Meet the Iranian NBA Players Making History

It’s been a historic season for Iranian NBA players First, Hamed Haddadi became the first Iranian to ever play in an NBA game Then, Arsalan Kazemi became the first Iranian to be drafted into the NBA. And now, Iranian-American player Nazr Mohammad is making history as the first Iranian player to win an NBA Championship

Hamed Haddadi- The First Iranian NBA Player

Hamed Haddadi is the first Iranian player to ever play in the NBA. He was born in 1986 in Ahvaz, Iran and grew up playing basketball Haddadi played for the Iranian national team for several years before joining the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008. He played for the Grizzlies for two seasons before being traded to the Toronto Raptors Haddadi has also played for the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls

Javale McGee- The Second Iranian NBA Player

Javale McGee is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on January 19, 1988, in Flint, Michigan to Pamela McGee, a retired women’s professional basketball player and George Montgomery Jr., who played football at the University of Nebraska of Iranian and African-American descent, McGee grew up in Flint before moving to Detroit. He played High School basketball for Ralph Bunche Preparatory Academy in Detroit before transferring to Crossroads School in Santa Monica California.

Arsalan Kazemi- The Third Iranian NBA Player

Arsalan Kazemi, who was born in Tehran, grew up playing basketball with his brother. He played for the Iranian National Team for three years before coming to the United States to play college basketball He was drafted into the NBA in 2013 by the Portland Trail Blazers

He is now an NBA player for the Houston Rockets Kazemi is the third Iranian player in NBA history and he is proud to be representing his country on a global stage.

Samad Nikkhah Bahrami- The Fourth Iranian NBA Player

Samad Nikkhah Bahrami- The Fourth Iranian NBA Player
Born in Esfahan, Iran on October 18, 1977, Samad Nikkhah Bahrami is a Professional Basketball player who became the fourth Iranian player to be drafted into the NBA. He was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1999 NBA draft and went on to play for several teams in both the United States and Europe.

Bahrami is well-known for his streetball style of play and has been nicknamed “The Black Mamba of Tehran” in reference to Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant He is also known for his impressive slam dunking abilities and has been featured in many compilations of “top 10” dunks.

Bahrami’s career includes stints with the Seattle SuperSonics, Orlando Magic Chicago Bulls Utah Jazz Denver Nuggets Los Angeles Clippers Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets He also played professionally in Spain and Greece.

Behnam Yakhchali- The Fifth Iranian NBA Player

Behnam Yakhchali is the fifth Iranian player to be drafted by an NBA team He was selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 56th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft

Yakhchali is a 6-foot-10 center who played his college basketball at UC Irvine. He averaged 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a senior. Yakhchali is known for his shot-blocking ability, as he led the Big West Conference in blocks per game in both his junior and senior seasons.

While Yakhchali is the fifth Iranian player to be drafted by an NBA team he is the first to be born in Iran. The other four Iranians who have been drafted were all born in the United States

Yakhchali joins Hamed Haddadi (Memphis Grizzlies 2008), Arsalan Kazemi (Philadelphia 76ers, 2013), Saša Vujačić (Los Angeles Lakers 2010), and Ebi Ere (Atlanta Hawks 2002) as Iranians who have been drafted by NBA teams

Hamed Ehadadi- The Sixth Iranian NBA Player

Hamed Ehadadi is an Iranian professional basketball player who is currently the sixth Iranian player to ever play in the NBA. Ehadadi was born in 1986 in Ardabil, Iran. He is seven feet two inches tall and weighs 250 pounds.

Ehadadi began his professional career with Mahram Tehran of the Iranian Basketball Super League in 2004. He played for Mahram for four seasons before moving to the Azerbaijani team affordably priced Moik Bakuk in 2008. In 2010, Ehadadi returned to Iran and played for Spawn Nassaji Mazandaran of the Iranian Basketball Super League

In 2012, Ehadadi signed with Greek club Panionios, but he only played for them for one season before returning to Iran and signing with Petrochimi Bandar Imam of the Iranian Super League once again.

Ehadadi has been a member of the Iranian national basketball team since 2006. With Team Melli, he has won two Asian Championships (2007 FIBA Asian Championship and 2009 FIBA Asia Championship) and has also competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship

On August 1st, 2013, it was announced that Ehadadi had signed a one-year deal with the NBA D-League team Los Angeles D-Fenders. On January 7th, 2014, he made history by becoming the sixth Iranian player to ever play in an NBA game when he entered a game against the Reno Bighorns late in the fourth quarter

Amir Badawi- The Seventh Iranian NBA Player

Amir Badawi is the seventh Iranian player to be drafted into the NBA. He was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers

Badawi was born in Tehran, Iran, and is of Iraqi descent. He moved to the United States at the age of 14. Badawi played College Basketball for UC Irvine, and was named the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his senior season.

Badawi is one of several Iranian players who have made history in the NBA. He joins Hamed Haddadi, Javale McGee, Aron Baynes Jordan Farmar, and Boston Celtics’ center Enes Kanter as Iranians who have played in the NBA.

Amir Mohammad- The Eighth Iranian NBA Player

Amir Mohammad became the eighth Iranian NBA player in history when he was signed by the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. As the first Iranian-born player in the NBA, Mohammad is making history and paving the way for future generations of Iranian basketball players

Born in Tehran, Iran, Mohammad moved to the United States at a young age and played high school basketball in California. He went on to play College Basketball at UC Irvine, where he was named the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft Mohammad signed a contract with the Nets.

Mohammad is part of a growing trend of International Players making their way to the NBA. In recent years players from all over the world have found success in the league, and Mohammad is hoping to follow in their footsteps. With his combination of size, strength, and athleticism, he has all the tools to become a successful NBA player

Only time will tell if Mohammad can make an impact at the highest level but one thing is for sure: he is making history and representing Iran in a positive light on a global stage.

Arman Zangeneh- The Ninth Iranian NBA Player

Arman Zangeneh is the ninth Iranian currently playing in the NBA. He was born in Tehran, Iran on October 10, 1997, but he and his family moved to the U.S. when he was two years old and became American citizens in 2006. Arman played basketball for Fairfax high school in Los Angeles California. As a junior, he was named the Southern Section Division I Player of the Year after leading his team to a 32-1 record and a state championship He then played collegiately for Pepperdine University.

Soheil Behzadi- The Tenth Iranian NBA Player

Soheil Behzadi made history when he became the tenth Iranian player to join the NBA. Born in Iran,Behzadi moved to the United States when he was just two years old. After excelling in high school basketball, he went on to play for UC Berkeley before eventually being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2020.

While Behzadi is certainly proud of his heritage, he considers himself first and foremost an American. “I’m an Iranian-American,” he told reporters after being drafted. “My family’s from Iran, I was born there, but I grew up here in the States. I consider myself American.”

Despite his young age, Behzadi is already making an impact on the NBA. In just his rookie season, he averaged 7.5 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range He also became the first Iranian player to start an NBA Game when he did so against the Dallas Mavericks in January 2021.

With Behzadi continuing to shine on the basketball court it’s safe to say that there will be many more Iranians making history in the NBA in the years to come.