A couple of years ago, right before the 2023 World Cup, we delved deep into the history of all the countries ever to qualify for the event and chose the pre-eminent star for each nation. Additionally, we included somewhat notable basketball countries with at least one representative on your beloved HoopsHype international GOATs ranking.
Today, we’re updating that list with a bunch of new names.
From heavyweights like USA and France to minnows like Cape Verde and Montenegro, we cover it all.
As always, we weigh NBA accomplishments far more heavily than FIBA ones when rating players, so prepare for some surprises.
Algeria: Miloud Doubal 🇩🇿
Algeria’s Nadir Hifi, currently shining in the French League, might be on his way to the NBA. However, Algeria’s basketball peak came at the beginning of the century. Their 2001 Afrobasket silver medal paved the way for their sole World Cup appearance in 2002. Point guard Miloud Doubal, who spent much of his career in France, was second in assists that year, trailing only Carlos Arroyo.
Runner-up: Ali Bouziane
Angola: Bruno Fernando 🇦🇴
Angola didn’t have an NBA player until 2019, when Bruno Fernando was drafted in the second round by Atlanta. The 6-foot-10 center ended the drought for the most decorated National Team in African basketball, following the footsteps of legends like Jean-Jacques Conceiçao, Olimpio Cipriano, or Carlos Morais, who signed a training camp deal with Toronto several years ago. The next step for Fernando is to leave a mark on FIBA competitions for his home country.
Runner-up: Carlos Morais
Argentina: Manu Ginobili 🇦🇷
Since NBA players represent Team USA, only one team has been able to win an Olympic gold medal besides the United States. Its leader was Manu Ginobili. The Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champion was the key player for the Argentinians’ Golden Generation miracle in 2004, scoring 29 against the U.S. in the semifinal game. Hard to find a player as successful in both NBA and FIBA competitions.
Accolades: Four NBA titles, two All-NBA 3rd Team selections, two All-Stars, one-time Sixth Man of the Year, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup silver medal, four FIBA Americas medals, one Olympic tournament MVP, one FIBA Americas MVP, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague Finals MVP
International GOAT ranking: No. 11 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni
Australia: Ben Simmons 🇦🇺
From the nation that produced talents like Andrew Gaze, Andrew Bogut, and Patty Mills, Ben Simmons stands out for his peak performance. By now, we can safely assume that the two-way guard who made three consecutive All-Star teams is not coming back to his old form. However, at his best, no Australian player has come close to accomplishing what Simmons did with the Sixers.
Accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team, three All-Stars, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections
International GOAT ranking: No. 31 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Andrew Bogut, Patrick Mills, Joe Ingles, Andrew Gaze
Bahamas: Mychal Thompson 🇧🇸
The first international player ever to go No. 1 in the NBA draft, Nassau-born Mychal Thompson will always be remembered as a key rotation player in the twilight years of the Showtime Lakers. Due to the FIBA rules of his era, Klay’s dad never had the chance to play for his National Team, though.
Accolades: Two NBA titles
International GOAT ranking: No. 37 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Jusuf Nurkic 🇧🇦
Since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1993, Bosnia-Herzegovina has been a regular presence at the Eurobasket despite never getting close to medals. Jusuf Nurkic, though not frequently playing for the National Team, is the most notable Bosnian player. With decent touch around the rim, nice passing and mean screens, he was a starter in Portland for many years.
Accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team
International GOAT ranking: No. 78 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Mirza Teletovic
Brazil: Nenê 🇧🇷
This is going to ruffle some feathers, since we’re picking him over a national sports icon and former top scorer in basketball history, Oscar Schmidt. But we’re going with Nenê here, as no Brazilian player fared better competing against the best of the best. The highest-paid South American player in NBA history (ahead of Manu Ginobili) Nenê had a long 17-year career as a solid center in the league. He was also a key contributor to the Brazilian National Team, though success was limited during his time on the court. He won just one silver medal, at age 19, in the 2001 AmeriCup. (When it comes to FIBA tournaments, Oscar is still clearly Brazil’s GOAT.)
Top accolades: All-Rookie 1st Team, one FIBA Americas silver medal
International GOAT ranking: No. 57 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Oscar Schmidt, Leandro Barbosa, Tiago Splitter
Bulgaria: Sasha Vezenkov 🇧🇬
Sasha Vezenkov was far from a smashing hit during his brief stint in the NBA, but he’s already earned notable accolades in Europe. The Bulgarian power forward clinched the EuroLeague MVP in 2022, EuroLeague Playoffs MVP in 2025, and was the third-highest scorer in EuroBasket 2022, trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lauri Markkanen. The former Kings forward is a beacon of hope for a National Team that hasn’t competed in a major international competition since the 1968 Olympics.
