Best Greek NBA Players of All Time

While not known for being the Mecca of NBA talent, basketball is almost a religion in Greece. So we’ve seen their clubs, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, Aris, and even AEK, dominate the local and European scene, with some of the greatest players from all over the world taking their talents there.

Notably, however, there haven’t been all that many players from Greece to find success in the National Basketball Association. The style of play is different, the pace is different, and even the NBA rules are different from FIBA rules. We’ve heard players coming from an overseas state that playing in Europe is actually harder than in the NBA.

Whether that’s the case or not is not for us to debate. But judging by some of the Greek players that have taken their talents to the U.S. to play in the NBA, it would be hard to argue with that assessment. 

That’s why today, we’re going to honor the three greatest Greek Players ever to lace them up and set foot on an NBA hardwood, hoping many more of them follow their steps and become NBA stars of their own one day.

The Greatest Greek Players In NBA History

3. Kosta Koufos

While Kosta Koufos isn’t exactly known for being a dominant force in the paint, he was a hard-nosed veteran that found some success and a lengthy career at the NBA level. He came from Greek ascent and was taken with the 23rd overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.

Koufos played for Ohio State (read more here if you want to learn about college basketball) as a one-and-done player before taking his talents to the NBA. 

He served mostly as a backup center for the Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Sacramento Kings for 12 seasons before taking his talents overseas.

2. Kurt Rambis

Former Center Kurt Rambis might as well be the most successful Greek NBA player of all time. He wasn’t asked to play a prominent role on the court, but he was one of the glue guys in one of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers teams of all time, helping them win four NBA Championships during his time with the organization.

He spent 14 seasons in the league as a player, also playing for the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings before going back to Los Angeles to retire as a Laker. 

Rambis later won two more rings as an assistant coach and three as an executive, helping orchestrate the Lakers’ three-peat with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and he continues to have a prominent voice within the organization.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

And last but not least, we find Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has already made a strong case for being considered one of the most significant international players in NBA history. He’s a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he hasn’t even reached his peak yet, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league and a big reason for optimism for Milwaukee Bucks fans all over the world.

Giannis entered the league as a mostly unknown prospect. Fast forward to today, and he’s now an NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, multi-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and one of the most unstoppable and dominant two-way forces this game has ever seen. 

Giannis went from poverty to signing one of the most lucrative deals in professional sports history, and his ability to play and guard all five positions makes him a player we might never see again on a basketball court.

Image source: Freepik