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    • The 10 Best Foreign Players Ever to Play in NBA

    by admin in NBA | Comments Off on The 10 Best Foreign Players Ever to Play in NBA

    If you take a look at the rosters of all the teams in the NBA you will surprise to see that how many foreign players are playing in the league today. A few decades back, the situation was not like that. Only small numbers of international players were the part of the league.  But now heaps of overseas players are drafted each year and selected by the franchises in NBA. Some of them have added a lot of value to their team and the league as well. The following are some of the great foreign players who made a huge impact in NBA.

     1) Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

    For me, Hakeem Olajuwon is the best ever foreign player to play in NBA. Simply because of his many individual records and for his Individual brilliance which made a huge impact on his team Houston Rockets with whom he spent most of his career. He secured 2 consecutive championships for the team in 1994 and 1995 and earned NBA Most Valuable Player and NBA finals MVP awards, both in same year, in 1994. He is the all time leader in blocks with 3,830 and is ranked ninth in NBA career scoring. He is placed 11th in career rebounds and third in blocks per game.

    2) Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)

    Over the years, Dirk has been a consistent player for the Dallas Mavericks. He insured 12 straight NBA playoff appearances for his team from 2001 to 2012 and eventually led the Mavericks in winning their first NBA championship in 2011; he also won the NBA finals MVP award in that year.

     3) Patrick Erwing (Jamaica)

    Though he never won a championship in his career but still he is regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He was named as one of 50 greatest basketball players of all-time and also inducted into the basketball hall of fame. He is placed at 16 spot in all-time NBA scoring leaders.

    4) Tony Parker (France)

    Tony Parker helped Spurs in winning three NBA championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 and claimed NBA Finals MVP award for his performance in 2007 NBA finals. His speed and agility at point guard position makes him a valuable asset for Spurs.

    5) Pau Gasol (Spain)

    Pau Gasol was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2001 but he started his professional career with Memphis Grizzlies and won NBA Rookie of the Year award. After playing seven seasons with Grizzlies, he joined Los Angeles Lakers and was a part of the Lakers team in 2009 and 2010 championships.

     6) Steve Nash (Canada)

    Steve Nash currently plays for phoenix suns in NBA. There are no championships yet to his name but his contributions makes him a great player of the NBA history. He won back to back two NBA most valuable player awards in 2005 and 2006 and has been a part of NBA All- Star on 8 occasions.

    7) Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

    Manu Ginobili was playing professional basketball since 1995  but he started his NBA career in 2002 with San Antonio Spurs. His performances at playoffs helped the spurs in winning three NBA titles (2003, 2005, and 2007).

    8) Toni kukoc (Croatia)         

    Toni Kukic was such a versatile player who could play multiple positions on the court with high level of efficiency. He was the part of Chicago Bulls of that time when players like Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen were playing for the team. He contributed to Chicago Bulls during their three championship seasons in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

     9) Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of Congo)

    Dikembe Mutombo played with multiple teams throughout his career. He was recognized as one of best shot blockers and defensive players of all-time. He won NBA Defensive Player of the year award on four occasions and was selected for NBA All-Star 8- times in his career.

     10) Yao Ming (China)

    Not perhaps his statistics but his overall presence made a huge impact in NBA. He was a popular figure among the fans of basketball. He got some skills and talent as well but various injuries halted his professional career and forced him to an early exit from NBA.




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