Runner-up: Atanas Golomeev
Cameroon: Joel Embiid 🇨🇲
The one-time MVP never played a FIBA competition with Cameroon, despite his country’s many attempts to secure the services of its most prestigious baller. Embiid ended up playing for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics, winning gold, and followed that up with another injury-ridden season with Philly. No matter what happens next in his career, the 76ers star is already a lock on the African basketball Mount Rushmore as one of the most dominant big men of this era. That’s something he probably didn’t expect when he started playing hoops at age 15 in Yaoundé.
Accolades: One MVP, one All-NBA 1st Team selection, four All-NBA 2nd Team selections, seven All-Stars, four All-Defensive Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
GOAT ranking: No. 77
International GOAT ranking: No. 8 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Pascal Siakam
Canada: Steve Nash 🇨🇦
The most important player so far in Canada’s basketball history (for now) Steve Nash led a relatively weak team to a Top 8 finish in the 2000 Olympics and also won two medals in the AmeriCup. Missing the 2004 Olympics was the last straw for Nash, who then decided to focus on his NBA career. He would go on to win two MVP awards as one of the best point guards ever. His position as Canada’s top player is now being threatened by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Top accolades: Two MVP awards, seven All-NBA selections, eight All-Stars, one FIBA Americas silver medal
GOAT ranking: No. 36
International GOAT ranking: No. 5 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray
Cape Verde: Walter Tavares 🇨🇻
In 2023, Cape Verde became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup, a feat ironically achieved with the help of one of the largest professional players in the world. At 7-foot-3, Walter Tavares has established himself as a star in Europe after brief stints in Atlanta and Cleveland, winning two Euroleagues and a Final Four MVP with Real Madrid.
Runner-up: Betinho Gomes
Central African Republic: Anicet Lavodrama 🇨🇫
In the 1988 Olympics, the Central African Republic, a modest-sized nation, represented Africa after clinching the Afrobasket title the prior year. This event highlighted Anicet Lavodrama, a powerful center drafted three years earlier by the Cavs, who ultimately became a cult figure in the Spanish League. After retiring, he worked as a scout and, during a trip to Africa, discovered a future NBA champion: Serge Ibaka.
Runner-up: Romain Sato
Chile: Rufino Bernedo 🇨🇱
Chilean basketball is having a modest resurgence in recent years, but its heyday came in the 1950s when the National Team earned two World Championship bronze medals and a fifth-place in the 1952 Olympics. The captain and star of Chile during those years was Rufino Bernedo, the leading scorer in the inaugural 1950 World Championship, where he also made the All-Tournament 1st Team as the top small forward.
Runner-up: Sebastian Herrera
China: Yao Ming 🇨🇳
Still the face of Chinese basketball more than two decades after being drafted, Yao Ming is easily the greatest Asian player of all time. Eight-time NBA All-Star, three-time Asian champion, and the top scorer in the 2006 World Cup, his presence in the paint was a force to reckon with in every tournament he played. Unfortunately, his dedication to the Chinese National Team, even while injured, was a big factor in his early retirement.
Accolades: Five All-NBA Team selections, eight All-Stars, three FIBA Asia Cup gold medals, three FIBA Asia Cup MVP awards
International GOAT ranking: No. 16 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Yi Jianlian
Colombia: Jaime Echenique 🇨🇴
Colombia, one of the largest countries in Latin America, has had limited representation in basketball. Their sole World Cup appearance was in 1982, when they qualified as the host but lost every game. The best hope for the National Team is Jaime Echenique, who had a brief NBA stint with Washington in 2021. The 28-year-old center has the size and the talent to be a factor in international competitions.
Runner-up: Alvaro Teheran
Croatia: Drazen Petrovic 🇭🇷
The Mozart of Basketball. You can’t earn a nickname like that without massive talent and creativity, and Drazen Petrovic had both. His brief four-year NBA career was pretty good, but he was at his best in FIBA competition. The shooting guard won three Olympic medals and the 1990 World Cup gold with Yugoslavia next to other future NBA stars like Toni Kukoc and Vlade Divac. At the peak of his game, a car accident took him away from us in 1993 at age 28.
Accolades: One All-NBA 3rd Team selection, two Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, one Eurobasket gold medal, one World Cup MVP award, one Eurobasket MVP award, two Euroleague titles
International GOAT ranking: No. 15 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Bojan Bogdanovic
Cuba: Andres Guibert 🇨🇺
Andrés Guibert 🇨🇺:
✅Solicitó asilo político en los Centroamericanos de Ponce🇵🇷 1993.
