NBA Players from Slovakia: Full List (2026)
1 NBA player has come from Slovakia, by Wikipedia’s count. As of October 2026, none is on an NBA roster. The most recent was Richard Petruška (1993-94).
NBA players from Slovakia at a glance
| NBA players, all time | 1 (Wikipedia count) |
|---|---|
| On NBA rosters, October 2026 | None |
| First to play in the NBA | Richard Petruška (1993) |
| Centers | 1: Richard Petruška |
| 7-foot prospects in our database | None right now |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
Every NBA player from Slovakia
Sorted by NBA debut, earliest first. Status is as of October 2026, before the 2026-27 regular season, so it includes players on training camp deals.
| Player | Position | NBA seasons | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Petruška | Forward/center | 1993-94 | Former player | Born in Czechoslovakia |
Every NBA career from Slovakia, year by year
First to last NBA season for each player. Orange means on an NBA roster in 2026-27.
First seasonLast season
Show the data behind this chart
Player
Position
NBA seasons
Status
Richard Petruška
Forward/center
1993-94
Former player
Players from Slovakia in the NBA in 2026-27
No player from Slovakia is on an NBA roster as of October 2026.
NBA centers from Slovakia
1 of the 1 player in the table played center or forward/center: Richard Petruška (1993-94).
7-Foot Prospects from Slovakia
No active player from Slovakia listed at 7 feet or taller and born in 2001 or later is in our 7-Foot Prospect Database right now (last checked on 9 October 2026). The database tracks nearly 400 young 7-footers from 61 countries, and we add new names as they appear.
Player profiles from our archive
This section was first published in 2024. Teams and career details in it are as of that time; the tables above show where things stand in October 2026.
Slovakia has sent very few players to the NBA. The best known is Richard Petruška.
Richard Petruška
Richard Petruška was born on January 25, 1969, in Levice. He came to the United States for college, playing at Loyola Marymount and then at UCLA, and the Houston Rockets drafted him in the second round in 1993. He played 22 games as a backup big man in 1993-94, the season the Rockets won their first championship, which makes him the first Slovak with an NBA title. He then went back to Europe and had a long career there, mostly in Italy and Spain.
Why so few? Slovakia is a country of about five and a half million people where ice hockey comes first, and its basketball league has never been a regular stop for NBA scouts.
How Slovakia compares with other small basketball countries
NBA players all time: the eight leaders among the 46 countries we compared, and Slovakia.
Show the data behind this chart
Country
NBA players, all time
Nigeria
30
Lithuania
17
Italy
14
Montenegro
10
Bahamas
9
Cameroon
8
Congo
8
Israel
8
Slovakia
1
Frequently asked questions
How many NBA players are from Slovakia?
Wikipedia counts 1.
Which players from Slovakia are in the NBA in 2026-27?
None as of October 2026. The most recent was Richard Petruška (1993-94).
Who was the first NBA player from Slovakia?
Richard Petruška, who debuted in 1993 (born in Czechoslovakia).
Which centers from Slovakia have played in the NBA?
Richard Petruška.
Are there 7-foot prospects from Slovakia?
Not right now. Our 7-Foot Prospect Database has no active player from Slovakia listed at 7 feet or taller and born in 2001 or later.
More guides: NBA players by country. Scouting reports: NBA center prospects.
Sources: Wikipedia, List of NBA players born outside the United States (revision of 3 October 2026); RealGM NBA player list (9 October 2026); Low Key NBA 7-Foot Prospect Database. U.S.-born players with family ties to Slovakia may be missing from the table. Last checked 9 October 2026.
