Lebanon, an emerging basketball nation in the Middle East, has had limited representation in the prestigious National Basketball Association (NBA). Although basketball is not very popular in the country, a handful of Lebanese players have managed to break through and grace the hardwood floors of the NBA. While their numbers may be modest, these individuals have demonstrated exceptional talent and determination in the realm of professional basketball.
Lebanese players in the NBA
Although there are no active Lebanese players currently in the NBA, there have been five overall since the league began in 1949.
Matt Freije
Matt’s sensational high school season earned him the title of Mr. Kansas basketball in 2000. He decided to play for Vanderbilt University and had a breakthrough freshman season, averaging 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. He shot an impressive 49.7% from the field that year.
From 2000 to 2004, Matt averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 44.8% shooting.
Matt was selected 53rd overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. Unlike his collegiate career However, Matt couldn’t find success in the NBA, only playing 42 games, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Jackson Vroman
Jackson attended Iowa State University from 2002 to 2004 and was one of the main power forwards in the team. He averaged 12.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
Jackson surpassed expectations in his sophomore season by averaging 13.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on an impressive 56.4% shooting.
Jackson was selected 31st overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. Unfortunately for him, his NBA career lasted just two seasons. In 87 NBA games played, he averaged 3.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
Rony Seikaly
Rony moved to the U.S. from Greece in 1983 and attended Syracuse University where he played college ball as a center.
Playing four years in Syracuse from 1984 till ’88, Rony built a career average of 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and a surprising 2.3 blocks per game with an exceptional 56.0% shooting from the field.
Seikaly managed to attract the attention of NBA scouts and was selected ninth overall in the 1988 NBA Draft. His twelve-year career in the NBA is highly underrated to this day as the 6 ’11 tall center averaged 14.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting from the field.
Sam Young
Sam Young is among the more recent Lebanese players to retire as he played till 2021. Growing up in Prince George County, Maryland, Sam was a high school sensation as he led his high school team Friendly high school to two consecutive Maryland State titles in 2003 and 2004 while averaging 24.6 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.
In 2005, Sam committed to the University of Pittsburgh and showed glimpses of his high school years by averaging 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in 33 games played in his freshman year.
Fast forward to the end of his college basketball career at Pittsburgh, Young finished with a career average of 13.2 points, five rebounds, one assist, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game on 49.8% field goal shooting.
Young was drafted 36th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft and like most others on this list, had a forgettable professional career. He played four seasons between 2009 and 2013 and averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game.
Norvel Pelle
Norvel is the only player on this list to have not played College Basketball and went pro straight after high school. Although being one of the top recruits in his class, he was not allowed to compete in college after failing to meet the standard academic requirements.
Novel has extensively played in the NBA G League, China, Taiwan, Italy, and Lebanon before making his NBA debut for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.
From 2019 to 2022, Norvel played 40 games in the NBA and averaged 2.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 52.9% shooting.
His most notable achievements include his NBA G League All-Defensive Team selection (2019), and representing team Lebanon in the FIBA Asia Cup (2017).
Norvel also holds American, Antiguan, and Lebanese citizenship.
Although Lebanon's representation within the NBA may not be extensive, it is crucial to acknowledge the dedication shown by these players. Their achievements highlight Lebanon's potential as a breeding ground for talented athletes.
With its rich basketball culture and growing infrastructure at the grassroots level, more Lebanese players are to break through on the international stage and emerge as one of the best athletic talents for their country and the game of basketball.
FAQs
A. Only five Lebanese nationals have ever played in the NBA.
A. It is Rony Seikaly. He played 12 seasons in the NBA, and averaged 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
A. Sadly not. The most recent player was Norvel Pelle. He played in the 2021-2022 NBA season.
