List of European basketball players in the United States

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).

Goga Bitadze (left) of Georgia defends Kristaps Porziņģis of Latvia during a 2022 game between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Dallas Mavericks teammates Boban Marjanović (left) of Serbia and Luka Dončić of Slovenia before a 2021 game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland

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

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Belarus

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Belgium

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Bulgaria

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Croatia

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Bojan Bogdanović (left) of the Washington Wizards and Mario Hezonja (right) of the Orlando Magic during a 2017 game

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Cyprus

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Active outside the US

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Czech Republic

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Tomáš Satoranský with the Washington Wizards in 2018

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Denmark

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Estonia

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Finland

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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France

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Evan Fournier with the Orlando Magic in 2019

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Georgia

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Zaza Pachulia with the Golden State Warriors in 2017

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Germany

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Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks in 2009

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Greece

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Hungary

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Active in the US

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Former players

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Iceland

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Ireland

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Active in the US

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Former players

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Israel

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Italy

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Danilo Gallinari with the New York Knicks in 2010

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Kosovo

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Active outside the US

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Latvia

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Dāvis Bertāns with the Washington Wizards in 2019

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Lithuania

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Žydrūnas Ilgauskas with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Montenegro

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Netherlands

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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North Macedonia

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Active in the US

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Former players

Norway

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Poland

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Marcin Gortat with the Washington Wizards in 2014

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Portugal

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Romania

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Russia

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Andrei Kirilenko with the Utah Jazz in 2008

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Serbia

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Nikola Jokić during 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Slovakia

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Slovenia

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Goran Dragić with the Phoenix Suns in 2011

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Spain

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José Calderón with the Detroit Pistons in 2013

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Sweden

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Jonas Jerebko with the Detroit Pistons in 2009

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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Switzerland

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Active in the US

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Former players

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Turkey

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Hedo Türkoğlu with the Orlando Magic in 2008

Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Men
Women

Former players

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Ukraine

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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United Kingdom

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Active in the US

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Active outside the US

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Former players

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Buffalo College Basketball - Preview 2000". ESPN.com. ESPN. November 2, 2000. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Calasan signs with Purdue after Utes coach quits" (PDF). El Paisano. September 28, 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Sebastian Saiz Bio - OLEMISSSPORTS.COM - OLE MISS Official Athletic Site". www.olemisssports.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02.
  4. ^ "Ilya Tyrtyshnik Bio - Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". www.olemisssports.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-12.