Over the last two decades in the NBA, international players have dominated the top of the league. In the last five seasons, there have been four MVP-winning seasons put forth by European-born players alone. Using our most accurate formula, we figured it was time to crown the greatest of these European-born stars to ever hit the NBA hardwood.Â
Just like we used our formula to determine who the greatest international player ever was, we hone in our focus on solely players born on the continent of Europe. Dirk Nowitzki, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker are our five candidates in this comparison as they put forth the greatest careers of any European-born players in NBA history. Younger stars of today such as Luka Doncic were left out of this scenario lacking the longevity and accomplishments to be considered just yet.
Without any further explanations, it is time to determine who the greatest European player of all time is.
Best Stats
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 22.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.3 BPG (5 Points)
2. Nikola Jokic – 20.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG (4 Points)
3. Dirk Nowitzki – 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG (3 Points)
4. Pau Gasol – 17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG (2 Points)
5. Tony Parker – 15.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG (1 Point)
As always, we kick things off with our best stats category. Two of the NBA’s biggest stars of today lead the way with extraordinary career numbers so far that separate them from the pack. Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged more points than anyone in this comparison as well as the best overall defensive stats. Dominating both sides of the ball the way he has for his entire career puts him in front for five points.
Nikola Jokic is easily the best all-around offensive weapon on this list. His ability to score and make plays for himself and his teammates makes him a triple threat worthy of second-place points in this category. Right behind him is the 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game of Dirk Nowitzki. While Dirk’s legacy goes far beyond his numbers, they are still good enough to earn him three points here.
This means that Pau Gasol and Tony Parker will be taking home two points and one point respectively. Gasol gets the slight nod over Parker for being the better scorer and rebounder which is obvious given their positions on the court. Gasol’s 1.6 blocks per game in his career also helped him stay out of last place.
Most NBA Championships
1. Tony Parker – 4 NBA Championships (5 Points)
2. Pau Gasol – 2 NBA Championships (4 Points)
T3. Dirk Nowitzki – 1 NBA Championship (3 Points)
T3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 1 NBA Championships (3 Points)
T3. Nikola Jokic – 1 NBA Championship (3 Points)
All five of these players in this comparison today have been able to feel the joy of becoming an NBA champion. Tony Parker takes home five points for his role with the San Antonio Spurs dynasty during the 2000s. Parker helped the Spurs capture four NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. Pau Gasol takes home second-place points for this category as the only other multiple-time champion in this comparison. Gasol was the missing link for the Lakers during the late 2000s and helped them win back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.
Arguably the three biggest names in this comparison have all won one NBA championship. Dirk Nowitzki is the only one of those three with no chance to add to his total. He led the Mavericks to their only championship in 2011, pulling off one of the largest playoff upsets ever when he took down the Miami Heat.
As for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, they are currently in the primes of their careers with the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. Both players have led their teams to titles within the last four seasons with Antetokounmpo’s coming in 2021 and Jokic’s coming just last season in 2023. I can confidently say I believe at least one of them will join Parker and Gasol with multiple titles before the end of their careers.
Most MVP Awards
T1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 2 MVP Awards (5 Points)
T1. Nikola Jokic – 2 MVP Awards (5 Points)
3. Dirk Nowitzki – 1 MVP Award (3 Points)
T4. Tony Parker – 0 MVP Awards (0 Points)
T4. Pau Gasol – 0 MVP Awards (0 Points)
Just three of the five European players we are comparing today, only three have been named MVP in their careers. Of those three, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo both take home five points for their two MVP awards so far in their careers. Giannis won back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 with the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game in those two years. Jokic would take home back-to-back MVP awards in 2021 and 2022 averaging 26.7 Points, 12.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in those two seasons.
The only other player on this list to secure at least one MVP award is Dirk Nowitzki. In 2007, Nowitzki would lead the Dallas Mavericks to 67 wins averaging 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds on 50.2% shooting overall and 41.6% from three to win the award. Tony Parker and Pau Gasol never were MVPs in their career but any real basketball fan knows their value cannot be measured by the award alone.
