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Vince M
Nov 12, 20225 min read

Top 10 European Players in the NBA

The NBA today is a worldwide league, and it's not dominated by American players only. With the popularity of the league being at its highest, many players come to the league from overseas, including Europe. It's not a secret that players from Europe are talented as well, as some of them bring their own style of play into the league. Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic are already taking over the game and the fans love it. With that being said, today I'm going to be ranking top 10 NBA players that are European.


 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Clint Capela, Dennis Schroder, Nicolas Batum, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Bojan Bogdanovic, Goran Dragic.

 

1. - Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece, Milwaukee Bucks, #34)



STATS: 31.8 PPG - 12.2 RPG - 5.3 APG - 54.2 FG% - 64.9 FT%


Giannis has already proven that he's the best player out there, doing all he can to help his team win. The Greek Freak is doing everything on the court, averaging a freakish double-double and leading his team to unimagined places without Khris Middleton. Giannis is super strong, bullying other players in the post. His shooting is only getting better, and that's the scary part. At the end of the day, I don't see why he shouldn't be named MVP and maybe even DPOY. Along with the Bucks starting with an impressive (10-1) record, this team is poised for big playoff contention.


 

2. - Luka Doncic

(Slovenia, Dallas Mavericks, #77)



STATS: 33.6 PPG - 8.3 RPG - 7.9 APG - 48.8 FG% - 73.6 FT%


Luka Doncic is on another level so far. He is quite a magician on the court, delivering beautiful dimes and lobs to his teammates and revolutionizing the game of basketball. Besides him having fun that way, he's also a reliable scorer and shooter, averaging monstrous numbers in points (league leader), he's also a good rebounder for his position. With him highly climbing up the MVP ladder on the daily, the Mavericks are getting more and more recognition by now.


 

3. - Nikola Jokic

(Serbia, Denver Nuggets, #15)



STATS: 21.2 PPG - 9.9 RPG - 9.0 APG - 59.6 FG% - 88.3 FT%


Let's talk about the 2x MVP. Nikola Jokic is 1 assist shy from averaging a triple-double right now. While putting up crazy numbers, Nikola is shining like never on this deep Nuggets team - he's doing whatever he likes to and there is absolutely no stopping him. He's a good rebounder - like any other center. While him being a little chubby, his court sight along with the extreme passing skillset is really impresive, with that allowing him to complete any type of pass turning into an assist. Doesn't matter if the receiving teammate is on the other side of the court or right next to him, the 'Joker' will always find a way to deliver the trick.


 


4. - Rudy Gobert

(France, Minnesota Timberwolves, #27)



STATS: 13.8 PPG - 13.6 RPG - 1.0 APG - 60.7 FG% - 66.8 FT%


While still adjusting to his new home, Rudy Gobert is putting up his usual numbers but that doesn't mean he's not putting up a show. The French big man is one of the top DPOY candidates again and that's nothing new - he's been named the DPOY three times already, and that number is only going to go up. While he's not a good passing buddy, he can back all of that up with his steel-worth defense. Scoring a solid amount of points and blocking (1.7 BPG) many shots per night, Rudy is the guy you want to have on your team for defense at least.


 

5. - Domantas Sabonis

(Lithuania, Sacramento Kings, #10)



STATS: 16.8 PPG - 10.4 RPG - 6.1 APG - 54.6 FG% - 70.0 FT%


Once again, we have a phenomenal passer-big man. Sabonis is one of those truly underrated stars that are on the verge to make that big leap this year and prove everyone wrong. With a solid supporting cast, Domas can choose from multiple pick & roll options on offense if he's looking to pass, which he usually is. While his defense and three-point shooting still have lots of room for improvement, he can easily use his father-inherited passing skills to showcase his basketball IQ. This year is big for Sacramento as the star duo of Sabonis and Fox will have to take the duty of bringing the team to the playoffs or the play-in.


 

6. - Jonas Valanciunas

(Lithuania, New Orleans Pelicans, #17)



STATS: 14.3 PPG - 10.6 RPG - 2.2 APG - 53.5 FG% - 84.8 FT%


Some call him the 'Lithuanian Lightning' - Jonas Valanciunas is the definition of his position. Being quite the double-double machine, JV mostly specializes down in the post, usually finishing with a hook or a fadeaway. Predictable, but pretty much unguardable. Jonas is slowly progressing towards a star-level big man, putting up good stats every night as a starting center, sharing the floor with Zion. He can be a comfortable pick & roll partner, he's also improved at three-point shooting, so his threat zone is slowly becoming bigger. A solid defender, good rebounder, good passer. Now, he has a chance to enlighten everyone together with his star teammates and make the playoffs again.


 

7. - Lauri Markkanen

(Finland, Utah Jazz, #23)



STATS: 22.7 PPG - 8.8 RPG - 2.6 APG - 52.7 FG% - 87.9 FT%


It might be too early to tell, but Lauri Markkanen is probably going to take home that MIP award - the Jazz were supposed to be tanking, but as of right now, they are the best in the west. Quite a surprise, but the big secret behind their luck is Lauri. He finally got a real chance to prove himself by getting more space and minutes - and so far, he's more than succeeded. Went from averaging 14 points a game, to now putting up star-ish numbers and being the best player on the team. He's confident and plays aggresively, using every opportunity given to score. I think we all can't wait to see more from this upcoming star.


 


8. - Kristaps Porzingis

(Latvia, Washington Wizards, #6)


(via heavy.com)


STATS: 19.2 PPG - 8.2 RPG - 2.5 APG - 47.7 FG% - 82.1 FT%


The 7'3'' unicorn from Latvia may not be in his best form, but he's putting up numbers that are just enough to help his team win games. His body build together with his skillset allows him to do a lot of damage to his opponents - he can shoot, he can run, he can pass. His teammates can find him anywhere, as he's comfortable in most offensive situations. That's more than you can expect from a starting center.


 


9. - Nikola Vucevic

(Montenegro, Chicago Bulls, #9)



STATS: 16.5 PPG - 11.9 RPG - 3.1 APG - 47.3 FG% - 91.4 FT%


Still underrated by many, Nik 'Vooch' is an important centerpiece for the Chicago Bulls. While the media is giving a big amount of attention to the teams' biggest stars, Vucevic is quietly contributing to the team's success, averaging an elegant 16 and 12. Averaging 57.1% from threes at the left side, he's one of the best shooting centers, when needed. While obviously not being the best player on the team, Nikola is still one of the best centers you can get.


 

10. - Alperen Sengun

(Turkey, Houston Rockets #28)



STATS: 17.1 PPG - 9.7 RPG - 2.1 APG - 58.1 FG% - 79.3 FT%


It's not too late to hop on the Alpy hype train - the 20 year old from Turkey is putting up a feast on the daily, entertaining us with the European style of basketball. You can count on him if you want a remarkable pass, and he'll always find a different way to finish - either it's a spin and a lay, or a no-look-behind-the-back pass to an open guy, Sengun is gunning. Now that he's found himself as a starting forward-center, Sengun has all the tools to become an all-star soon.

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