The National Basketball Association (NBA) is, without a doubt, the most prestigious basketball league our universe can boast of.
It is the dream of every aspiring basketballer to feature in the NBA and share history with the eminent likes of Lebron James and Stephen Curry — with the latter staples on top bookmaker sites, including elite bitcoin bookmaker platforms.
Interestingly, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has an extensive mixture of races and ethnicities. It would delight you to learn that Latinos constitute a substantial fraction of the NBA.
And here is something even worth more notable. An exciting number of Latino players have dominated the NBA and cemented a legendary status in this elite league.
This article will highlight 6 Latin American basketballers in NBA history, their achievements, and feats while playing.
Manu Ginóbili – Argentina
Emanuel David Ginóbili is a former professional basketball player from Argentina, and he is regarded as one of the greatest Latino players in NBA history.
He was born on July 28, 1977, and his stellar professional career lasted 23 years. He was one of the famous “Big Three” in Spurs.
After being 57th in the 1999 NBA draft, he signed for the Spurs in 2002 and was vital to the team. He won four NBA championships, an Olympic medal, and a Euroleague throughout his NBA career, where he played for San Antonio Spurs as a shooting guard.
The 2008 NBA Sixth Man winner averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022 and retired in 2018.
Al Horford – Dominican Republic
Alfred Joel Horford was born on June 3, 1986, and he is a Dominican professional basketball player. He plays as a Center/Power forward for Boston Celtics in the NBA, and he is one of the greatest Latino NBA players.
After his impressive NCAA campaign in 2006 and 2007, Horford was drafted into the NBA by the Atlanta Hawks.
Following his selection into the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2008, he won the Rookie of the month four times and was the second Rookie of the year.
Between 2016 and 2021, Alfred played for Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Oklahoma City Thunder before returning to Celtics. Currently, he earns more than other Latin Americans in the championship.
Leandro Barbosa – Brazil
Leandro Mateus Barbosa was born on November 28, 1982, and played as Shooting Guard in the NBA and for the Brazilian National basketball team.
Barbosa was popularly called “The Brazilian Blur” because of his pace, and he got drafted into the NBA in 2003 by San Antonio Spurs.
Further, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he scored the highest points (27) by a rookie first-timer and won the 2007 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
In 2015, he became the NBA champion with Golden State. As a rookie, he scored a 3-pointer collectively for ten games, a record high for the Suns.
Also, he averaged 10.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in his NBA career. Barbosa won the 2022 NBA championship as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings.
J. Barea – Puerto Rico
José Juan Barea is another great Latin player to have graced the NBA. He was born on June 26, 1984, and he’s one of the few Puerto Rican players in the NBA.
In 2006, JJ started playing for the Dallas Mavericks point guard, and he won the NBA 2011 championship with them, averaging 27.3 points and 6 assists this season.
Further, he played for Minnesota Timberwolves and won the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Top Scorer.
He also won many honors with the Puerto Rican national team, including the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2006 and 2010. Finally, JJ retired in 2022 and has started a career in coaching.
Nenê – Brazil
Another great Latin American to play in the NBA is Maybyner Rodney Hilário, legally known as Nenê. Nenê was born on September 13, 1982.
He is a former professional basketball player for the Brazilian team, and he played as a Center/Power forward since 1999 before his 2020 retirement.
Meanwhile, he had an impressive outing in Brazil before getting invited to the pre-draft camp in 2002. Nemê was selected by the New York Knicks and traded with the Denver Nuggets, becoming the first Brazilian to be picked in the first NBA draft round. His impressive debut season earned him an NBA All-Rookie first-team honor.
He played for Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets, averaging 11.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.
Patrick Ewing – Jamaica
Patrick Aloysius Ewing is a former Jamaican professional player who played as a Center in his 17 years in the NBA. He was born on August 5 1962, and his impressive playing style made people dub him the greatest Center of all time.
Ewing started his career with Georgetown before joining the NBA. He was on the All-NBA and All-Star teams seven and eleven times, respectively.
Further, he played in the 1994 and 1999 NBA Finals and was an Olympic Gold medalist for the US. Ewing was on the list of all-time 50 greatest NBA players in 1996 and 75 greatest NBA players in 2021.
Also, he played for Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, averaging 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists before retirement. He is currently head of the Georgetown University men’s team.
Conclusion
Many Latino players have graced the NBA championship, with each bringing their creativity and excellence. Most of them, like Leandro Barbosa, Patrick Ewing, etc., have placed their names among the NBA elites of all time due to their exceptional performances.
Many Latin American basketball players are still thriving in the championship, and this excellence will be passed on to the coming generations.