Most Finals MVP Awards
T1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 1 Finals MVP Award (5 Points)
T1. Nikola Jokic – 1 Finals MVP Award (5 Points)
T1. Tony Parker – 1 Finals MVP Award (5 Points)
T1. Dirk Nowitzki – 1 Finals MVP Award (5 Points)
5. Pau Gasol – 0 Finals MVP Awards (0 Points)
Four of the five European players we are examining today have also been named Finals MVP in their careers, leading their team to championship glory. Tony Parker earned his Finals MVP first back in 2007 for the Spurs in a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Parker was named Finals MVP averaging 24.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Dirk Nowitzki was next in 2011 when he led the Mavericks to a six-game series win over the Heat. Nowitzki averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game to win the award.
The next two Europeans to join the list are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic who joined the list in the 2020s. Antetokounmpo helped Milwaukee defeat the Phoenix Suns in 2021 in six games. He averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game to win the award. Nikola Jokic joined the party in 2023 by leading the Nuggets to a dominant five-game series win over the Heat. He averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game to secure the award.
While Pau Gasol was never named Finals MVP, the Los Angeles Lakers do not win two championships in 2009 and 2010. Gasol’s leadership, defense, and interior presence on both sides of the ball were paramount to Los Angeles’ success in those seasons.
Most Defensive Player Of The Year Awards
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 1 Defensive Player Of The Year Award (5 Points)
T2. Tony Parker – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T2. Nikola Jokic – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T2. Dirk Nowitzki – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T2. Pau Gasol – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
Of the five players we are comparing today, only one has ever been honored for their defensive play with a Defensive Player of the Year award. Giannis Antetokounmpo is clearly the best defensive player in this comparison and his win in this category only proves that further. Giannis won his Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020 with the Milwaukee Bucks averaging 13.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game that season.
Of the four remaining players, only Pau Gasol ever truly had a shot at a Defensive Player of the Year award. Even then, Gasol wasn’t exactly close having never even made an All-Defensive team in his career. Parker, Nowitzki, and Jokic are all considered to be NBA legends but all three have always been criticized for their lack of a dominant or prevalent defensive game as well.
Most All-NBA Team Selections
1. Dirk Nowitzki – 12 All-NBA Team Selections (5 Points)
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 7 All-NBA Team Selections (4 Points)
3. Nikola Jokic – 5 All-NBA team Selections (3 Points)
T4. Pau Gasol – 4 All-NBA Team Selections (2 Points)
T4. Tony Parker – 4 All-NBA Team Selections (2 Points)
Longevity starts to creep through in our comparison when we reach the following few categories. When it comes to All-NBA Team selections, Dirk Nowitzki easily takes this category with 12 selections in his career. Of those 12 selections, Nowitzki earned four First Team selections and five Second Team selections in 21 seasons of play with the Dallas Mavericks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are next up in the second and third-place spots for this category. Giannis earned four points for his seven All-NBA Team selections which includes five to the First Team in his career. As for Jokic, he has earned five All-NBA Team selections so far in his career with the Denver Nuggets. Surprisingly, only three of those have been to the First Team while the other two were to the Second Team.
Both Pau Gasol and Tony Parker were able to muster four All-NBA Team selections in their careers. Gasol would earn two selections each to the Second and Third Teams while Parker earned three Second team selections and one Third Team selection in his career.
Most All-Defensive Team Selections
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 5 All-Defensive Team Selections (5 Points)
T2. Nikola Jokic – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T2. Dirk Nowitzki – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T2. Tony Parker – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
T2. Pau Gasol – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
Once again, Giannis Antetokounmpo claims the only defensive accolades in this comparison with five All-Defensive team selections so far in his career. Antetokounmpo has claimed four First Team selections in his career on the defensive side of the ball as he has dominated opponents with his superior shot-blocking and altering. His versatility has been a plus as well as smaller wing players and guards find it extremely difficult to get around a player with his length and ability.
The other four players in this comparison aren’t exactly negatives on defense but rather fall into the average category for their efforts on this side of the ball. Pau Gasol is arguably the best defender of these four players as an exceptional shot-blocker and interior player in his career. Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and Nikola Jokic all had their struggles on the defensive end which led to a lack of defensive accolades.
Most All-Star Selections
1. Dirk Nowitzki – 14 All-Star Selections (5 Points)
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 7 All-Star Selections (4 Points)
T3. Pau Gasol – 6 All-Star Selections (3 Points)
T3. Tony Parker – 6 All-Star Selections (3 Points)
5. Nikola Jokic – 5 All-Star Selections (1 Point)
As previously mentioned, longevity is a big factor in some of these categories and All-Star selections are no different. In 21 seasons in the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki was named an All-Star 14 times as one of the premier overall players in the game for most of the 2000s and 2010s. Nowitzki was named an All-Star 13 times in 14 seasons from 2002 through 2015 but was never able to capture an All-Star MVP award.
