Ever since the NBA began, it has opened its gates to international players. From Canada to Croatia, international ballers have become some of the biggest names in history. Out of all the countries, Greece has given NBA some legendary superstars.
As of the current roster, only one player is carrying this legacy, and that is Giannis Antetokounmpo, aka the ‘Greek Freak’. The article follows his NBA career and what he represents for Greece!
Greece NBA Players List (Active):
Giannis Antetokounmpo (2015-Present):
Born to a poor family in Athens, Greece, Giannis and his three brothers struggled financially. Due to this, they would sell whatever they can on the streets, with a dream of making big one day.
What started as a way to make money, became his ticket to success. In 2015, he got drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, and started his journey in NBA. The unknown rookie proved his excellence by becoming a two-time NBA MVP and leading the Bucks to their first title in 50 years.
Giannis had another dominant season in 2024-25 averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game over 67 games. He led the Bucks to win the inaugural NBA Cup in December 2024.
Although many teams like San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and even Toronto Raptors are hoping to bag him, he will be playing with the Bucks following his contract through 2026-27 season.
Greece NBA Players List (Retired):
| Player | Pos | HT | WT | Team(s) |
| Vassilis Spanoulis | SG | 4-Jun | 210 | HOU |
| Efthimios Rentzias | C | 11-Jun | 260 | PHL |
| Andreas Glyniadakis | C | Jul-00 | 245 | SEA |
| Jake Tsakalidis | C | 2-Jul | 285 | HOU, MEM, PHX |
| Peja Stojakovic | F | 10-Jun | 229 | DAL, IND, NOP, SAC, TOR |
| Kosta Koufos | C | Jul-00 | 265 | DEN, MEM, MIN, SAC, UTH |
| Marko Jaric | GF | 7-Jun | 224 | LAC, MEM, MIN |
| Antonis Fotsis | PF | 8-Jun | 248 | MEM |
| Dragan Tarlac | C | 11-Jun | 270 | CHI |
| Nick Calathes | PG | 6-Jun | 213 | MEM |
| Devin Ebanks | F | 9-Jun | 215 | LAL |
| Kostas Papanikolaou | PF | 8-Jun | 225 | DEN, HOU |
| Naz Long | PG | 4-Jun | 218 | IND, UTH |
| George Papagiannis | C | 2-Jul | 275 | POR, SAC |
| Tyler Dorsey | SG | 5-Jun | 183 | ATL, DAL, MEM |
| Thanasis Antetokounmpo | SF | 7-Jun | 219 | MIL, NYK |
| Kostas Antetokounmpo | PF | 10-Jun | 200 | DAL, LAL |
| Georgios Kalaitzakis | F | 7-Jun | 205 | MIL, OKC |
While Giannis remains the only active Greek player in NBA, rising stars like Neoklis Avdalas, Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Lefteris Liotopoulous, might soon follow his footsteps and expand the Greece NBA Players List in upcoming years.
Hey there! I’m Muskan, a sports content writer diving deep into the NBA world one story at a time. I keep things simple, real, and fun. Whether you're a hardcore fan or just getting started, I got you covered!
