growing to be a special talent in the NBA. In just three years into the league, Luka has two All-Star appearances and two first-team selections. He has also sparkled his magic in the playoffs, averaging 35.7 PPG for the Mavs in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Serbian has become a crowd favorite in the NBA. He is expected to become the league MVP in the coming years and eventually an NBA Champion.
He recently signed a multi-year extension with the Mavs and if they are able to build a good team around him, there is no doubt that the Serbian will help the franchise get to their second championship.
# 1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013. He had a slow start to his career, but his dedication to becoming one of the best in the league helped elevate his game. In a matter of a few years, Giannis began tormenting the defenses of rival teams.
He made the paint his own and helped the Bucks get their foot back in the league. Having achieved MVP status twice, and quite possibly every other laurel available, the Greek Freak had his eyes set on the biggest prize of them all.
Giannis defied the odds and made his way to the Championships by helping the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the NBA Finals. His brilliance there helped him become the Finals MVP.
The Greek international is still aged only 26 and already has all the top accolades available in basketball. However, Giannis is not going to stop at this, he will be looking to add more championships and cement his place as one of the greatest European Players in the NBA.