Giannis Antetokounmpo earns second-place points for the seven All-Star selections he has had in his career so far. Unlike Nowitzki, Giannis was able to capture an All-Star MVP award in 2021. Both Pau Gasol and Tony Parker were able to secure third-place points for their six All-Star selections although that is sure to fall in the next few seasons with Nikola Jokic hot on their tails with five selections in his career so far.
Most Total Win Shares
1. Dirk Nowitzki – 206.3 Win Shares (5 Points)
2. Pau Gasol – 144.1 Win Shares (4 Points)
3. Tony Parker – 111.3 Win Shares (3 Points)
4. Nikola Jokic – 99.1 Win Shares (2 Points)
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 98.8 Win Shares (1 Point)
The longevity bug strikes again with the total win shares category as you will see when we go through this category. Taking home five points with 206.3 win shares in his career is Dirk Nowitzki. With 21 seasons under his belt, over 200 win shares are saying something about what Dirk meant to the Mavericks in his career. Nowitzki even led the NBA in win shares in 2007 and 2008.
Pau Gasol and Tony Parker take home four and three points respectively as the only other players above 100.0 win shares in their careers. Both Gasol and Parker were never league leaders in total win shares in their careers but they were consistent enough to have a significant impact on every franchise they were a part of over time.
The current superstars, Jokic and Antetokounmpo, get the short end of the stick in this category, falling just shy of 100.0 win shares so far in their careers. Both players are well on their way to moving up this list though. Jokic has led the NBA in each of the last four seasons in total win shares while Giannis has never led the NBA but did record at least 10.0 win shares every season from 2017 through 2022.
PER
1. Nikola Jokic – 27.9 PER (5 Points)
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 25.0 PER (4 Points)
3. Dirk Nowitzki – 22.4 PER (3 Points)
4. Pau Gasol – 21.4 PER (2 Points)
5. Tony Parker – 18.8 PER (1 Point)
Adversely to most of our categories in this comparison, PER gives the players who have yet to experience a decline in their play that comes with time. As it stands, Nikola Jokic is one of the most efficient centers and overall players in NBA history with a 27.9 PER. He has led the NBA for the last four seasons with a PER over 30 each season and has never finished with a PER less than 21.5.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol all have career PERs that are over 20.0. Giannis gets four points for his finish on this list and has led the NBA in PER twice with three seasons over the 30.0 mark. Pau Gasol has never led the NBA in PER but he did record a rating over 20.0 every season from 2001 through 2017. As for Nowitzki, he led the NBA one time in 2006 with a 28.1 PER and recorded a season of 20.0 or higher every season from 2001 through 2013.
Tony Parker falls to last place in this category with a career 18.8 PER as the only one in this comparison failing to reach 20.0 for his entire career.
Who Is The Greatest European Player Of All-Time?
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 41 Points (5 Categories Won)
2. Dirk Nowitzki – 32 Points (4 Categories Won)
3. Nikola Jokic – 28 Points (3 Categories Won)
4. Tony Parker – 20 Points (2 Categories Won)
5. Pau Gasol – 17 Points (0 Categories Won)
Phew! Now that the dust has settled let’s take a look at the results and crown the greatest European player in NBA history. With a resounding win, Giannis Antetokounmpo has come out on top with 41 points, nine points ahead of second place. Other than longevity, Giannis’ impact on both sides of the ball is unmatched by any other European player in history. This makes me think that we have underrated how great a player is at their peak in favor of longevity. When it all comes together, maybe it is time to start having the conversation about Giannis already surpassing the greats like Dirk Nowitzki on all-time lists.
The other surprise on this list is how much Nikola Jokic has already closed the gap between him and legends such as Nowitzki and Antetokounmpo. Jokic is clearly on a path to bring his career to a point well beyond Nowitzki with major accomplishments coming far sooner in his career than Dirk obtained them.
Tony Parker and Pau Gasol fought valiantly in this comparison but I am pretty sure everyone knew going into this that they were going to bring up the rear in the end. By no means does this diminish what they did in their careers or what they meant to team success and NBA championships along the way. All it means is that when it comes to the legendary European players in NBA history, they fall short of being in the conversation for the greatest.