✅Fichó por los Minnesota Timberwolves de la NBA🏀🇺🇸, donde debutó a los 25 años.
✅De 1994 a 1995 jugó 22 partidos con Timberwolves.
✅Primer cubano🇨🇺 en #NBA.
CUMPLE TU SUEÑO.💫 pic.twitter.com/s9WYLorIkj
— Deportes Andy Lans (@DeportesAndy) January 31, 2022
The most talented player to come from Cuba in the modern era, Andres Guibert defected to Puerto Rico in 1993 during an international championship and got an NBA contract with the Timberwolves, where he played for two seasons. Despite not sticking around in the league, the shooting guard had a long professional career between Europe and his adoptive homeland, Puerto Rico, before retiring in 2004.
Runner-up: Ruperto Herrera
Czech Republic: Tomas Satoransky 🇨🇿
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech Republic didn’t qualify for a major FIBA tournament again until the 2019 World Cup. There, Tomas Satoransky delivered an impressive 8.5 assists per game, helping his team secure a surprising sixth-place finish… one spot ahead of Team USA. To top it off, Satoransky also led the Czech Republic to the 2020 Olympics, defeating Canada on their home court in the qualifiers. A solid run for the former NBA playmaker.
Runners-up: Jiri Zidek, Jiri Welsch
Dominican Republic: Al Horford 🇩🇴
Al Horford is the highest-paid international player in the NBA, surpassing the likes of Nowitzki, Gasol, and Olajuwon. The Dominican center, still going strong at age 39, has carved out a long career as a dependable all-around big man, earning five All-Star selections. With this National Team, Horford has a bronze medal in the 2011 AmeriCup as his biggest achievement, but for the most part, has prioritized his health over busy summers in recent years.
Accolades: One NBA title, one All-NBA 3rd Team selection, five All-Stars, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection, one FIBA Americas bronze medal
International GOAT ranking: No. 12 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Karl-Anthony Towns
DR of the Congo: Dikembe Mutombo 🇨🇩
During his Hall of Fame career, Dikembe Mutombo never played for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an afterthought even in African basketball. His dedication to the NBA paid off, making him one of the greatest defensive centers. His charisma resonated both on and off the court. Despite his focus on the NBA, he remained deeply connected to his homeland, investing millions from his basketball earnings to improve the living conditions in his war-torn country.
Accolades: Three All-NBA Team selections, eight All-Stars, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, six All-Defensive Team selections
International GOAT ranking: No. 10 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Bismack Biyombo
Republic of Congo: Serge Ibaka 🇨🇬
The son of former basketball players, Serge Ibaka began playing early in his native country before moving to Spain as a teenager to pursue a professional career. His immense potential as a defender led him to the NBA, where he won a championship and earned three selections to the All-Defensive 1st Team. Despite representing the Republic of the Congo in an Under-18 Afrobasket, Ibaka later chose to play for Spain, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics.
Top accolades: One NBA title, three All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic silver medal, one Eurobasket silver medal
International GOAT ranking: No. 43 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Nobel Boungou Colo, Giovan Oniangue
Ecuador: Fortunato Muñoz 🇪🇨
Hola, Bryan! Sí, hay algunas fotos de la revista El Gráfico.
Las primeras dos son del debut del equipo ecuatoriano contra Egipto y la tercera es de Fortunato Muñoz. pic.twitter.com/8YGNcVImTB
— De Faja (@defajacom) November 4, 2020
In the most recent World Cup, Jordan Clarkson ranked as the second-highest scorer. Who was the No. 2 scorer in the first one? That would be Fortunato Muñoz from Ecuador. He guided the small South American nation to its sole World Cup appearance in 1950. Ecuador secured an eighth-place finish, even defeating future FIBA giants Yugoslavia and Spain during the competition. Different times, for sure.
Runner-up: Alfredo Arroyave
Egypt: Alaa Abdelnaby 🇪🇬
“The only way I can make five A’s is when I sign my name.”
~Egyptian basketball legend Alaa Abdelnaby on Duke University’s academic requirements pic.twitter.com/6F1KjZJ0N9
— AGS ➐ (@andysayegh) December 1, 2024
A familiar face for 76ers fans as the color analyst in their local broadcasts, Alaa Abdelnaby spent five years in the NBA in the early 90s. Solid post scorer, but inconsistent, he played the second half of his career in Europe and the CBA before retiring in 2000.
