It is amazing how global the NBA has become, as America is no longer the largest nation when it comes to dominating hoops. There is steep competition right now more than ever, as we have seen from countries such as Spain, France, and Australia. Specifically, France recently finished runner-up to the United States in the 2020 Olympics and is a major basketball nation even though they are a dominant force in soccer as well. We have already seen how many great Spanish players played in the NBA, but who are the greatest French players in NBA history?
France has had a great impact on the court on an international level, as the country has won 3 silver medals in the Olympics (1948, 2000, 2020). The French have always been in the mix for any global sport because they are dedicated to winning, skill, and training to be the best. Even if French players have had more success on an international level rather than in the NBA, there have been a select few French players who had excellent careers filled with accolades and achievements.
Obviously, future NBA superstar and hyped prospect Victor Wembanyama is expected to become not only the greatest French player ever but one of the all-time great NBA players. What he brings as a 7’2” center with guard-like abilities is unprecedented, and teams are tanking for a chance to draft the future star. Once Victor gets into the NBA and gains a few years of experience, he should easily become the greatest French player ever because he is a player that any team would literally be willing to give up anything for. But until Wembanyama becomes an NBA player, the greatest French players ever are known.
Only native French players will be accepted, so Dominique Wilkins (born in Paris, France) does not count as he has competed for Team USA and is one of the most respected American players. Joel Embiid, one of the most talented centers ever, has recently gained his French citizenship and will be competing for them on an international level, but he will also be excluded from this list in fairness to other native French players. Here are the 10 greatest French players who have ever played in the NBA.
Honorable Mentions
Sekou Doumbouya
Career Stats: 5.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Sekou Doumbouya is mainly known for being a role player for the Detroit Pistons and now the Los Angeles Lakers. Doumbouya was drafted No. 15 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and was expected to be a bench player who could provide athleticism and size as a 6’8” power forward. Much like most other 6’8” players, size was a key component of Sekou Doumbouya’s game.
He actually started 19 games with the Detroit Pistons in his rookie season, followed by an 11-game start with the same team the following year. Last season, Sekou Doumbouya played only two games with the Los Angeles Lakers, which took his total game count to 96 played in the NBA. At only 22 years old, Doumbouya has a chance to return to the league as long as he can prove to teams he can defend multiple positions and shoot the three.
Ronny Turiaf
Career Stats: 4.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 2011-12 NBA Champion
Ronny Turiaf is one of those bench players that provided positive energy to a team’s bench. The center averaged 1.3 BPG over his career and was always a factor in playing garbage minutes as a 6’10”, 249-lb big man. Turiaf was taken No. 37 overall in the 2005 NBA Draft and was one of the players that were on those Los Angeles Lakers teams that only had Kobe Bryant scoring 50 and 60 points a night without winning.
After bouncing around a few times, Turiaf ended up on the 2012 Miami Heat squad that would go on to win the NBA title at the end of the year. Even if he only played 13 games with the Heat that year, he did get a ring and is one of the most accomplished French players as a result. Even if he lacked scoring talent, Turiaf’s size and positive attitude meant he was a solid bench player.
10. Nando De Colo
Career Stats: 5.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Nando De Colo had far more success on an international level than he did in the NBA, as he won a EuroLeague MVP and two EuroLeague championships. Based on what he can do with the ball in his hands, De Colo can play ball and is a clear professional. Of course, in the NBA, he was not exactly a starter who is setting the world on fire but is a capable bench player who can space the floor and play high-IQ basketball.
The San Antonio Spurs recognized De Colo’s high-I.Q. play and took him No. 53 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. The 6’5” shooting guard ended up appearing in only 119 games in the NBA and had 9 starts with the San Antonio Spurs teams that had Tim Duncan and Tony Parker at the helm. Of course, his greatest NBA achievement was appearing in the NBA Finals with the Spurs in 2013 in a losing effort to the Miami Heat.
9. Frank Ntilikina
Career Stats: 4.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Frank Ntilikina is a talented defensive player who can use his 6’4” height and long limbs to bother ball handlers. Other than that, Ntilikina has not exactly been an impressive player since coming into the NBA with the No. 8 overall pick. A player drafted that high should be able to be a capable ball-handler and shooter, two things the 24-year-old is still improving on.
The Frenchman was drafted by the New York Knicks and played four seasons before joining the Dallas Mavericks, where he is currently at. Ntilikina is only shooting 32.0% from three over his career so far, but he is an above-average defender who is posting 0.7 SPG. The Mavericks realized that having a talented defender is quite rare in today’s NBA, so hopefully, the young man can start developing his all-around game, also.
8. Killian Hayes
Career Stats: 7.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Killian Hayes was taken No. 7 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. The young man only appeared in 26 games in his rookie season, starting 18 games and averaging 6.8 PPG and 5.3 APG. He did not make enough appearances to make the All-Rookie Team, but the potential was there for the 19-year-old at the time. Fast forward two years later, and Hayes is starting to impress.
The 6’5” point guard is only 21 years old and is averaging 9.5 PPG and 6.1 APG in 26.9 MPG of play. Hayes still needs to improve his shooting (career 27.8% 3-PT FG), but he can make passes, has the size to defend, and is looking more comfortable being a floor general. On a rebuilding team like the Pistons, Killian can be one of the cornerstones considering he is so young and has plenty of potential.
7. Mickael Pietrus
Career Stats: 8.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Mickael Pietrus was one tough competitor in the NBA when he played for the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic. The 6’6” wing player was known to be an above-average defender who could also space the floor, a reason why the Warriors took him No. 11 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. Pietrus started 97 games over five years with the Warriors before ending up on the Orlando Magic.
