Gone are the days when the NBA was a wholly American league. These days you are just as likely to be watching athletes from Europe and Canada than homegrown hoops stars. There have also been an increasing number of players from Africa – or those claiming African heritage. In fact, an estimated 10% of current players were either born in Africa or have at least one parent from the continent.
The NBA has been aggressively marketing itself as a world league in recent years and that includes events and activities all across Africa. As a result, the game has become hugely popular and there will undoubtedly be millions of fans tuning in to the 2025 NBA finals to see who will be this year’s champion.
The Indiana Pacers even have Cameroonian power forward Pascal Siakam playing a major role in their attempt at winning a first-ever championship. So, as basketball fans enjoy the rest of what has turned out to be an enthralling finals series, we thought we would pay homage to some of the best African NBA stars of all time.
Manute Bol
Born in what is now South Sudan, Manute Bol made quite the impression when he arrived in the US in 1982 – and it was not only because he stood at a towering 7ft 7. Growing up in a relatively peaceful time, Bol was able to live a normal life and was invited to play basketball in Khartoum after being photographed as a teenager.
After a year in the US, he was drafted by the San Diego Clippers. But due to eligibility reasons, that pick was voided and he played college hoops for two years before being taken by the Washington Bullets in the second round of the 1985 draft. Thanks to his incredible height, Bol became one of the best defensive players in NBA history and was the only player who ended his career with more blocks than points.
Luc Mbah a Moute
A Cameroonian trailblazer in the NBA, Mbah a Moute was born in Yaoundé but was already in the US by high school age, eventually playing for the UCLA Bruins at college and showing a particular talent for rebounds. He became the first player to appear in three consecutive Final Fours with UCLA before being drafted by Milwaukee in 2008.
Although he was never voted to the All-Defensive team during his time in the NBA, Mbah a Moute was a well-respected forward who never gave opponents an easy chance to shoot. He memorably played for the Rockets and the Clippers towards the end of his career and went on to set up a basketball camp in native Cameroon that gave Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam opportunities to follow in his footsteps.
Luol Deng
After escaping war in his native South Sudan, Deng was actually mentored by Manute Bol while still a child in Egypt, before his family eventually moved to the UK. He soon became a promising talent in London and then made the move to the US to play high school hoops in New Jersey.
Deng continued to excel at Duke and played just one year of college ball before making himself eligible for the NBA Draft. His confidence was repaid with the 7th overall pick by Phoenix but he was then immediately traded to the Bulls. Deng was named an All-Star twice and enjoyed a 15-year NBA career before returning to South Sudan to help coach its national team.
Dikembe Mutombo
Mutombo’s defensive skills were so impressive that his trademark finger wag after yet another block was actually banned by the league at one point. But he is now remembered as one of the greatest defensive players the NBA has ever seen. Not bad for a player who only moved to the US from his native DR Congo at the age of 21.
Mutombo first played NCAA hoops for Georgetown before being drafted by the Nuggets with the fourth overall pick in 1991. Although he never won a title, he did play in the finals with the 76ers and the Nets and received the Defensive Player of the Year Award on four occasions. He was also an eight-time All-Star.
Joel Embiid
At one time Embiid was regarded as a future Hall of Famer and one of the best players in the league. It says something about his talent that some fans feel as though he has not lived up to his potential – even with an NBA MVP award to his name, as well as seven All-Star appearances.
Embiid only took up basketball as a teenager in Cameroon and moved to the US when he was 16. He played college hoops at Kansas for a year before becoming the third overall pick of the 2014 draft. Even with all his honors, Embiid has endured an injury-plagued career but is still hoping to win a championship with Philadelphia – the only team he has played for in 11 years in the league.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Considered one of the greatest centers of all time, Olajuwon left his native Nigeria to play for the University of Houston in 1981 and then was the number one pick overall in the 1984 NBA Draft. That feat is even more impressive when you consider that John Stockton, Charles Barkley, and Michael Jordan were also in the same draft class.
Olajuwon would go on to fulfil his potential – and then some – being named as an All-Star on 12 occasions and winning back-to-back championships with the Houston Rockets in the mid-1990s. After playing 20 years in Houston, Olajuwon played briefly for Toronto before retiring as arguably one of the greatest African players ever to appear in the NBA.
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