Runner-up: Mohsen Medhat Warda, Abdel Nader
Finland: Lauri Markkanen 🇫🇮
This was an easy choice, as Lauri Markkanen is the only Finnish player to last more than two seasons in the NBA. And he’s not just a regular season but an All-Star caliber one with career averages of 18.2 ppg and 7.1 rpg with 37.1 percent shooting. The 7-0 stretch PF has delivered stellar performances for his National Team, too. In the 2022 Eurobasket, Finland achieved its best ranking since 1967, finishing 7th, largely due to Markkanen’s impressive play.
Accolades: One All-Star, one Most Improved Player award, All-Rookie 1st Team selection
International GOAT ranking: No. 66 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Petteri Koponen, Hanno Mottola
France: Tony Parker 🇫🇷
The first French player ever to enter the Hall of Fame, Tony Parker had a decorated career in both NBA and FIBA basketball. Besides winning four championships with the Spurs, including a Finals MVP award in 2007, he led one of the best generations in French basketball history. France’s only FIBA championship, the 2013 EuroBasket title, came with Parker as the MVP and top scorer of the tournament.
Accolades: Four NBA titles, one Finals MVP, three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, six All-Stars, four Eurobasket medals, one Eurobasket MVP
GOAT ranking: No. 69
International GOAT ranking: No. 7 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Rudy Gobert, Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum
Georgia: Zaza Pachulia 🇬🇪
The very definition of a hard-nosed, defensive big man, Zaza Pachulia had a long career in the NBA despite rarely excelling in scoring. In his 16 years in the league, he won two championships with the Warriors and forged a reputation as a tough player. He played with his National Team for over a decade, helping them qualify for the Eurobasket for the first time in 2011.
Runners-up: Tornike Shengelia
Germany: Dirk Nowitzki 🇩🇪
Arguably the best player to represent a National Team outside of Team USA, Dirk Nowitzki holds the record for the longest NBA career with a single franchise, the Mavericks. He won an NBA championship and an MVP award during his tenure. He often played alongside teammates who were not quite at his level for Germany, but still was able to secure a bronze medal with them at the 2002 World Cup.
Accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, one MVP, 12 All-NBA selections, 14 All-Stars, one World Cup bronze medal, one Eurobasket silver medal
GOAT ranking: No. 19
International GOAT ranking: No. 2 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Detlef Schrempf, Dennis Schroeder
Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo 🇬🇷
When it comes to basketball, it’s nearly impossible to hear “Greek” without thinking of “Freak” right after that. Giannis Antetokounmpo, born to Nigerian immigrants in Athens and raised without citizenship, has risen to become one of the most iconic Greek athletes ever. With a 2021 NBA championship and two MVP awards under his belt, securing a medal for the Greek National Team in a FIBA tournament is perhaps his main unfinished business.
Accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, two MVPs, five All-NBA 1st Team selections, seven All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, four All-Defensive 1st Team selections
GOAT ranking: No. 22
International GOAT ranking: No. 3 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Nikos Galis, Vassilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis
Iran: Hamed Haddadi 🇮🇷
By far the most important player in Iranian basketball history, Hamed Haddadi became the first athlete in his country’s sports history to have his jersey retired. The lumbering center had a decent five-year run in the NBA, mostly with Memphis, before becoming one of the stars in the Chinese Basketball Association. With five MVP awards, one more than Yao Ming, he’s also the most decorated player in FIBA Asia championships. In terms of production and career longevity, he merits consideration in any Asian GOAT debate.
Runner-up: Samad Nikkhah Bahrami
Israel: Omri Casspi 🇮🇱
Omri Casspi would win the longevity argument here, but we’re going with up-and-coming Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija because he’s already reached a level in the NBA that Casspi could never touch… and that’s before entering his prime years. A massive point forward at 6-foot-9, Avdija has also become a threat from beyond the arc, which makes his upside even greater.
Runner-up: Omri Casspi, Miki Berkovich
Italy: Danilo Gallinari 🇮🇹
The Italian National Team last clinched a medal at the 2004 Olympics. Interestingly, the best era for Italian players in the NBA followed this achievement. Among them, Danilo Gallinari was the most consistent since joining the Knicks in 2008, averaging 14.9 points over his 14 seasons in the Association. Playing for Italy, his biggest accomplishment was finishing fifth at the 2020 Olympics.
