The NBA is one of the most culturally diverse sports leagues in the world, which means that players from around the world have made their mark.
The United Kingdom isn’t typically renowned for producing world class basketball talent, but there have been a number of players throughout NBA history that has defied that reputation to carve out an excellent career for themselves.
These are three of the stars that have enjoyed lengthy careers in the NBA.
Luol Deng
Luol Deng was born in South Sudan, but moved to the United Kingdom as a child. He became a British citizen in 2006, and later went on to play a prominent role in the national team throughout his career.
However, his talent on the court was unquestionable, as he was a two-time NBA All-Star during his career in North America. His potential was clear to see from an early age, as he played college ball at Duke, and was drafted in the first round and seventh overall by the Phoenix Suns.
He would be immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls, and stayed with the famous franchise for ten years between 2004 and 2014.
He was named in the NBA All-Rookie first team in his first season, and would later be named in the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2012. After a ten-year stay with the Bulls, he moved onto the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then the Miami Heat.
His final two seasons in the NBA saw Deng play for the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, before he signed a one-day contract to bring his career to a close with the Bulls in October 2019.
James Donaldson
James Donaldson was born in Heacham, England in April 1957, before moving to the United States to attend Washington State in 1975 to pursue his career in basketball.
Donaldson was drafted in the fourth round of the 1979 draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, and went on to play in the NBA for a number of different franchises between 1980 and 1993.
His 13-year career saw him score a total of 8,203 points, 7,492 rebounds and make 1,267 blocks. After three years with the SuperSonics, he moved to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1983, before spending the majority of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks.
During his six-year stay with the Mavericks, he was named an NBA All-Star. Donaldson went on to play for the Utah Jazz on two separate occasions. His first spell came in 1993, before he re-joined the same franchise in 1995 after a short spell with Iraklis Thessaloniki.
OG Anunoby
The number of British-born winners of the NBA are few and far between, but one star that has achieved that success very early in his career has been OG Anunoby.
The 23-year-old was born in London but went to college in Indiana after moving to the United States when he was aged four.
Sporting success is common in Anunoby’s family, as his brother played for the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns during his NFL career. Anunoby joined the NBA in the 2017 draft after he was picked in the first round by the Toronto Raptors.
He has been with the Raptors for the past three years, and he is getting a more prominent role in the team with every passing season.
Anunoby was a part of the history-making Raptors side that won the NBA in 2019 and has become a vital part of their set-up over the past two seasons.
OG recently agreed to a new deal with the franchise to remain with the Raptors until 2025.
He looks set to have his most productive season in the NBA this term, as he has averaged 14.6 points per game, and 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Anunoby is a frequent choice in Twinspires Edge NBA free picks.
There you have it, the best NBA players from UK in history. Who did we miss? Can the UK produce more basketball athletes for the big leagues?
