17 American Born Players Are Playing At The 2022 EuroBasket Tournament

The United States of America is well-represented in the ongoing 2022 EuroBasket tournament as 17 American-born players in the competition.

3 Min Read

The scale of international basketball is absolutely immense. Due to many players originating from countries with poor basketball infrastructure and then moving elsewhere, or vice versa, players can have the choice to represent which country they want.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is of Nigerian descent, was born in Athens, Greece, and he chose to represent Greece. On the flip side, Luka Doncic chose to represent his home country of Slovenia even when he could have become a member of the then-powerhouse Spanish national team, as he played in Spain since he was 14. 

Reddit user u/mzp3256 compiled a list of all the American-born athletes that have chosen to represent their countries or origin at EuroBasket 2022. The 17 American players have represented over 15 countries, with only Greece and Georgia having more than one American-born athlete on the team

Bosnia & Herzegovina – John Robinson
Bulgaria – Dee Bost
Croatia – Jaleen Smith
Georgia – Thad McFadden, Sandro Mamukelashvili
Germany – Nick Weiler-Babb
Greece – Tyler Dorsey, Nick Calathes
Hungary – Mikael Hopkins
Israel – Jake Cohen
Lithuania – Domantas Sabonis
Montenegro – Kendrick Perry
Netherlands – Shane Hammink
Poland – AJ Slaughter
Slovenia – Mike Tobey
Spain – Lorenzo Brown
Turkey – Shane Larkin


Why Did These Players Choose To Not Represent The USA?

Team USA is arguably the most competitive basketball team to get into. The selection criteria only allow elite players to be selected for competitions like the Olympic Games. As a result, these players do have a greater chance of earning international glory playing for their countries of origin instead of the country they were born in.

Many players elect to represent their countries of origin out of respect for where they came from and their parents. Tyler Dorsey is playing for Greece despite being a Southern California native due to the Greek culture in his house. The same goes for NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, Arvydas, who was a Lithuanian legend. 

The most fascinating story comes from Shane Larkin, who doesn’t have any ties to the country he represents, Turkey. After he left the NBA to pursue EuroLeague basketball, Larkin was embraced as a superstar in Turkey. He became a Turkish citizen after spending a few years there and now represents the national team as well. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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