Accolades: One Euroleague Rising Star award, one Italian League MVP
International GOAT ranking: No. 40 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Dino Meneghin, Marco Belinelli
Ivory Coast: Pape-Philippe Amagou 🇨🇮
Joyeux Anniversaire à notre champion de France 2008, Pape Philippe AMAGOU, qui fête aujourd’hui ses 36 ans ! 🎂🎁
Quel est votre plus beau souvenir de Pape sous le maillot du SLUC ? 😍#GoSLUC pic.twitter.com/q8LPsA5Ttb
— SLUC Nancy Basket (@SLUCbasketNancy) February 27, 2021
The Ivory Coast has seen American-born, naturalized players with NBA experience, like Matt Costello and Alex Poythress. However, Pape-Philippe Amagou stands out as the most impactful for the National Team. The now-retired point guard led the Elephants to a silver medal in the 2009 Afrobasket and won four French LNB championships during his pro career.
Runner-up: Herve Lamizana
Japan: Rui Hachimura 🇯🇵
For the first time since the 1970s, Japan is a fixture in FIBA’s top competitions. A major reason is the rise of Rui Hachimura. Since arriving in the United States in 2016 to play for Gonzaga, Hachimura has earned All-American honors in the NCAA and established himself as an NBA starter with the Lakers, helping to rekindle basketball’s popularity in Japan.
Runner-up: Yuta Watanabe
Jordan: Sam Daghles 🇯🇴
Besides being a G League coach and (briefly) a HoopsHype blogger, Sam Daghles was the leader on the court for the best Jordanian team of all time, earning consecutive medals in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2009 and 2011. A skilled playmaker, he finished fourth in assists in the 2010 World Cup, only behind three future NBA players like Pablo Prigioni, Marcelo Huertas, and Milos Teodosic.
Runner-up: Zaid Abbas
Latvia: Kristaps Porzingis 🇱🇻
Injuries have hindered Kristaps Porzingis since his All-Star recognition in 2018, yet he remains the pride of Latvia from his professional beginnings in Spain. In the 2017 Eurobasket, he finished as the third-best scorer to lead the small Baltic country to the quarter-finals. Porzingis is expected to play for the National Team again this summer at the European championship.
Accolades: One NBA title, one All-Star
International GOAT ranking: No. 42 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Gundars Vetra
Lebanon: Fadi El Khatib 🇱🇧
The godfather of Lebanese basketball, Fadi El Khatib is a living legend in a country that loves hoops. A natural-born scorer at the wing position, he led Lebanon to win three silver medals in the FIBA Asia Championship at the start of the century and averaged 17.6 points in the 2002 World Championship. He retired in 2020 at age 41, but his influence is still notable for a program that returned to the main international stage at the 2023 World Cup.
Runners-up: Wael Arakji
Lithuania: Arvydas Sabonis 🇱🇹
A massive player in every sense of the word. The 7-foot-3 center built his legacy early in his career with standout performances in FIBA competitions, including winning a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics with the Soviet Union. After Lithuania gained its independence, he became the most recognizable citizen of the Baltic nation, leading it to two consecutive Olympic bronze medals.
Accolades: One Olympic gold medal, one World Cup gold medal, four Eurobasket medals, one Eurobasket MVP award, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award
International GOAT ranking: No. 18 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Domantas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis
Malaysia: Tan Kim Chin 🇲🇾
From Drazen Petrovic to Stephen Curry, the FIBA World Cup has seen some legendary shooters, but the most impressive display in a game may have come from an unknown Malaysian wing. In 1986, Tan Kim Chin shot 8-for-8 from downtown against Argentina, helping him finish the tournament Top 10 in scoring. Malaysia didn’t get to win a single game, but Tan Kim Chin will always have a place in the history of the tournament.
Runner-up: Li Wei Chee
Mexico: Gustavo Ayon 🇲🇽
Mexico was a legit force in basketball in the Americas until the mid-70s, then faded from major FIBA events. It all changed in the past decade, largely due to a new generation led by Gustavo Ayon. Beyond his brief NBA stint and a commendable European career, the Titan from Nayarit shone as the star and MVP when the Mexican National Team clinched gold at the 2013 AmeriCup.
Runner-up: Eduardo Najera, Manuel Raga
Montenegro: Nikola Vucevic 🇲🇪
In 2019, Montenegro became the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup, a record that Cape Verde eventually broke. The star for the Balkan nation over recent international tournaments, and the only NBA All-Star in its history, is Nikola Vucevic, making him the clear-cut choice as the best player in the country’s history. Montenegro went 3-2 in the 2023 World Cup, earning qualification to the second round. Vucevic averaged 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds to lead the way for Montenegro in the event.
