The 13 Greatest African-Born NBA Players of All Time

Hall of Fame big men, rim-protecting giants and MVP-caliber stars who crossed oceans to dominate the league, spanning the whole continent and decades of history. Cast your vote!

1

Hakeem Olajuwon

Nigerian-born Hall of Fame center who led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles and is the NBA's all-time blocks leader.

1000pts

2

Luol Deng

Sudan-born two-time All-Star forward who starred for the Chicago Bulls.

653pts

3

Joel Embiid

Cameroon-born center and 2023 NBA MVP, a dominant scorer for the Philadelphia 76ers.

606pts

4

Manute Bol

Sudan-born 7-foot-7 center, one of the greatest shot-blockers in NBA history.

606pts

5

Thon Maker

Sudan-born forward-center drafted in the 2016 NBA lottery by the Milwaukee Bucks.

606pts

6

Bismack Biyombo

DR Congo-born center known for his rim protection and shot-blocking across multiple NBA teams.

606pts

7

Serge Ibaka

Congo-born shot-blocker and NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors.

551pts

8

Dikembe Mutombo

DR Congo-born defensive giant, four-time Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time All-Star.

551pts

9

Festus Ezeli

Nigeria-born center who won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

551pts

10

Cheick Diallo

Mali-born forward who played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns.

485pts

11

Pascal Siakam

Cameroon-born All-Star forward who helped the Raptors win the 2019 championship.

485pts

12

Gorgui Dieng

Senegal-born big man who spent a decade in the NBA, mainly with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

485pts

13

Steve Nash

Johannesburg-born point guard and two-time NBA MVP renowned for elite playmaking.

404pts