Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Leagues Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Tournaments Media Gallery Ambassadors OWQLO International Home

The NBA European Ambassadors comprise of former NBA and WNBA players who support in Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA programs and NBA Cares clinics throughout the Europe Middle East region.

John Amaechi

1995

John Amaechi

Drafted

1995

Hometown

England

Team

Orlando Magic

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 5

Scored the first NBA points of the millennia (Orlando Magic – 2000)

Francisco Elson

1999

Francisco Elson

Drafted

Seasons in the NBA: 11

Hometown

Netherlands

Team

San Antonio Spurs

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 11

Elson was the seventh Dutch player to appear in the NBA

He served as the captain of the Netherlands national basketball team in international basketball, and led the team in several Eurobasket qualifying rounds.

2006-07 NBA Championship (Spurs)

Gordan Giriček

Gordan Giriček

Drafted

1999

Hometown

Croatia

Team

Orlando Magic

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 6

Made his professional debut for Cibona playing from 1993 – 2001

Marko Milič

Marko Milič

Drafted

1997

Hometown

Slovenia

Team

Phoenix Suns

Awards

First NBA player from Slovenia

Played for Real Madrid, Union Olimpija, Fenerbahce and Bologna

Hanno Möttölä

Hanno Möttölä

Drafted

2000

Hometown

Finland

College

University of Utah

Team

Atlanta Hawks

Awards

First Finnish player in the NBA

Member of the FIBA Players’ Commission

Played in the 1995, 2011 and the 2013 Eurobasket and 2014 FIBA world cup

Boštjan Nachbar

Boštjan Nachbar

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Slovenia

Team

Houston Rockets

Awards

Second-leading scorer in the EuroLeague during the 2012-13 season

Played for FCB Barcelona from 2015-2017

Audie Norris

Audie Norris

Drafted

1982

Hometown

United States

Team

Portland Trail Blazers

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 3

Played 2 years with Benetton Basket, 6 years with FC Barcelona

Ticha Penicheiro

Ticha Penicheiro

Drafted

1998

Hometown

Portugal

Team

Sacramento Monarchs

Awards

4x WNBA All-Star and 3x All-WNBA selection

Holds the WNBA records for career assists

2005 WNBA Champion

Dino Rađa

Dino Rađa

Drafted

1989

Hometown

Croatia

Team

Boston Celtics

Awards

Fourth Croatian to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame (2018)

Won two Euroleague titles with KK Split (1989 & 1990)

2x Olympic Silver Medallist & 2x FIBA Eurobasket Gold Medalist

Vladimir Radmanović

Vladimir Radmanović

Drafted

2001

Hometown

Serbia

Team

Seattle SuperSonics

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 12

Won a gold medal with Serbia at the FIBA World Cup in 2002

Efthimios Rentzias

Efthimios Rentzias

Drafted

1996

Hometown

Greece

Awards

Second Greek-born basketball player to ever play in the NBA

Played in the 1996 Olympic Games and 1994 & 1999 FIBA World Championship

Dragan Tarlać

Dragan Tarlać

Drafted

1995

Hometown

Serbia

Team

Chicago Bulls

Awards

Won five Greek League Championships and one EuroLeague Championship

Won 2001 FIBA EuroBasket

Ronny Turiaf

Ronny Turiaf

Drafted

2005

Hometown

France

College

Gonzaga

Team

LA Clippers

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 10

NBA Champion (2012 - Miami Heat)

Amaya Valdemoro

Amaya Valdemoro

Drafted

1998

Hometown

Spain

Team

Houston Comets

Awards

3x WNBA Champion

2x Olympian (2004 & 2008)

2007 EuroBasket MVP

Jiri Welsch

Jiri Welsch

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Czech Republic

Team

Boston Celtics

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 4

Czech National Team (1999, 2007, 2013, 2015 and 2017)

Anastasia Kostaki

Anastasia Kostaki

Drafted

Undrafted

Hometown

Greece

Team

Houston Cornets

Awards

First Greek player in the WNBA

1x Olympian (2004)

Dalibor Bagaric

Dalibor Bagaric

Drafted

2000

Hometown

Croatia/Germany

Team

Chicago Bulls

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 3

Senior Croatian National Team (2003 & 2005)

Zaza Pachulia

Zaza Pachulia

Drafted

2003

Hometown

Georgia

Team

Golden State Warriors

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 16

2 x NBA Champion (2017 & 2018)

Nikoloz Tskitishvili

Nikoloz Tskitishvili

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Georgia

Team

Denver Nuggets

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 4

Won the Italian League championship under head coach Mike D'Antoni

Omri Casspi

Omri Casspi

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Israel

Team

Sacramento Kings

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 10

4x Israeli Champion

Sonja Vasic

Sonja Vasic

Drafted

2009

Team

San Antonio Stars

Awards

3x EuroLeague Champion

EuroBasket Champion & MVP (2015)

Mickael Pietrus

Mickael Pietrus

Drafted

2003

Hometown

France

Awards

2009 NBA Finalist (Orlando Magic)

2x French League Champion & 2x French Cup Champion

2005 EuroBasket Bronze Medalist

Luis Scola

Luis Scola

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Argentina/Italy

Team

San Antonio Spurs

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 10

Olympic Champion (2004)

2x ACB League MVP

Thabo Sefolosha

Thabo Sefolosha

Drafted

2006

Hometown

Switzerland

Team

Chicago Bulls

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 1

First Swiss player in the NBA

Linas Kleiza

Linas Kleiza

Drafted

2005

Hometown

Lithuania

College

Missouri

Team

Denver Nuggets

Awards

2x FIBA World Champion (2006 & 2010)

2x EuroBasket Champion (2007 & 2013)

2008 Olympian (Lithuania)

Nenad Krstic

Nenad Krstic

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Serbia

Team

New Jersey Nets

Awards

5x Olympian (2005, 2009, 2011 & 2013)

Played with the Serbia and Montenegro national team

2x All-Euroleague First Team selection (2012 & 2013)

Mery Andrade

Mery Andrade

Drafted

1999

Hometown

Portugal

Team

Cleveland Rockers

Awards

Seasons in the WNBA: 5

Member of the Portuguese National Team

Raül López

Raül López

Drafted

2001

Hometown

Spain

Team

Utah Jazz

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 2

Key player for the Spanish National Team

Salah Mejri

Salah Mejri

Drafted

2008

Hometown

Tunisia

Team

Dallas Mavericks

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 3

Signed with Real Madrid in 2012

Igor Rakočević

Igor Rakočević

Drafted

2000

Hometown

Serbia

Team

Minnesota Timberwolves

Awards

One of the top European guards of his generation

Seasons in the NBA: 1

Ian Mahinmi

Ian Mahinmi

Drafted

2007

Hometown

France

Team

Washington Wizards

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 12

Member of the French National Team

Boštjan Nachbar

Boštjan Nachbar

Drafted

2002

Hometown

Slovakia

Team

Houston Rockets

Awards

Seasons in the NBA: 6