Accolades: Two All-Stars
International GOAT ranking: No. 24 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Nikola Pekovic
Netherlands: Rik Smits 🇳🇱
Rik Smits represented his National Team in just one World Championship, where he averaged 17.4 points during the 1986 tournament as a college player. The Dunking Dutchman is easily the first name that comes to mind when discussing basketball in the Netherlands, though. The 7-foot-4 center spent 12 years in the NBA, always with Indiana, earning an All-Star selection and facing a prime Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 Finals to end his career.
Top accolades: One All-Star
International GOAT ranking: No. 29 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Swen Nater
New Zealand: Steven Adams 🇳🇿
Steven Adams is the most recognizable basketball player from New Zealand, yet he hasn’t participated in a major tournament for the Tall Blacks. While his older sister, Valerie, a two-time Olympic shot-put champion, has prominently represented their country in international competitions, Adams has made a significant impact in the NBA. A starting center since his second season in the league, the Kiwi center remains one of the strongest big men in the basketball world.
Accolades: All-Rookie 2nd Team
International GOAT ranking: No. 52 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Kirk Penney
Nigeria: Hakeem Olajuwon 🇳🇬
Since allowing NBA pros to join their National Teams, USA Basketball has included only one naturalized player in major tournaments: Hakeem Olajuwon. Born in Nigeria, this legendary center became an American citizen in 1993 and clinched gold for Team USA in 1996. Despite his achievements with the U.S., Olajuwon’s Nigerian roots remain strong. He is still celebrated as the greatest African-born basketball player, even more than two decades after his retirement.
Accolades: Two NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
GOAT ranking: No. 11
International GOAT ranking: No. 1 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Ike Diogu
Panama: Rolando Blackman 🇵🇦
The No. 2 scorer in Mavericks history, Rolando Blackman left Panama at age eight and never represented his national team at a time when NBA players were banned from FIBA competitions. Almost 30 years after his retirement, the versatile swingman is still the NBA’s top scorer among Latin American players, ahead of Manu Ginobili and Al Horford.
Accolades: Four All-Stars
International GOAT ranking: No. 23 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Rolando Frazer
Paraguay: Javier Martinez 🇵🇾
Always in the shadow of neighboring giants Argentina and Brazil, the Paraguayan National Team hasn’t played in a major FIBA competition since 1967. But the South American country became quite competitive for a while thanks to Javier Martinez. A solid scorer and playmaker, he led Paraguay to a couple of Top 10 AmeriCup finishes and had a stellar career in Argentina before retiring in 2019.
Runner-up: Bruno Zanotti
Peru: Ricardo Duarte 🇵🇪
Nowadays, Peru is not exactly known as a basketball powerhouse, but the South American country had a solid National Team until the 1960s. The soul of Peruvian basketball during its golden years was Ricardo Duarte, a 6-foot-8 center who played internationally for 20 years. He was also the top scorer in the 1964 Olympic Games, ahead of future NBA players like Bill Bradley and Lucious Jackson.
Runners-up: Raul Duarte
Philippines: Jordan Clarkson 🇵🇭
There may not be any country that loves hoops more than the Philippines. Yet, no Filipino-born player has made it to the NBA. However, they scored a big commitment from Jordan Clarkson to play for the National Team. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, who has Filipino heritage from his mother’s side, was the standout name for the Philippines in the 2023 World Cup, where he averaged 26.0 points on 21.4 attempts per game. Safe to say he had green light to shoot.
Runner-up: Alvin Patrimonio
Poland: Marcin Gortat 🇵🇱
Marcin Gortat, known as The Polish Hammer, remained true to his roots throughout his career. After 12 years in the NBA, he retired in 2019, having ignited a resurgence in the Polish National Team. Under his influence, they secured a 9th-place finish as hosts of the 2009 Eurobasket. Since then, Poland hasn’t missed a single continental competition and even qualified for the 2019 World Cup, their first in over 50 years.
Accolades: One German League title, three German Cup titles
International GOAT ranking: No. 68 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Mieczyslaw Lopatka, Jeremy Sochan
Puerto Rico: Jose Juan Barea 🇵🇷
Not the first NBA champion coming from Puerto Rico (that was Butch Lee) or the first one to globally impact FIBA basketball (that would be Piculin Ortiz), but Jose Juan Barea offers the best combination of both worlds. The former Mavericks guard enjoyed a long career in the NBA while earning plenty of hardware with the National Team, including a silver medal in the 2013 AmeriCup and finishing as the top scorer in the 2014 World Cup.
