Editing National Basketball Association (section)

====International influence====
{{Further|List of foreign NBA players}}
Following pioneers like [[Vlade Divac]] (Serbia) and [[Dražen Petrović]] (Croatia), who joined the NBA in the late 1980s, an increasing number of international players have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA. Below is a list of foreign players who have won NBA awards or have otherwise been recognized for their contributions to basketball, either currently or formerly active in the league:
<!--The following list only lists notable international players who had NEVER attended U.S. colleges before playing in the NBA.-->
* [[Dražen Petrović]], Croatia – 2002 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], four-time [[Euroscar]] winner, two-time [[Mr. Europa]] winner, MVP of the [[1986 FIBA World Championship]] and [[EuroBasket 1989]], two-time Olympic silver medalist, World champion, European champion, [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008)|50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/drazen-petrovic/ |title=Drazen Petrovic Biography |website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] |access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Arvydas Sabonis]], Lithuania – 2011 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], five-time Euroscar winner, two-time Mr. Europa winner, Olympic gold medalist in [[Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]] with the [[Soviet Union national basketball team|Soviet Union]] and bronze medalist in [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992]] and [[Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996]] with [[Lithuania men's national basketball team|Lithuania]], 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/arvydas-sabonis/ |title=Arvydas Sabonis Biography |website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] |access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Šarūnas Marčiulionis]], Lithuania – 2014 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]. First player from the Soviet Union and one of the first Europeans to sign a contract with an NBA club and to play solidly in the league, helping to lead the way for the internationalization of the league in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/sarunas-marciulionis/ |title=Sarūnas Marciulionis Biography |website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] |access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Vlade Divac]], Serbia – 2019 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], two-time Olympic silver medalist, 2001 [[NBA All-Star]], two-time World champion, three-time European champion, 1989 Mr. Europa winner, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/vlade-divac/ |title=Vlade Divac Biography |website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] |access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Toni Kukoč]], Croatia – 2021 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), 1996 [[NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award|Sixth Man Award]] winner, named in 2008 as one of the [[50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/toni-kukoc |title=Toni Kukoc Biography |website=[[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] |access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Peja Stojaković]], Serbia – NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks (2011), MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2001]], member of the all-tournament team in the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], 2001 [[Euroscar]] winner, two-time Mr. Europa winner, two-time [[NBA Three-Point Shootout champion]], three-time NBA All-Star.
* [[Dirk Nowitzki]], Germany – NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks (2011), MVP of the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]] and [[EuroBasket 2005]], member of the all-tournament team in the [[2002 FIBA World Championship]], six-time Euroscar winner, 2005 Mr. Europa, two-time [[FIBA Europe Player of the Year]], 2007 [[National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award|NBA MVP]], 2011 [[Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award]], 2006 [[NBA Three-Point Shootout champion]] and 14-time NBA All-Star.
* [[Hedo Türkoğlu]], Turkey – 2008 [[NBA Most Improved Player Award|Most Improved Player Award]] winner, member of the all-tournament team in the [[2010 FIBA World Championship]].
* [[Pau Gasol]], Spain – two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers (2009 and 2010), six-time [[NBA All-Star]], 2002 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], two-time Mr. Europa, [[2006 FIBA World Championship]] MVP, four-time [[Euroscar Award|Euroscar]], two-time [[FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award|FIBA Europe Player of the Year]], MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2009]] and [[EuroBasket 2015]], winner of the [[J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award|NBA Citizenship Award]] in 2012.
* [[Andrei Kirilenko]], Russia – 2004 NBA All-Star, MVP of the [[EuroBasket 2007]], 2007 FIBA Europe Player of the Year.
* [[Tony Parker]], France – four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, [[2007 NBA Finals]] MVP, six-time NBA All-Star and 2007 Euroscar winner.
* [[Manu Ginóbili]], Argentina – four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, 2008 Sixth Man Award winner, two-time NBA All-Star, 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors, Olympic gold medalist in [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2004]] with [[Argentine national basketball team|Argentina]].
* [[Yao Ming]], China – 2016 inductee into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]], [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[2002 NBA draft]] and eight-time NBA All-Star.
* [[Leandro Barbosa]], Brazil – NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors (2015),<ref name=barbosachamp>{{cite news |last1=Salvadore |first1=Damon |title=Leandro Barbosa Makes NBA History as Golden State Warriors Defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in Finals |url=http://www.latinpost.com/articles/60324/20150617/leandro-barbosa-makes-nba-history-as-golden-state-warriors-defeat-cleveland-cavaliers.htm |access-date=January 20, 2016 |work=Latin Post |date=June 17, 2015 |ref=Leandro Barbosa Makes NBA History as Golden State Warriors Defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in Finals}}</ref> 2007 Sixth Man Award winner.
* [[Andrea Bargnani]], Italy – first overall pick in the [[2006 NBA draft]] by the [[Toronto Raptors]].
* [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]], Greece – NBA champion with the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] (2021), [[2021 NBA Finals]] MVP, two-time NBA MVP, 2017 Most Improved Player, eight-time NBA All-Star.
* [[Nikola Jokić]], Serbia – NBA champion with the [[Denver Nuggets]] (2023), [[2023 NBA Finals]] MVP, three-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA All-Star, 2016 NBA All-Rookie First Team, Olympic silver medalist.
* [[Luka Dončić]], Slovenia – 2019 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], five-time [[NBA All-Star]], European champion
<!--Please don't put Steve Nash and Andrew Bogut in the list, as both of them had attended U.S. colleges. They are mentioned directly below.-->

On some occasions, young players, most but not all from the English-speaking world, have attended U.S. colleges before playing in the NBA. Notable examples are:
* Nigerian [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] – first overall pick in the [[1984 NBA draft]], two-time champion, 12-time NBA All-Star, 1994 NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] (only player to receive the MVP Award, Defensive Player of the Year Award, and Finals MVP award in the same season,) and Hall of Famer.
* Congolese [[Dikembe Mutombo]] – fourth overall pick in the [[1991 NBA draft]], four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer.
* Dutchman [[Rik Smits]] – second overall pick in the [[1988 NBA draft]], 1998 NBA All-Star, played 12 years for the Indiana Pacers.
* German [[Detlef Schrempf]] – two-time NBA Sixth Man Award winner, three-time NBA All-Star.
* Canadians [[Steve Nash]] (two-time NBA MVP, eight-time NBA All-Star, Hall of Famer) and [[Andrew Wiggins]] (first overall pick in the [[2014 NBA draft]], 2015 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]])
* Australians [[Luc Longley]] (three-time champion with the Chicago Bulls), [[Andrew Bogut]] (first overall pick in the [[2005 NBA draft]], 2015 NBA champion with Golden State Warriors) and [[Ben Simmons]] (first overall pick in the [[2016 NBA draft]], 2018 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]], three-time NBA All-Star).
* Sudanese-born Englishman [[Luol Deng]] – 2007 [[NBA Sportsmanship Award]] winner, two-time NBA All-Star.
* Cameroonians [[Joel Embiid]] (2023 NBA MVP, four-time NBA All-Star, 2017 NBA All-Rookie First Team) and [[Pascal Siakam]] (2019 NBA champion with Toronto Raptors, 2019 Most Improved Player, two-time NBA All-Star)