This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether inside or outside the U.S., and former players (both living and deceased).
For the purpose of this article, a "European player in the United States" is defined as a citizen of a FIBA Europe member country who was playing in the U.S. while a citizen of said country. Examples of players who do not fall within this definition are: Howard Carter, who became a naturalized citizen of France after having played professionally in that country, and never played in the U.S. while a French citizen. Jeff Taylor, whose story is similar to that of Carter, except that his eventual country of citizenship was Sweden. However, his son Jeffery, born in Sweden as a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Sweden, is listed. Kelenna Azubuike, who despite being born and raised in the United Kingdom has never held British citizenship. He was born a Nigerian citizen. Admiral Schofield, born in the UK to a U.S. military family. Since 1983, children born under these circumstances will not have British nationality unless a parent had such nationality. He was born in 1997 to parents who hold only U.S. nationality.
In addition, NBA players are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have played only for a Canada-based team (currently the Toronto Raptors, and in the past the Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Huskies). Similarly, those who have played in what is now the NBA G League are considered to be playing in the United States even if they have only played for the Raptors' Canada-based affiliate, Raptors 905.
Players still active in the United States are bolded. Players active in a league in another country are written in italics.
Players listed as being a dual citizen have their country of birth indicated first.
Austria
NBA/WNBA Jakob Pöltl – Utah Utes, Raptors 905, Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs
G League/College Giorgi Bezhanishvili (dual Georgian/Austrian citizen) – Illinois Fighting Illini, Grand Rapids Gold, College Park Skyhawks, Iowa Wolves Luka Brajkovic – Davidson Wildcats
Belarus NBA/WNBA Yelena Leuchanka – West Virginia Mountaineers, Charlotte Sting, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream
G League/College Nikolai Alexeev – Buffalo Bulls Yauhen Massalski – San Francisco Dons, Austin Spurs Artsiom Parakhouski – Radford Highlanders Dzmitry Ryuny – San Francisco Dons, Oregon State
Belgium
NBA/WNBA Julie Allemand – Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks Hind Ben Abdelkader – Indiana Fever Toumani Camara – Portland Trail Blazers Kyara Linskens – Golden State Valkyries D. J. Mbenga – Four NBA teams Emma Meesseman – Washington Mystics, Chicago Sky Kim Mestdagh – Washington Mystics Ajay Mitchell – UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, Oklahoma City Thunder Julie Vanloo – Washington Mystics, Golden State Valkyries Ann Wauters – Four WNBA teams
G League/College Retin Obasohan – Alabama Crimson Tide Kristof Ongenaet – Syracuse Orange
Bosnia and Herzegovina
NBA/WNBA Luka Garza – Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics Razija Mujanović – Detroit Shock Džanan Musa – Brooklyn Nets Jusuf Nurkić – Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns Aleksandar Radojević – Two NBA teams Rankica Šarenac – Phoenix Mercury Mirza Teletović – Three NBA teams Ratko Varda – Detroit Pistons
G League/College Amar Alibegović – St. John's Red Storm Adnan Hodžić – Lipscomb Bisons Ajdin Penava – Marshall Thundering Herd
Bulgaria
NBA/WNBA Albena Branzova – New York Liberty Gergana Branzova – Detroit Shock Georgi Glouchkov – Phoenix Suns Gergana Slavtcheva – Phoenix Mercury Polina Tzekova – Houston Comets Aleksandar Vezenkov – Sacramento Kings
G League/College Ilian Evtimov (also holds French citizenship) – NC State Wolfpack Vassil Evtimov (also holds French citizenship) – North Carolina Tar Heels Aleksandar Gavalyugov – Villanova Wildcats
Croatia