Accolades: One NBA title, two FIBA Americas medals, three Centrobasket gold medals, two Centrobasket MVP awards
International GOAT ranking: No. 72 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Carlos Arroyo, Piculin Ortiz
Qatar: Abdulrahman Saad 🇶🇦
Qatar is set to host the 2027 FIBA World Cup. While their selection might remind some of the 2022 World Cup hosting controversy, in basketball, they’ve at least had some exposure to high-level competition. They secured a spot in the 2006 World Championship after winning back-to-back bronze medals in the FIBA Asia Championship. Although their World Championship run was brutal, going 0-5, Abdulrahman Saad had some bright spots, including a 20-point performance against Lithuania.
Runner-up: Ali Turki
Russia: Andrei Kirilenko 🇷🇺
Now the president of the Russian Basketball Federation, Andrei Kirilenko is easily the best Russian player ever in the NBA, where he was an All-Star once. With Russia, AK-47 was also the leader during its most successful post-Soviet years, winning the 2007 EuroBasket and the bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.
Accolades: One All-Star, three All-Defensive Team selections, one Olympic bronze medal, one Eurobasket, gold medal, one Eurobasket MVP award, one Euroleague MVP award
International GOAT ranking: No. 26 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Sergei Belov
Senegal: Gorgui Dieng 🇸🇳
Throughout his 10 years in the NBA, Gorgui Dieng became the most recognizable player from Senegal. Besides a vacated NCAA championship with Louisville, the big man’s biggest success came with the National Team, winning two bronze medals in the Afrobasket and playing with Senegal in the 2014 World Cup. In Spain, Dieng ranked third in rebounds and played an impressive 36.3 minutes per game, the highest in the tournament.
Runner-up: Boniface N’Dong
Serbia: Nikola Jokic 🇷🇸
Few countries can match Serbia’s basketball talent per capita, and the greatest player to emerge from this Balkan nation remains at his peak. With three NBA MVP awards, one championship ring, a place among the greatest big men in history, and countless other accolades, he’s an easy choice for this distinction. At this stage of his illustrious career, the final missing piece from his résumé is a FIBA title with Serbia, and he still has the time and the will to make it happen.
Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, three MVP awards, five All-NBA 1st Team selections, seven All-Stars, and one Olympic silver medal.
GOAT ranking: No. 23
International GOAT ranking: No. 4 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Predrag Stojakovic, Vlade Divac, Dejan Bodiroga
Slovenia: Luka Doncic 🇸🇮
Luka Doncic, poised to be the face of Slovenian basketball for years, has mirrored his NBA trajectory in FIBA play. He had an explosive introduction in 2017, winning the Eurobasket at age 18 next to MVP Goran Dragic, and continues to put up amazing numbers for his country to this day. Leading the small country of Slovenia to fourth place in the 2020 Olympics is as commendable as his All-NBA nods.
Accolades: Five All-NBA 1st Team selections, five All-Stars, one Eurobasket gold medal, one Euroleague title, one Euroleague MVP award, one Euroleague Final Four MVP award
GOAT ranking: No. 72
International GOAT ranking: No. 9 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Goran Dragic
South Korea: Ha Seung-Jin 🇰🇷
One of the tallest players in NBA history at 7-foot-3, Ha Seung-Jin became the first and, so far, only Korean player in the league after the Blazers selected him in the 2004 draft. Despite his size, he never had a fighting chance in the league before returning to South Korea three years later. As a consolation, the big man won two national championships and became a staple for the National Team for years, earning a bronze medal in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.
Runner-up: Yang Dong-Geun
South Sudan: Luol Deng 🇸🇸
One of the best African players in the NBA, Luol Deng never had the opportunity to play for his war-torn nation. Instead, he represented his adopted country, Great Britain, in FIBA competitions. Still, the former All-Star has significantly supported South Sudan, helping spotlight the landlocked nation in basketball. He’s done this first as a head coach and now as the federation president.
Accolades: Two All-Stars, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection
International GOAT ranking: No. 32 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Manute Bol, Kenny Kuany
Spain: Pau Gasol 🇪🇸
Pau Gasol turned a sporadically successful National Team into a global powerhouse. The two-time NBA champion led his country to win the 2006 World Cup, several Eurobasket golds, and three consecutive Olympic medals, making the Spanish National Team the most decorated non-Team USA program of the 21st century. Even without his great NBA career, Gasol would have been a legit Hall of Famer just for his FIBA accomplishments.
