Top 5 non-American players to make it to the Basketball Hall of Fame

Toni Kukoc became the latest non-American player to be inducted into the 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Croatian Sensation was part of the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat between 1996-1998. Kukoc was the NBA’s 1996 Sixth Man of the year winner and was also ranked among FIBA’s greatest 50 players of all-time in 1991.

"I would like to thank this gentleman here... for kicking my butt at the Olympics in Barcelona."Toni Kukoc shouts out Michael Jordan in his @Hoophall enshrinement speech. #NBAHOF pic.twitter.com/RW4vhjPcMZ

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 12, 2021

Before Kukoc, several other non-American NBA players had made it to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. These players have been enshrined in the hoop hall both for their basketball contribution to their own country and for their NBA achievements.

Top 5 non-American NBA stars to get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame

#5 Arvydas Sabonis

Sabonis was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Sabonis, who is the father of current NBA player Domantas Sabonis, won an Olympic gold while playing for Russia in 1988 and two bronze medals for Lithuania at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games. Sabonis is also a two-time Spanish League MVP (1994, 1995) and Spanish League Finals MVP (1993, 1994).

Although Sabonis was drafted in the 1986 NBA Draft, he joined the NBA only before the start of the 1995-1996 season. He played seven seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 12.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg over the course of his seven-year NBA career. His best postseason showing was when his Trail Blazers forced an epic seven-game series with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.

---

#4 Vlade Divac

2019 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony

After being picked 26th overall by the LA Lakers in the 1989 Draft, Vlade Divac made it to the 1990 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Over the course of his 16-year NBA career, Divac played alongside Magic Johnson, Glenn Rice, Chris Webber and Kobe Bryant.

He competed against Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash in the playoffs. Playing at the center position, Divac averaged 11.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg in his NBA career.

Kobe deeply loved the game and his family. As I think back on his incredible legacy I’m reminded of his competitive spirit & millions around the world he inspired. As a father, the loss of Gianna is devastating. My… https://t.co/iogzNxaU4Z

— Vlade Divac (@bgoodvlade) January 26, 2020

Divac’s jersey No. 21 has been retired by the Sacramento Kings. After his retirement, he also served as GM of the Kings between 2015 and 2020. Divac won a silver Olympic medal for Yugoslavia in 1988 and a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Divac was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

---

#3 Drazen Petrovic

Petrovic would have perhaps had a higher ranking on this list had he not died in a car accident in 1993 at the young age of 28. In his four seasons in the NBA, Petrovic averaged 15.4 ppg. His best scoring form came in his last two NBA seasons (1991-92, 1992-93), when Petrovic was with the New Jersey Nets.

Petrovic averaged 20.6 ppg and 22.3 ppg, shooting more than 50% from the field and nearly 45% from the three-point line in each of these seasons. Reggie Miller deservedly called Petrovic the best shooter he ever played against.

Petrovic competed against the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympic Games men’s basketball final as a member of the Croatian team. He won a gold medal for Yugoslavia at the 1990 FIBA World Cup and also helped the country to a bronze and silver medal in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic games.

His biggest legacy is that he is largely considered to be the man who paved the way for a lot of European players to make it to the NBA. Petrovic was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

---

#2 Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo had a celebrated NBA career

Since we are considering Hakeem Olajuwon to be American (Olajuwon went to college in the US and won a gold with Team USA at the 1996 Olympics), Dikembe Mutombo currently ranks as the greatest African player to play in the NBA. Mutombo, a Democratic Republic of Congo native, played for 18 seasons in the NBA after being selected fourth overall in the 1991 Draft.

Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star, four-time defensive player of the year and three-time blocking champ. He ranks second on the NBA’s all-time shot-blocking list and was also a two-time rebounding champ in the league.

Although his best years in the league came with Denver and Atlanta, he was a key member of the Philadelphia 76ers team that went to the NBA Finals in 2001. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

---

#1 Yao Ming

Although Yao Ming played only eight seasons in the NBA, and does not really have a significant international achievement with the Chinese National team, his influence on the game cannot be denied. Yao is the man singularly responsible for the meteoric growth of the NBA in China.

Over his nine-year career with the Houston Rockets, Ming was an All-Star in eight seasons despite being available for only five games in his final season (2010-11). He was a five-time All-NBA member. He averaged 19.0 ppg and 9.2 rpg over the length of his NBA career.

Had injuries not taken their toll on Yao, he would have had a much greater career than his final NBA stats suggest. Ming was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson.