Over the past few decades, quite a number of international players have been featured in the NBA, and no one can deny that this has been great for the league.
In the midst of all the rising cross continental stars, one country that’s been particularly consistent in sending great athletes to the NBA is Russia.
Although it’s predominantly a hockey town type of country, the increasing popularity of the NBA in the region has been a pleasing surprise.
While Russian basketball Players in the NBA have been rare, a few still stood out for their uniqueness and superb performance on the court, making quite an impact in the league.
Let’s have a look at the 5 best Russian NBA players ever.
Andrei Kirilenko
NBA Ranking: #438
No one deserves to be on here as much as Andrei Kirilenko—the AK47 himself.
At just 18, he became the youngest international player at the time to be drafted after the Utah Jazz selected him.
Even though it took two additional seasons before he stepped on an NBA court, the wait was more than worthwhile.
The Russian had a breathtaking rookie season, eventually earning the NBA All-Rookie Team title. Three years later, he became an NBA All-Star, and it was now clear that the Utah Jazz had an absolute all-timer on their hands.
During his time in Utah, the 6-foot-9 forward established himself as one of the league’s best defenders. To date, Kirilenko is still the best Russian the league has ever seen and quite possibly one of the best NBA players from overseas to have stepped on an NBA court.
The Kirilenko stats place him a cut above the rest.
Achievements/Resumé:
- 1× NBA All-Star
- 1× NBA All-Defensive First Team
- 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1× NBA All-Rookie First Team
Timofey Mozgov
NBA Ranking: #1365
7-foot-1 Timofey Mozgov was quite the presence in the league after penning a three-year, $9.7 million contract with the Knicks.
Regardless of his big-money move, Mozgov spent quite some time on the sidelines for the Knicks but always put on a show whenever he stepped on the court
He was eventually traded off to the Denver Nuggets where he had a rough start, barely featuring for the side. Fortunately, the Russian would finally find his form and work his way to being a staple in the Nuggets team.
This short yet impressive stint caught the eye of the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, who moved him to the side.
Upon making it to Cleveland, the big man was an instant starter alongside Kyrie Irving and James. Soon after, Mozgov played a significant role in getting the Cavs to the 2015 NBA Finals, although they lost to the Golden State Warriors.
…but that wouldn’t be the end of it.
Just a year later, Mozgov and the Cavs would fight their way back to the Finals and, this time, defeat the Warriors. He’d become one of the first Russians to win the NBA titles.
Achievements/Resumé:
- 1× NBA Champion
- First Russian to win an NBA title
Alexey Shved
NBA Rankings: #1982
Right before helping Russia finish third place at the 2012 Olympics, Alexey Shved signed a multi-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After quite the tour, changing teams three times in under two years, Shved made his final switch in the NBA before the end of 2015, when he was traded to the Knicks.
He is on his fourth NBA team in three seasons!
The Russian took the hint. Knowing that he’d never become that big NBA superstar. Sadly, Shved decided to leave the NBA.
But, he did leave with a bang, though, averaging 14.8 points per game, 3.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds in just 16 games for the Knicks.
While Shved’s time in the league didn’t come with all the NBA glitz and glamour, his relentlessness is still a case study for other international players looking to make it big in the NBA.
Achievements/Resumé:
- 1× EuroLeague Champion
- 1× EuroCup MVP
- 1× EuroCup Top Scorer
- 1× All-EuroCup First Team
Alexander Volkov
NBA Ranking: #2161
At the time, Alexander Volkov was only the second player ever from the Soviet Union to be drafted into the NBA after he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in 1986.
Even after the Draft, the Russian spent three years on the sidelines before officially signing for the Hawks in 1989.
Though his NBA career was short-lived, Volkov provided decent numbers for a Hawks side brimming with Hall of Famers like Moses Malone, Dominique Wilkins, and Kevin Willis.
In his first season for the Hawks, the Russian averaged 5 points and almost 2 rebounds per game.
When he realized it wouldn’t work out for him in the NBA, the 6-foot-10 forward decided to travel home and would eventually thrive in Europe. A few years later (1991), Volkov was named in FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players list.
…and after decades, he’s still been monumental to Russian basketball.
Achievements/Resumé:
- NBA’s second-ever player from the Soviet Union
- FIBA’s 50 Greatest Players
- 1× Greek League Champion
- 1× Greek All-Star Game
- 2× Soviet League Champion
- 1× Soviet League MVP
Viktor Khryapa
NBA Ranking: #2460
Viktor Khryapa was the 22nd overall pick in the 1st round of the 2004 Draft.
Though drafted by the New Jersey Nets, the then 22-year-old didn’t get to play a single minute for the team. Luckily, he got his fair share of playtime after being transferred to the Portland Trail Blazers.
After a rocky rookie season in Portland, the power forward eventually found his feet in his sophomore season, starting 53 of the team’s 69 games.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to keep him in Portland.
In 2006, Kryapa was traded to the Bulls. After two additional seasons in the NBA, the Russian decided to travel back home to continue playing professionally.
During his four years in the NBA, he averaged 4.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.0 APG.
Achievements/Resumé:
- 2× EuroLeague Champion.
- 1× All EuroLeague First Team.
- 2× All-EuroLeague Second Team.
- 1× Russian Cup Winner.
- 1× Russian Cup MVP.
- 2× All-Russian League First Team.
- 1× Olympic Bronze Medal.
Conclusion — Russia’s Finest
While you could argue that the league’s yet to see a bonafide superstar from Russia, you can’t deny the impact these names had in bringing more international players into the league.
In the end, there’s yet to be any better, more lasting impact from having Russian basketball players in the NBA than this.
These are true legends of the game!
FAQs
Are there any current Russian NBA players?
Despite Eastern European stars’ recent dominance, there aren’t any current Russian NBA players. The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine plays a major role in this.
How many Russians have played in the NBA?
In addition to the names above, the league has seen 13 Russian players, including four others who were born outside of Russia. One of the most recent of the bunch is Timofey Mozgov.
