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Low Key NBA

NBA Players by Country

NBA players by country, past and present. Each guide lists the players a nation has sent to the NBA and points to the 7-foot centers and prospects who could be next. There are 48 guides so far.

Jump to all country guides and the FAQ

How the NBA country guides work

In recent seasons roughly one NBA player in four has come from outside the United States, and international basketball has given the league many of its best centers, from Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria to Nikola Jokic of Serbia and Victor Wembanyama of France. These guides follow that story one country at a time, from basketball powers to nations that have sent a single player to the league.

Each guide ends with a note on that country's current 7-foot prospects, taken from our database. To compare nations directly, open the 7-foot prospect database and filter by country.

All NBA country guides

NBA players by country: questions and answers

Which country has the most NBA players outside the United States?

Canada. It has sent more players to the NBA than any country other than the United States, and it has led the list of international players on opening-night rosters for years. France and Australia usually follow.

How many NBA players are international?

In recent seasons more than 120 players on opening-night rosters, roughly a quarter of the league, were born outside the United States. They came from about 40 countries.

Which countries have the most 7-foot prospects?

In our database of active 7-footers born in 2001 or later, the leading countries are United States (127), Australia (16), Germany (16), Senegal (15), South Sudan (14). These counts leave out established NBA players. Filter the database by country to see every name.

Which countries have produced the best NBA centers?

There is no single answer, but a few stand out: Nigeria (Hakeem Olajuwon), Serbia (Nikola Jokic), Cameroon (Joel Embiid), France (Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama), China (Yao Ming), Lithuania (Arvydas Sabonis) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Dikembe Mutombo).

Is there a guide for every country?

Not yet. We have 48 guides so far. If a country is missing, search the 7-foot prospect database by country to see its current prospects.