Arab NBA Players You Need to Know About

The NBA is home to some of the best basketball players in the world, and many of them come from the Arab world. Here are some of the top Arab NBA players you need to know about.

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon nicknamed “The Dream”, is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player He was the first overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft and went on to become one of the greatest players in NBA history winning two consecutive NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, and being named the 1994 NBA MVP and 1995 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. In 2008, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Olajuwon is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play the game

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is a former professional basketball player who is now a sports analyst on the television program Inside The NBA He is widely considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. At 7 feet 1 inch tall and 325 pounds, he was one of the largest players ever to play in the NBA. He is also one of only three players to win NBA MVP All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP in the same year.

Amar’e Stoudemire

Standing at 6 feet 10 inches, Amar’e Stoudemire is a retired Professional Basketball player who is of African-American and Puerto Rican descent. He was born on November 16, 1982, in Lake Wales, Florida. As a teenager, Amar’e Stoudemire worked hard to improve his game and was recruited by several colleges before eventually choosing to play for the University of Memphis.

Stoudemire declared himself eligible for the 2002 NBA Draft after just one year of playing college basketball He was drafted 9th overall by the Phoenix Suns and went on to have a successful career in the NBA. In 2010, he was named an All-Star for the 6th time and helped lead the Suns to the Western Conference Finals.

In 2016, Amar’e Stoudemire announced his retirement from the NBA after 14 seasons. During his time in the league, he averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds per game He is currently working as a television analyst and has plans to open a string of basketball academies in Africa.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is one of the most successful NBA players of all time. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Italy and Lower Merion Pennsylvania. Kobe Bryant is the only player in NBA history to have played for two different teams for at least 20 seasons. He has played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bryant’s father, Joe, played basketball at La Salle University and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1975 NBA Draft He played eight seasons in the NBA with four different teams. Kobe’s older sister Sharia is a former professional basketball player who played for several teams in Europe

Kobe Bryant began his professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers where he won five NBA Championships In 2005-06, he became the youngest player ever to score 30,000 points in his career. He retired from the NBA in 2016 after scoring 60 points in his final game against the Utah Jazz

Since retiring from the NBA, Kobe Bryant has become a successful businessman. He has launched several businesses, including a youth Basketball Academy and a sports drink company. He has also written children’s books and won an Oscar for his animated short film Dear Basketball

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent He most recently played for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Howard was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in SW Atlanta. He played High School basketball for Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy and he entered the NBA straight out of high school after being selected first overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic As a rookie, Howard quickly became one of the best players in the league, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award He would go on to play for Orlando for eight seasons, and he was a six-time All-Star and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year during his time with the Magic. In 2012, Howard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers where he played one season before signing with the Houston Rockets in 2013. He played for Houston for three seasons before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2016. After one season with the Hawks, he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets he played for Charlotte for one season before signing with Washington in 2018.

Carmelo Anthony

From Lebron James to Kobe Bryant there have been a number of great NBA players that have come from the Arab world. Carmelo Anthony is one of the latest stars to hail from the region, and he’s definitely a player that you need to know about.

Born in New York to African-American and Puerto Rican parents, Anthony didn’t start playing basketball until he was 15 years old. However, it didn’t take long for him to develop into a star player He quickly rose through the ranks of high school and AAU Basketball and ultimately landed a spot on the Syracuse University basketball team

As a college freshman, Anthony led Syracuse to an NCAA championship in 2003. He then declared for the NBA draft and was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets

Anthony has been one of the NBA’s top scorers for much of his career, and he’s also been named to multiple All-Star teams. In 2012, he helped the United States win an Olympic gold medal

If you’re looking for a great Arab NBA player to follow, Carmelo Anthony is definitely someone you should keep an eye on!

Chris Paul

Chris Paul is one of the most successful NBA players of Arab descent. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Charles Edward Paul and Robin Jones. His father was a former athlete who played football at South Carolina State University Chris Paul is the middle child of three children.

Chris Paul excelled in both basketball and football while he was in high school but he chose to focus on basketball after being recruited by Wake Forest University. He played college basketball for two years before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2005.

Paul was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets with the fourth overall pick. He quickly became one of the best point guards in the league, averaging over 16 points and 8 assists per game in his rookie season. He was named Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.

In 2008, Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers but he only played one season with the team before being traded again, this time to the Houston Rockets In Houston, Paul continued to excel, making nine All-Star teams and becoming one of the best players in the league.

LeBron James

One of the NBA’s brightest stars, Lebron James is a player that demands attention whenever he steps on the court. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, James began playing organized basketball when he was just eight years old. He quickly proved himself to be a natural talent and by the time he was in high school he was one of the most sought-after players in the country. In 2003, he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and immediately became one of the team’s Key Players

In his first season with the Cavs, James averaged 20 points per game and was named Rookie of the Year. Since then, his career has only gone uphill. He’s been named NBA MVP four times (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), Finals MVP twice (2012, 2013), and has led the Cavs to nine NBA Finals appearances (2007, 2015-2018). He’s widely considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo is a retired NBA player who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is one of only two African-born players in NBA history He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Youssef Seddik

Youssef Seddik is one of the most promising young Arab players in the NBA today Standing at 6’10”, he has the potential to be a dominant force on both ends of the court.

Seddik was born in Tunisia and moved to the United States when he was just a child. He began playing basketball at an early age and quickly developed into a top high school player. He eventually accepted a scholarship to play at UCLA, where he starred for two seasons.

Seddik entered the NBA Draft after his sophomore year and was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round. He has since played for several different teams, including the Brooklyn Nets and the Sacramento Kings

Seddik is a versatile player who can contribute in a variety of ways. He is an excellent shooter and also has the ability to drive to the basket and finish strong. On defense, he is a skilled shot-blocker who can also jaw with opponents and get under their skin.

If Seddik can continue to develop his all-around game, he has the potential to be one of the best Arab players in NBA history