Accolades: Two NBA titles, four All-NBA selections, six All-Stars, three Olympic medals, one World Cup gold medal, seven Eurobasket medals, one World Cup MVP award, two Eurobasket MVP awards
GOAT ranking: No. 58
International GOAT ranking: No. 6 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Jose Manuel Calderon
Switzerland: Clint Capela 🇨🇭
France, Germany, and Italy have all won EuroBaskets, while the country that borders all three, Switzerland, hasn’t qualified since 1955. Despite the irrelevance of Swiss basketball, several players have made an impact in the NBA in recent years, a trend that continues with Clint Capela. A double-double machine since his breakout with the Rockets, he remains a force in the paint after 11 years in the league.
Accolades: One-time rebounding champion
International GOAT ranking: No. 53 (as of 2024)
Runner-up: Thabo Sefolosha
Taiwan: Chen Tsu-Li 🇹🇼
Taiwan had one of the most powerful Asian national teams in the 1950s, even earning a spot in the 1956 Olympics. Its star was Chen Tsu-Li, who led the country to a surprising fourth-place finish in the 1959 World Cup while also finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer. To be fair, it also helped that the Soviet Union and Bulgaria forfeited their games against the Taiwanese squad for political reasons.
Runner-up: Lin Chih-Chieh
Tunisia: Salah Mejri 🇹🇳
The first and so far only Tunisian player in NBA history, Salah Mejri was a staple during the most successful era of the North African National Team. The towering 7-foot-2 center led Tunisia to three gold Afrobasket medals, besides winning a Euroleague with Real Madrid before moving to the Mavericks.
Runner-up: Macram Ben Romdhane
Turkey: Hidayet Turkoglu 🇹🇷
Still one of the faces of Turkish basketball as president of the national federation, Hidayet Turkoglu had a long career in the NBA, where he won the Most Improved Player Award in 2008. He guided Turkey to silver medals in the 2001 Eurobasket and the 2010 World Cup. In the latter tournament, hosted by Turkey, Turkoglu earned All-Tournament Team honors, falling to Team USA in the final.
Accolades: One Most Improved Player award, one World Cup silver medal, one Eurobasket silver medal
International GOAT ranking: No. 45 (as of 2024)
Runners-up: Mehmet Okur, Alperen Sengun, Ersan Ilyasova, Enes Kanter Freedom
Ukraine: Alexander Volkov
OTD 1989 : For the first time in NBA history, two players from the Soviet Union met on the court — Atlanta’s Alexander Volkov and Golden State’s Sarunas Marciulionis, who were teammates on the Soviet team that won the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. #NBAHistory pic.twitter.com/YUnk3c0DSL
— Yvan Montgury, The Gravedigger (@YvanMontgury) November 18, 2024
A skilled all-around player at 6-foot-10, Alexander Volkov was one of the Euro pioneers who gave the NBA a try in the late 80s and early 90s playing a couple of seasons (mostly in a reserve role) for the Atlanta Hawks. With the Soviet Union, he medaled every year between 1985 and 1990 with the highlight being winning gold at the 1988 Olympics as one of the key players on a stacked team. Like a bunch of the players on this list, Volkov also became president of his country’s basketball federation eventually.
Runner-up: Vitaly Potapenko
United States: LeBron James 🇺🇸
Taking the title from Michael Jordan, we have dubbed LeBron James the best player in American history. James has four MVP awards under his belt, four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs and three Olympic gold medals. James has not only enjoyed a ridiculous peak, but his peak is also seemingly going to be never-ending, as he remains an All-NBA-level player even in his 40s. James even won Olympic Tournament MVP at the most recent Games, showing that his greatness does not appear to be subsiding, no matter the setting. James owns various ridiculous records, including most 1st Team All-NBAs (13) and most All-NBA Teams (21).
Top accolades: Four NBA titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, 13 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 21 All-Stars, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one NBA Cup, one NBA Cup MVP, three Olympic gold medals, one Olympic MVP
GOAT ranking: No. 1
Runners-up: Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Uruguay: Esteban Batista 🇺🇾
Uruguay hasn’t qualified for a major FIBA tournament since 1986, but its basketball was well-represented by Esteban Batista for two decades. The hard-nosed center played from 2005 to 2007 for Atlanta, retiring a couple of years ago after a strong career in European and South American basketball. As of today, he’s the only Uruguayan ever to make it to the NBA.
Runner-up: Jayson Granger
Venezuela: Carl Herrera 🇻🇪
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Carl Herrera became a legend in Venezuela, where he grew up. A strong athletic forward, he became the first Venezuelan to play in the NBA, winning two titles in Houston as a rotation player for the Rockets. Herrera also took his country to its first World Cup and Olympics in the early 90s, cementing its status as one of the top teams in the Americas. A true basketball lifer, he stayed active until 2008, retiring at age 41.
Runner-up: Greivis Vazquez