Over the last few decades, great emphasis has been placed on finding and developing NBA-grade talent across the globe, with Hall of Famers like Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon and Pau Gasol being a few of the players to represent that hardwood renaissance. With that in mind, the team at Rotowire broke down which international NBA players have stood tallest in the league since the dawn of the 21st century, with three current and two retired stars making the list.
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Tony Parker (2001-2018)
When you think of the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty that dawned in 1999 and ran through 2014, one of the names that likely comes to mind is Tony Parker. That's because the 6'2 guard from Belgium was a bona fide stud in the backcourt for Gregg Popovich and company, racking up 111.3 win shares in 1,254 games after getting picked 28th overall in 2001. In total, Parker wrapped up his NBA career with an average of 15.5 points, 5.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game on 49.1% shooting, serving as the backbone of San Antonio's awe-inspiring lineup that brought home four Larry O'Brien trophies between 2003 and 2014.
Luka Doncic (2018-Present)
After going third overall in the 2018 draft, Doncic has made it his mission to exact a pound of flesh from the league at large, with 57.1 win shares in 450 career games with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. The five-time All-Star guard brought home the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year award while making five All-NBA teams to date. For his efforts on the court, the Slovenian star earns the starting two-guard spot on our All-Europe team, anchoring the backcourt alongside Parker and providing bountiful scoring to this hypothetical collective, with a career-to-date average of 28.6 points per game through six seasons as a pro.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (2013-Present)
The man known as 'The Greek Freak' has torn NBA defenses asunder since entering the league 12 years ago, with nine All-Star Game appearances and two NBA MVPs on his mantle so far through 859 games in the league. The 30-year-old Greek native can play all five positions, though we'll put him down as a small forward on the All-Europe roster, with the 6'11 star averaging 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, with 120.8 win shares and a PER of 25.8 through his professional career so far. With nine All-NBA team appearances and an NBA championship and NBA Finals MVP award to go with everything else, it's fair to say that Antetokounmpo's done it all in his 12-year run in the 'States, with this mention being the latest in a long line of honors for the Greek superstar.
Dirk Nowitzki (2000-2019)
When it comes to European NBA players, few paved the way like Nowitzki, who was a 14-time All-Star and NBA MVP during his 1,522-game run with the Dallas Mavericks over 21 years in the league. Dirk managed to average 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during that time, racking up 206.3 win shares and a Player Efficiency Rating of 22.4 while serving as the inspiration to hosts of young basketball players across the globe. For his contributions to the game and high level of play from his first game in 1999 through his age-40 season in 2019, Nowitzki earns a spot on our All-European team, anchoring the four position on a five-man tour de force of a roster.
Nikola Jokic (2015-Present)
The fifth and final member of our All-European team managed to rise to his current status in the league despite being drafted during a TV commercial break in 2014, when he went 41st overall to Denver out of his homeland of Serbia. Since coming to the NBA a decade ago, Jokic has managed to pull down 128.0 win shares and a PER of 28.5 in 745 games with the Nuggets, making seven All-Star teams and winning the franchise's first NBA title in 2023. In his time with the Nuggets, Jokic has averaged 21.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists, with the 30-year-old averaging a triple-double last season (with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game in 70 games played). That type of talent is part of the reason why Jokic already has three MVP awards and an NBA Finals MVP on his mantle, ultimately earning him the center roster spot on our All-European roster, alongside some of the NBA's biggest names.
