In the history of the NBA, there have been 54 basketball players from the country of Canada to make their way to the professional ranks. Of those 54 players, 30 are currently in the NBA or have appeared in at least one game in the 2023-24 season. The clear best player from this group is All-Star and serious MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous Alexander who was recently touted as the greatest player ever from Canada by former NBA point guard Stephon Marbury.
While Gilgeous-Alexander has made his way into the conversation of the best players in the league, especially in the last two seasons, it may be too early to proclaim him the King of Canada. Based on their career stats, accolades, and accomplishments, we take a look at the 10 greatest Canadian NBA players to ever play in the league.
1. Steve Nash
Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 2x MVP, 8x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team Selection, 5x Assists Champ
For the time being, the NBA’s greatest Canadian remains Steve Nash. The two-time MVP is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history who led an innovative and effective offense for the Phoenix Suns during the 2000s under coach Mike D’Antoni.
Nash wouldn’t earn his first All-Star appearance until his sixth season in the NBA in 2002 with the Dallas Mavericks. Nash spent six seasons with the Mavericks from 1999 through 2004, averaging 14.6 points and 7.2 assists per game with two All-Star appearances and two All-NBA Team Third Team selections.
From there, Nash moved on to Phoenix for a reunion with the team that drafted him. Over the next eight seasons, Nash would lead the Suns to some of their best seasons in franchise history, averaging 14.4 points and 9.4 assists per game on 50/40/90 shooting splits. In 2005 and 2006, Nash would capture back-to-back MVP awards with Phoenix averaging 17.2 points and 11.0 assists per game. In 2018, Nash became the second Canadian inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player after Bob Houbregs in 1987.
2. Andrew Wiggins
Career Stats: 18.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 2014-15 Rookie Of The Year, 1x All-Star, 2014-15 All-Rookie Team Selection
For the time being, Andrew Wiggins has a loose grip on the second spot on the list of the NBA’s greatest Canadians. The former No. 1 overall draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers experienced the ugly side of the business immediately upon arrival, being traded to the Timberwolves in a deal that sent Kevin Love to the Cavaliers before he even made his NBA debut.
Wiggins went on to capture the Rookie of the Year award with Minnesota, averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 43.7% shooting. Wiggins would play five more seasons with Minnesota, averaging 19.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. For the last five seasons, Wiggins has been with the Golden State Warriors where it has been an up-and-down ride, to say the least.
In 2022, Wiggins had his most impactful season, taking on a massive two-way role with the Warriors en route to an NBA championship. In one postseason run, Wiggins slowed down the likes of Michael Porter Jr., Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum on the defensive end while averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Wiggins is one of two players from Canada with over 10,000 career points and one of five with at least 3,000 rebounds.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Career Stats: 22.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Career Awards And Achievements: 2x All-Star Selection, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 2018-19 All-Rookie Team Selection
If we were basing this list on pure stats and skill, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might have a runaway case for the top spot. Since entering the NBA in 2018-19, Gilgeous-Alexander has skyrocketed to elite levels, especially over the last two seasons.
After an impressive rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Gilgeous-Alexander found himself traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Clippers’ deal for Paul George. In five seasons with the Thunder, he has led their rebuild masterfully while becoming one of the top all-around players in the NBA.
Since 2019-20, he has averaged 25.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 49.8% shooting. He earned his first All-Star and All-NBA First Team selections in 2022-23 with an astounding 31.4 points per game on 51.0% shooting. To follow that up in 2023-24, Gilgeous-Alexander was named an All-Star starter, averaging 31.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game through 53 games.
4. Jamal Murray
Career Stats: 17.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 2016-17 All-Rookie Team Selection
Despite a lack of individual accolades, Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray has filled his resume enough to be considered a top-five Canadian player ever. After a season that saw him finish fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2016-17, Murray became the full-time starter for the Nuggets in his second season.
Since that time, Murray has played at an All-Star level for Denver despite never earning recognition for his play. After missing a year and a half of action due to a torn ACL in 2021 and 2022, Murray made his impact known epically. During the 2022-23 Denver Nuggets’ playoff run, Murray averaged 26.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game on 47.3% shooting to help lead the franchise to their first championship ever.
5. Rick Fox
Career Stats: 9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 3x NBA Champion, 1991-92 All-Rookie Team Selection
Rounding out the top five of all-time Canadian players in the NBA is three-time NBA champion and 13-year NBA veteran, Rick Fox. Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 24th overall pick in 1991, Fox would spend the first six seasons of his career in Beantown. In those six seasons, Fox averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
In 1997, Fox signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent where he would remain through the end of his career in 2004. Fox would become a key member of three Lakers championship teams from 2000-2002, serving as a primary defender on some of the most talented scoring wings in the NBA along the way. Fox finished his career ranking third in scoring in Canadian NBA history with 8,966 points and first in steals with 967.
