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.
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
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.
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.