Throughout recent years, we have seen an explosion of international talent enter the league, in particular from Europe. Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have won MVPs after coming from overseas.
To celebrate their European talent, the NBA has recently released their All-Time NBA European teams. It seems as though there are not any positional specifications for the teams.
First All-Time NBA European Team: Dirk Nowitzki, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Luka Doncic
Second All-Time NBA European Team: Nikola Jokic, Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Peja Stojakovic, Arvydas Sabonis
There is no doubt that all of these players are very deserving of the honor. Every player except Luka Doncic on the first team has been a key part of a championship-winning squad, and all of them have been selected to multiple All-Star games. As far as the 2nd team, Nikola Jokic is an MVP, while Peja Stojakovic and Drazen Petrovic have both been selected to All-NBA teams. Drazen Petrovic is also credited as a player who paved the way for other Europeans to dominate in the league, and unfortunately, he passed away before he could become a superstar in the NBA.
There are a lot of solid European players in the league currently, even when we look beyond the top-tier names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. Players like Rudy Gobert and Domantas Sabonis have both made All-Star teams as well, and there are solid role players in the league who hail from Europe, such as Bojan Bogdanovic. It is clear that the continent is very good at producing NBA-level talent.
Hopefully, we continue to see more European players find success in the league going forward. The NBA is truly an international game as of right now, and that means many talented European players will keep going to the NBA and trying to find a place for themselves.
