Do you know what it would take for a basketball talent to journey all the way from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the bright lights of the NBA? 

Exactly! They’d have to move mountains to make it, and that’s what Bosnian NBA players have done. 

The nation has often led the way in European basketball, with legends the continent as a whole respects. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s journey is another example of how European NBA players have helped shape the league’s global influence and showcase the depth of international basketball talent. However, its legacy has finally found its way into the NBA. And we’ve got a few players to thank for that.

Today, we learn a bit more about these elite hoppers. Their stories also represent the growing influence of NBA players from overseas who continue to bring international talent and diversity to the league.

Bojan Bogdanović

NBA Ranking: #339

Everyone knows the name Bojan Bogdanović, and if he never played for your team, then you’re certainly not very fond of the name. He’s easily the greatest Bosnian player to ever do it in the NBA. 

He went pro way back in 2004, playing for Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia. After five years and a couple of broken scoring records, he found himself in Croatia penning a deal with Cibona Zagreb. That was when he decided to play for Croatia internationally. 

A couple years later and more scoring records left in his wake, he moved to Brooklyn to play for the Nets. Bogdanović made quite a name for himself playing in Brooklyn. Every Nets fan remembers that 44-point blizzard against the 76ers back in 2016. 

With a career average around 15 points per game, no other Bosnian-born player has lit the league up like Bogdanović did. 

Achievements/Resumé

  • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2015). 
  • TBSL Champion (2014). 
  • Turkish Supercup Winner (2014). 
  • Turkish Cup Winner (2013).

Jusuf Nurkić

NBA Ranking: #649

Jusuf Nurkić, or as the NBA world knew him; the “Bosnian Beast,” is the physical heart of Bosnia’s NBA presence, so far. And that explains the nickname. 

The center from Tuzla went pro back in 2012 after he committed to hooping for Cedevita Zagreb. He was definitely a talented young baller, but he had a limp start to his career. In his second season, the world properly learned the name Jusuf Nurkic. The Bosnian Beast was averaging 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds every game in only 16 minutes spent on the paint. 

In 2014, the Bulls went after young Nurkić and selected him in the NBA draft. However, his time as a Bulls player didn’t last beyond the night, as he was traded to Denver. His time in Denver colors wasn’t filled with great performances. In 2017, he moved to the Portland Trail Blazers, where we all got to know a lot more about what the Bosnian was made of. 

Nurkić, even with the limp start to his time in the NBA, remains quite the influence for other Bosnian basketball players in the NBA. 

Achievements/Resumé

  • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2015).
  • Croatian League Champion (2014). 
  • Croatian League Finals MVP (2014).

Ivica Zubac 

NBA Ranking: #745

Since 2019, there hasn’t been many centers as reliable as Ivica Zubac was for the Clippers. And that’s saying a lot because the NBA has some really incredible centers. 

Zubac joined the NBA roster back in 2016, after balling professionally in Croatia for a couple of years. The Bosnian needed a new challenge, and that’s exactly what he got after he was selected by the Lakers in the 2016 NBA draft. At first, the big man buckled to this new challenge. His first half to the season wasn’t much to write home about. However, in the second half, he found his legs and dropped his first double-double in a game against Denver. Zubac had found himself now, but that didn’t stop the Lakers from trading him to the Clippers in 2019. 

It was a brand-new start for the Bosnian, who would soon become one of the first names on the Clippers’ gameday teamsheet each night. With Zubac on the team, the Clippers did what no one expected they would and reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time ever. 

 Achievements/Resumé

  • Holds the LA Clippers franchise record for rebounds in a game (29). 
  • NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2025). 

Mirza Teletović

NBA Ranking: #1512

Many people don’t know Mirza Teletović, and those who do usually remember him for his unfortunate retirement after suffering a career-ending injury. What people hardly remember is just how sturdy the Bosnian was on an NBA court. 

In 2012, the Nets really needed a leader. A player who could fight and hassle the league’s best ballers night after night. That led them to signing Mirza Teletović’ on a three-year deal. The Bosnian didn’t come out firing straight out the works. He couldn’t get going until he pulled down his first double-double against Houston, where he dropped 18 points and 13 rebounds. In 2014, the world watched him drop a career-high 34 points in a win against Dallas. His best season was still in front of him. 

In the 2015-16 campaign, after a move to Phoenix, he was averaging 12 points per game and shooting over 39% from deep. Teletović was the first Bosnian player to jump from EuroLeague superstardom to lighting up the NBA, paving the way for future NBA players from Bosnia. 

Achievements/Resumé

  • Belgian League Champion (2006). 
  • 2× Liga ACB champion (2008, 2010). 
  • Spanish Cup Winner (2009). 
  • 3× Spanish Supercup winner (2006–2008). 
  • Bosnian Sportsman Of The Year (2012). 

Džanan Musa

NBA Ranking: #3278 

Džanan Musa represents what the future of Bosnian NBA talents could look like. The skilled 6’9” forward is a deep cut, mainly because he only spent a single season in the NBA. 

In 2018, the Nets needed a player with a unique scoring ability. All the signs pointed to Musa. The Bosnian had a successful stint in Europe, and his scoring was his best trait. It was a match made in heaven — an elite scorer and a team in need of an elite scorer. So, the Nets selected him in the 2018 NBA draft. Unfortunately, the lights in the NBA were just too bright for young Musa. In 2020, the Bosnian was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Just a month after, he was waived by the Pistons and had to return to Europe. 

While he’s no longer in the NBA, he’s a player who has perhaps the highest ceiling among active Bosnian players in the NBA. So, who knows? The league might not have seen the last of Džanan Musa just yet. 

Achievements/Resumé

  • First-round selection (29th overall) in the 2018 NBA Draft.
  • 2× Bosnian Sportsman of the Year (2022, 2023). 
  • 2× EuroLeague champion (2021, 2023).
  • All-EuroLeague First Team (2023).
  • EuroCup Rising Star (2018).

Conclusion

It’s easy to focus on the bigger Bosnian NBA players like Bojan Bogdanović and Jusuf Nurkić, but lesser known names like Mirza Teletović and Ivica Zubac have a role equally as important. Their journeys into the NBA aren’t any less incredible or inspiring. This is for every single one of them who’s made the daring trip from the depths of Bosnia to the top of the world. Thank you. 

FAQs 

Which active NBA players are from Bosnia today?

Currently, Jusuf Nurkić is the only active NBA player from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nurkic plays as a center for the Utah Jazz. 

Who was the first Bosnian player to play in the NBA?

Ratko Varda was the first player from Bosnia and Herzegovina to hoop on an NBA court. He did this in 2001, for the Detroit Pistons.