NBA/WNBA Dalibor Bagarić – Chicago Bulls Dragan Bender – Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks Bojan Bogdanović – Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons Ivana Dojkić – Seattle Storm, New York Liberty Duje Dukan – Sacramento Kings Gordan Giriček – Five NBA teams Vedrana Grgin-Fonseca – Los Angeles Sparks Mario Hezonja – Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers Koraljka Hlede – Three WNBA teams Mario Kasun – Orlando Magic Toni Kukoč (also naturalized U.S. citizen)– Four NBA teams, most notably the Chicago Bulls Damir Markota (also holds Swedish citizenship) – Milwaukee Bucks, Tulsa 66ers Karlo Matković – New Orleans Pelicans, Birmingham Squadron Nika Mühl – Seattle Storm Dražen Petrović – Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets (died in 1993) Zoran Planinić – New Jersey Nets Dino Radja – Boston Celtics Damjan Rudež – Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic Luka Šamanić – San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs, Westchester Knicks, Maine Celtics, Utah Jazz Dario Šarić – Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets Bruno Šundov – Five NBA teams Žan Tabak – Four NBA teams Roko Ukić – Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks Stojko Vranković – Three NBA teams Ante Žižić – Cleveland Cavaliers Ivica Zubac – Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles D-Fenders / South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers
G League/College Krešimir Ćosić – BYU Cougars Tomislav Ivišić – Illinois Fighting Illini Zvonimir Ivišić – Arkansas Razorbacks Marin Marić – Northern Illinois Huskies, DePaul Blue Demons Marin Mornar – Loyola Marymount Lions Davor Rimac – Arkansas Razorbacks Iva Slišković – South Carolina Gamecocks Goran Suton (also naturalized in the US) – Michigan State Spartans Antonio Vranković – Duke Blue Devils Tomislav Zubčić – Oklahoma City Blue
Cyprus G League/College Erten Gazi (dual Cypriot/Turkish citizen by birth) – DePaul Blue Demons, Fordham Rams
Czech Republic
NBA/WNBA Eva Horáková – Cleveland Rockers Romana Hamzová – Orlando Miracle Zuzana Klimešová – Vanderbilt Commodores, Indiana Fever Vít Krejčí – Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue, Atlanta Hawks, College Park Skyhawks, Iowa Wolves Michaela Pavlíčková – Denver Pioneers, Utah Starzz, Phoenix Mercury Tomáš Satoranský – Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans Jan Veselý – Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets Jana Veselá – Seattle Storm Kamila Vodičková – Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury Jiří Welsch – Four NBA teams George Zidek – UCLA Bruins and three NBA teams
G League/College Patrik Auda – Seton Hall Luboš Bartoň – Valparaiso Crusaders Ilona Burgrová – South Carolina Gamecocks
Denmark
NBA/WNBA Gabriel Lundberg – Phoenix Suns
G League/College Michael Andersen – Rhode Island Rams Chris Christoffersen – Oregon Ducks, Roanoke Dazzle Christian Drejer – Florida Gators David Knudsen – Marist Red Foxes Jacob Larsen – Gonzaga Bulldogs Asbjørn Midtgaard – Wichita State Shockers, Grand Canyon Inge Nissen – Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, Chicago Hustle Anne Thorius – Michigan Wolverines
Estonia
NBA/WNBA Henri Drell – Windy City Bulls, Chicago Bulls Martin Müürsepp – Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks
G League/College Janari Jõesaar – Ole Miss Rebels, UTPA Broncs/UTRGV Vaqueros Maik Kotsar – South Carolina Gamecocks Kerr Kriisa – Arizona Wildcats, West Virginia Mountaineers Rauno Nurger – Wichita State Shockers Matthias Tass – Saint Mary's Gaels Tanel Tein – St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers Henri Veesaar – Arizona Wildcats, North Carolina Tar Heels
Finland
NBA/WNBA Awak Kuier (dual Egyptian/Finnish citizen) – Dallas Wings Lauri Markkanen – Arizona Wildcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz Hanno Möttölä – Utah Utes, Atlanta Hawks Erik Murphy (dual US/Finnish citizen by birth) – Florida Gators, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, Austin Spurs
