Hakeem Olajuwon named best international player in NBA history
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 8, 2026, 10:10 PM
Last updated Aug 8, 2026
Hakeem Olajuwon, a Hall of Famer and Houston Rockets legend, has been named the greatest foreign-born basketball player according to HoopsHype. He dominated a list of the 80 best international players. Olajuwon played 18 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Rockets, leading the team to 14 playoff appearances. He holds numerous accolades including an MVP award and two NBA Finals MVP awards. Following Olajuwon on the list are Dirk Nowitzki, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Steve Nash.
- •Olajuwon recognized as top foreign-born player by HoopsHype
- •He spent 17 of 18 NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets
- •Olajuwon averaged 22.5 points and 11.4 rebounds over his career
- •Other players in the top five include Nowitzki and Antetokounmpo
- •He led Rockets to playoffs 14 times during his career
- 10:10 PMYahoo Sports — Houston Rockets legend named best international player in NBA history
"Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon was recently named the top foreign-born player according to HoopsHype.
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