From being a predominantly U.S. game, basketball has now evolved into a multi national sport. In other American sports, such as baseball or football, you would not see so many players from foreign countries. There may be a handful of in baseball (mainly from South American countries and Japan) but their numbers are few.

But basketball has a far reaching effect. This might well be because it is widely played in most countries as opposed to baseball and football. The presence of international stars in the NBA has renewed the worldwide interest in basketball and has caught the fancy of a younger generation.

The NBA has a history of recruiting foreign players. From the late 80s players like Drazen Petrovic, Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Predrag Stojakovic and others have graced the NBA. In the current season almost every team has one or more players of foreign origin on their roasters. This brings us to the next big debate: Who is the best International player in NBA?

'The presence of international stars in the NBA has renewed the worldwide interest in basketball and has caught the fancy of a younger generation'


Fans from different countries will have different views. And this could be a endless debate. So let us discuss a few names that have made it big in the NBA and are proving influential in the game.

Yao Ming – The 7ft-plus giant from China. He plays for the Houston Rockets and is one of the two most important players on the Rockets roster. He has improved his game by leaps and bounds and has adapted to the rigors of playing as an NBA forward quite well.

Manu Ginobili – Manu rocks. The Argentine guard plays as a 6th man for reigning champions San Antonio Spurs. On current form, he is one of the best players in the league. He is explosive, can take the ball to the ring, is an excellent perimeter shooter and is a great defensive player. He was instrumental in Spurs’ triumph last year and also has been primarily responsible for their blistering start this year.

Tony Parker – From France, is one of the best point guards in the NBA. Last year’s finals MVP was a major reason why the Spurs won the championship. Parker is at his most dangerous when he takes the ball to the ring and there aren’t many who can defend him when he does that.

Steve Nash – Another great point guard, the super efficient Nash hails from Canada. Nash runs the floor for Phoenix Suns. He’s a great perimeter shooter and probably second only to Jason Kidd in terms of assists. He creates opportunities for his team-mates and leads his team from the front.

Dirk Nowitzki – Another 7-footer from Germany has been the mainstay of the Dallas Mavericks for a long time now. He was MVP for the regular season last year. He’s a great mid-range and a 3-point shooter and his mere presence on the floor attracts double or triple team plays from the defence.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas – This gentle giant from Lithuania is the second best player with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s an excellent foil to Lebron. He's a great mid-range shooter and one of the best rebounders in the game, especially the offensive rebounds.

Luol Deng – This vastly improved player from Sudan suddenly cam to the forefront with the Chicago Bulls in last year's play-off game against Miami Heat. Deng was unstoppable then and almost single handedly ended the Heat's season. He’s fast and a great mid-range shooter.

In addition to those mentioned, there are a lot more good foreign players around – Leandro Barbosa (Brazil and Suns), Fabricio Oberto (Argentina and Spurs), Pau Gasol (Spain and Grizzlies), Andres Nocioni (Argentina and Bulls) and many more. It is difficult to judge who is best among then.

There are a lot of barriers that foreign players face in the league mainly the tough schedules, being accepted in the team, learning the language, etc. Player who can overcome these barriers succeed, whether they are from Europe or as far afield as China. But one thing is certain – the foreign connection in the NBA is here to stay.