G League/College Mustapha Amzil – Dayton Flyers, New Mexico Lobos Max Besselink – Santa Clara Joonas Cavén – Reno Bighorns Federiko Federiko – Northern Oklahoma, Pittsburgh Panthers, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Texas A&M Aggies Jacob Grandison (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth) – Holy Cross Crusaders, Illinois Fighting Illini, Duke Blue Devils Andre Gustavson – Richmond Spiders Samuel Haanpää – Valparaiso Crusaders Shawn Huff (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth) – Valparaiso Crusaders Shawn Hopkins (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth) – Troy Trojans, North Georgia Daniel Jansson – Lakeland University Mikael Jantunen – Utah Utes Mikko Koivisto – UNC Greensboro Spartans Tuukka Kotti – Providence Friars Gerald Lee (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth) – Old Dominion Monarchs Miro Little (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth – Baylor Bears, Utah Utes, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Pekka Markkanen – Kansas Jayhawks Edon Maxhuni – Long Beach State Beach Michaela Moua – Ohio State Buckeyes Alex Murphy (dual Finnish/US citizen by birth) – Duke Blue Devils, Florida Gators, Northeastern Huskies Kimmo Muurinen – Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans Lassi Nikkarinen – Montana State Bobcats Antti Nikkilä – Valparaiso Crusaders Olivier Nkamhoua – Tennessee Volunteers, Michigan Wolverines Hannes Pöllä – Oklahoma Sooners, UT Martin Skyhawks Remu Raitanen – San Francisco Dons Timo Saarelainen – BYU Cougars Tiina Sten – St. John's Red Storm Teemu Suokas – Ball State Cardinals Joonas Suotamo – Penn State Nittany Lions Ville Tahvanainen – Bradley Braves Touko Tainamo – Denver Pioneers, Wyoming Cowboys Elias Valtonen – Arizona State Sun Devils Jamar Wilson (dual Finnish/US citizen) – Albany Great Danes
France
NBA/WNBA Tariq Abdul-Wahad – Michigan Wolverines, San Jose State Spartans, and four NBA teams Alexis Ajinça – Four NBA teams Joël Ayayi – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Washington Wizards, Capital City Go-Go, Lakeland Magic Valériane Ayayi – San Antonio Stars Marième Badiane – Minnesota Lynx Nicolas Batum – Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers Joan Beringer – Minnesota Timberwolves Lucienne Berthieu – Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets Rodrigue Beaubois – Dallas Mavericks Malcolm Cazalon – Detroit Pistons, Motor City Cruise Sidy Cissoko – NBA G League Ignite, San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs Petr Cornelie – Denver Nuggets Bilal Coulibaly – Washington Wizards Pacôme Dadiet – New York Knicks Nando de Colo – San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors Moussa Diabaté – Michigan Wolverines, Los Angeles Clippers, Ontario Clippers Boris Diaw – Five NBA teams Yakhouba Diawara – Pepperdine Waves, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat Ousmane Dieng – Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue Sekou Doumbouya – Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers Céline Dumerc – Atlanta Dream Olivia Époupa – Minnesota Lynx Noa Essengue – Chicago Bulls Isabelle Fijalkowski – Colorado Buffaloes, Cleveland Rockers Evan Fournier – Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks Mickaël Gelabale – Seattle SuperSonics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and two D-League teams Rudy Gobert – Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves Émilie Gomis – New York Liberty Sandrine Gruda – Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks Killian Hayes – Detroit Pistons Jaylen Hoard – Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Portland Trail Blazers, Texas Legends, Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Blue William Howard – Houston Rockets Damien Inglis – Milwaukee Bucks, Canton Charge, Westchester Knicks Marine Johannès – New York Liberty Joffrey Lauvergne – Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs Edwige Lawson-Wade – Four WNBA teams, most notably the San Antonio Silver Stars Carla Leite – Golden State Valkyries Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot – Philadelphia 76ers, Delaware 87ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, Atlanta Hawks