6. Tristan Thompson
Career Stats: 8.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 1x NBA Champion, 2011-12 All-Rookie Team Selection
Falling just outside the top five for all-time greatest Canadian NBA players is Tristan Thompson. Among those eligible, Thompson leads all Canadian-born players with 6,260 total rebounds and is sixth in points with 6,727 in his 13-year NBA career.
Thompson did most of his notable damage with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2012 through 2020 after they made him their fourth overall pick in 2011. Thompson served as a physical and imposing presence in the paint for the Cavaliers during the 2010s which eventually helped lead to their only championship in franchise history in 2016. Thompson ranks third in Cavaliers franchise history in rebounds as well as fifth in blocks.
7. Jamaal Magloire
Career Stats: 7.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 1x All-Star
Despite being a career journeyman, Jamaal Magloire cracks the back end of the top 10 of the greatest Canadian players in NBA history. Magloire played for eight teams in 12 seasons in the NBA including the Hornets, Bucks, Trail Blazers, Nets, Mavericks, Heat, and Raptors. Magloire’s longest tenure would be from 2001 through 2005 with the Hornets as they transitioned from Charlotte to New Orleans.
In 2003-04, Magloire would earn the first and only All-Star selection of his career, averaging 13.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Magloire would finish his career with 4,917 points which is 10th among Canadian-born players and 4,408 rebounds which ranks second.
8. RJ Barrett
Career Stats: 18.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: N/A
Although his career lacks individual accolades and team success that warrants a higher position on this list, RJ Barrett comes in at No. 8 on the list of the best Canadian NBA players ever. Barrett was the third overall pick of the New York Knicks in 2019 coming out of Duke.
The next four and a half seasons had their share of ups and downs but Barrett eventually became one of the Knicks’ premier players. In 297 games played with New York, Barrett averaged 18.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 42/34/72 shooting splits. In 2023-24, Barrett would be dealt to the Toronto Raptors here he has played just 19 games so far. In those 19 games, he has already averaged 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game on 54.9% shooting overall and 36.6% from three.
9. Bill Wennington
Career Stats: 4.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Career Achievements And Awards: 3x NBA Champion
Bill Wennington was far from an All-Star player during his 13-year NBA career with the Mavericks, Kings, and Bulls. Despite that fact, being a member of a dynasty, even off the bench, which went on to win three NBA championships has to count for something in terms of his legacy among players from Canada.
Wennington played six seasons in the NBA from 1986 through 1991, averaging just 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. After two years overseas in Italy, Wennington returned to the NBA with the Bulls in 1993-94. From 1996-1998, Wennington played a pivotal role off the bench for Chicago on their way to three straight NBA championships. Wennington’s 3,307 career points and 2,148 rebounds rank 14th and eighth in NBA history for Canadian players.
10. Kelly Olynyk
Career Stats: 10.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Career Awards And Achievements: 2013-14 All-Rookie Team Selection
When it comes to 11-year NBA veteran Kelly Olynyk, he has somewhat exceeded expectations during his career. Olynyk was the 13th overall pick of the Celtics in the 2013 NBA Draft where he would go on to spend the first four seasons of his career. During that time, he averaged 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, filling the role of physical enforcer in the paint very well.
Since 2017-18, Olynyk has played for five different teams including the Heat, Rockets, Pistons, Jazz, and Raptors. Although his address has changed, his approach to the game has never wavered and he remains a respected and highly sought-after teammate for many, averaging 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game since 2018. Olynyk’s 7,427 points are fifth in NBA history for Canadian players and his 3,774 rebounds rank third.
Honorable Mention
Bob Houbregs
Career Stats: 9.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.8 APG
Career Achievements And Awards: N/A
The top 10 of the greatest players from the country of Canada would not be a complete list without the inclusion of Bob Houbregs. As far as Canadians go, Houbregs is the only player aside from Steve Nash to be elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame despite a career that lasted just five seasons from 1954 through 1958.
Houbregs’ best seasons in the NBA came with the Fort Wayne Pistons from 1955 through 1958. In those four seasons, Houbregs averaged 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game on 41.7% shooting. Houbregs would help the Pistons reach the NBA Finals in 1955 and 1956 although they would fall to the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia Warriors.