Mickael Pietrus was a key player for the Orlando Magic squad that made it to the NBA Finals in 2009, as he could defend star players well and also nail threes. Pietrus was the main player who had to defend Kobe Bryant, and while he could not help the Magic win games, he did play a pivotal role. With 557 games played in the league, Pietrus had a very solid NBA career as a French national.
6. Nicolas Batum
Career Stats: 10.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Nicolas Batum has been a steady NBA professional for 14 years in the NBA. Standing 6’8” and weighing 230 lbs, Batum has always had a job in the league because of his length and ability to defend multiple positions. Of course, he is also a knockdown shooter with a career average of 36.4%. Batum was taken No. 25 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and lasted seven years with the franchise.
Nicolas Batum then played five seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, including the 2017 season, when the player posted a career-high 15.1 PPG on 33.3% from deep to go along with 6.2 RPG and 5.9 APG. Currently, Batum is playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, where he brings veteran experience and all-around play every night. No doubt, Batum is one of the best French players ever in terms of skill and all-around ability.
5. Evan Fournier
Career Stats: 14.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: None
Evan Fournier has been a solid NBA player for his career so far. The shooting guard is posting 14.0 PPG on 37.9% from three so far over 10 years in the NBA and has played on four different franchises. Fournier was taken No. 20th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, lasting two seasons before joining the Orlando Magic, where he played for seven seasons. Currently, Fournier is playing for the New York Knicks.
Fournier had the most individual success of his career with the Magic, as he posted at least 17 PPG in 2017 and 2018 and averaged a career-high 18.5 PPG in the 2020 NBA season. Fournier is one of the best sharpshooters among Frenchman in NBA history and deserves credit for being a solid scorer and shooter (career 37.9% 3-PT FG). The shooting guard is one of the top-five French players who ever played in the NBA as well.
4. Boris Diaw
Career Stats: 8.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 2013-13 NBA Champion, 2005-06 Most Improved Player
Boris Diaw is one of the most renowned French players because of his extremely high basketball IQ. Diaw was not an accomplished athlete as he played below the rim despite standing 6’8” and weighing 250 lbs. Even if he wasn’t a spectacular athlete, he could pass the ball and rebound a little bit while scoring the ball from mid-range and three.
Diaw was taken No. 21 overall in the 2003 Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, where he lasted two seasons. His best season came in 2006 when the player took his averages from 4.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 2.3 APG with the Atlanta Hawks to 13.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 6.2 APG for the Phoenix Suns. After a stint with the Charlotte Hornets, Diaw would become a member of the 2014 San Antonio Spurs that would end up winning the championship as the role player played valuable minutes as he started three out of the five games in the Finals.
3. Joakim Noah
Career Stats: 8.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 2x All-Star, 2013-14 All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection, 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year
One of the most enigmatic international players in NBA history, Joakim Noah, was always going to be an impact player coming out of college as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2007 Draft. The center was known to be a high-energy and defensive-minded big man who could block shots, rebound, and provide unlimited energy on the court.
Noah posted 8.8 PPG and 9.0 RPG over his career, with all of his success coming with the Chicago Bulls. Noah made two All-Star Teams, an All-NBA Team, and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 when he posted 12.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.5 BPG. Other than Rudy Gobert, no French player had more defensive dominance than Noah did during his prime with the Bulls, and he is also one the most charismatic players of his generation.
2. Rudy Gobert
Career Stats: 12.5 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.1 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 3x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection, 6x All-Defensive Team Selection, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 2021-22 Rebounds Champion, 2016-17 Blocks Champion
No matter what former NBA players or NBA fans have to say about Rudy Gobert, his resume is cemented as the second-greatest French player ever. The 7’1” center has benefitted greatly from his size and long arms because he is impossible to score against when he is in the post. Gobert has won a whopping three Defensive Player of the Year awards which are tied for second all-time behind Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace (four times).
Gobert made the last three All-Star Teams with the Utah Jazz, helping the team become a title contender alongside Donovan Mitchell. Gobert was taken No. 27 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, which is why he played in Utah for nine straight seasons. Before this season, Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves where is averaging 13.7 PPG and 11.5 RPG. In terms of defensive impact, Gobert is the second-greatest Frenchman behind one future Hall of Fame player.
1. Tony Parker
Career Stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 4x NBA Champion, 2006-07 Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection, 2001-02 All-Rookie Team Selection
Tony Parker is one of the greatest international players ever and by far the greatest French star. The 6’2” point guard was taken No. 28 overall in the 2001 NBA Draft and had to overcome a ton of obstacles to end up being a San Antonio Spurs legend. For one, Parker was undersized and was entering a difficult situation as Gregg Popovich did not trust him to become Tim Duncan’s primary point guard. Remember, the Spurs already won a title in 1999 and were a title contender immediately.
With Popovich pushing Parker and even being harsh on him, the point guard answered the call by making the All-Rookie Team by posting 9.2 PPG and 4.3 APG. By his second season, Parker was given the reigns of the offense and was the starting point guard for the championship Spurs. Two years later, in 2005, Parker would win his second NBA title as part of a Big Three with Duncan and Manu Ginobili. In 2007, Parker shined brightest in the 2007 Finals as he won Finals MVP at the expense of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (24.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG). It would take seven years before Parker would go on to win his fourth NBA title in 2014, as the Big Three continued their dominance alongside a young Kawhi Leonard.
In terms of individual success (6 All-Star Teams), team success, and even skill, Tony Parker is the greatest French player ever. The speedy point guard was undersized but was incredibly quick with the ball and had one of the most accurate floaters in the lane. It wasn’t easy for Parker in his rookie campaign, but he became a star and will be honored as a Hall of Famer in due time.
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