NBA Players from the U.S. Virgin Islands: Full List (2026)
4 NBA players have come from the U.S. Virgin Islands, counting players born there and players listed with its nationality. As of October 2026, 1 is on an NBA roster: Nicolas Claxton (Chicago Bulls).
NBA players from the U.S. Virgin Islands at a glance
| NBA players, all time | 4 |
|---|---|
| On NBA rosters, October 2026 | 1: Nicolas Claxton |
| First to play in the NBA | Charles Claxton (1995) |
| Longest NBA career | Tim Duncan (19 seasons) |
| Centers | 2: Tim Duncan, Nicolas Claxton |
| Hall of Fame | Tim Duncan |
| 7-foot prospects in our database | None right now |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
Every NBA player from the U.S. Virgin Islands
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Claxton | Guard | 1995 | Former player | |
| Tim Duncan | Forward/center | 1997-2016 | Former player | Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands; listed under the United States. Hall of Fame |
| Raja Bell | Guard | 2000-2012 | Former player | |
| Nicolas Claxton | Center | 2019 to present | Chicago Bulls | Also listed with the United States nationality |
Every NBA career from the U.S. Virgin Islands, 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
Charles Claxton
Guard
1995
Former player
Tim Duncan
Forward/center
1997-2016
Former player
Raja Bell
Guard
2000-2012
Former player
Nicolas Claxton
Center
2019 to present
Chicago Bulls
Players from the U.S. Virgin Islands in the NBA in 2026-27
- Nicolas Claxton: center, 6’11”, age 27, Chicago Bulls. Entering NBA season 8; drafted in 2019, round 2, pick 1.
NBA centers from the U.S. Virgin Islands
2 of the 4 players in the table played center or forward/center: Tim Duncan (1997-2016) and Nicolas Claxton (2019 to present).
7-Foot Prospects from the United States Virgin Islands
No active player from the United States Virgin Islands 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 2018. Teams and career details in it are as of that time; the tables above show where things stand in October 2026.
The US Virgin Island basketball tradition is one of the longest in the region. Their national basketball team competes in the Pan American games, FIBA Americas, and the Central American Championship. They had their best years in 2006 and 2008 when they finished 2nd at the Central American Championship Basketball Tournament.
United States Virgin Islands NBA Players:
Raja Bell
Bell was born on September 9th, 1975 in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He stands at 6’ 5” and throughout his NBA career, he played as a shooting guard. He had a long NBA career that span over twelve seasons. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Dallas Mavericks. Bell was twice part of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Currently, he has taken over the role of a director of player administration with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Charles Claxton Jr.
Claxton was born December 13, 1970, in St. Thomas. He played college basketball for the University of Georgia before being part of the 1994 NBA draft when he was selected as the 50th pick by the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately for him, he played only on three games (1995-1996 season). He also had two short contracts with two different NBA teams. The first one was with the Cleveland Cavaliers during October 1995 and the second one was with Utah Jazz during October 1996. He didn’t get any playtime with any of them.
David Vanterpool
Vanterpool was born March 31, 1973, in Daytona Beach Florida. He is 6’ 5” tall and played as small forward/shooting guard. He started his professional basketball career in Italy and moved to China before returning to the States and signing his first NBA contract. He first signed with the Washington Wizards (2000-2001 season). He played a total of 22 games for the Wizards. He also signed with the Detroit Pistons and the New Jersey Nets but didn’t get a chance to play. He had more luck with the European teams. In 2006 he was part of the CSKA roster that won the Euro league title.
Tim Duncan is also from the US Virgin Islands but considers himself American as he played for the US Olympic team.
Right now there are no immediate, additional NBA players expected to come from United States Virgin Islands, but hopefully in the future we will see some blue chip NCAA or NBA prospects coming from United States Virgin Islands.
How the U.S. Virgin Islands compares with other small basketball countries
NBA players all time: the eight leaders among the 46 countries we compared, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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
U.S. Virgin Islands
4
Frequently asked questions
How many NBA players are from the U.S. Virgin Islands?
We count 4, including players born there and players listed with its nationality.
Which players from the U.S. Virgin Islands are in the NBA in 2026-27?
As of October 2026: Nicolas Claxton (Chicago Bulls).
Who was the first NBA player from the U.S. Virgin Islands?
Charles Claxton, who debuted in 1995.
Which centers from the U.S. Virgin Islands have played in the NBA?
Tim Duncan and Nicolas Claxton.
Are there 7-foot prospects from the U.S. Virgin Islands?
Not right now. Our 7-Foot Prospect Database has no active player from the U.S. Virgin Islands 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands may be missing from the table. Last checked 9 October 2026.
