Giannis, Bassey: Top 5 NBA Players with Nigerian Descent
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
Long before being dubbed the “Greek Freak,” Giannis Antetokounmpo was a youngster growing up in the streets of Athens where his family faced constant financial struggles. Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo were born and raised in Lagos Nigeria and immigrated to Greece in 1991 in search of greener pastures. For many years, they did not hold Greek citizenship but Giannis was granted citizenship in May 2013.
Giannis’ basketball journey began for the youth team of Filathlitikos in Athens, and by 2011, he joined the senior team which led him to the 2013 NBA Draft. There he was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2016-17, Giannis led the Bucks in all five major statistical categories, making history as the first player to finish a regular season inside the top 20 for points, assists, blocks, steals and rebounds. His stats earned him a $228 million contract extension in 2020 before going on to become the first non-American to win the All-Star MVP award the following year.
Precious Achiuwa - New York Knicks
Precious Achiuwa hails from Port Harcourt, and he spent the majority of his childhood pursuing football as many children in Nigeria do. However, after moving to Queens, New York in eighth grade, he switched his focus to basketball and the following year he enrolled at St. Benedict’s Prep, a school known for producing professional athletes. After an impressive freshman season, he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 20th overall by the Miami Heat. Achiuwa was traded to the Toronto Raptors before finally settling at the Knicks, but he still represents his homeland and competed for Nigeria at the Summer Olympic Games last year.
Charles Bassey - San Antonio Spurs
Charles Bassey was born in Lagos and also played football until the age of 12. His life took a turn when a youth basketball coach discovered him while he was selling fried chicken on a street corner, and soon after, Bassey switched his focus to basketball. At 14, his stock rose, as he was named the MVP at the Giants of Africa basketball camp, a program founded by Raptors executive Masai Ujiri. A consensus five-star recruit, Bassey committed to Western Kentucky before being selected 53rd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, though he only played for them for a little over a year before he was waived and snapped up by the Spurs in October 2022.
Josh Okogie - Charlotte Hornets
Joshua Okogie was born in Lagos and moved to the United States at just three years of age with his family. After settling in Snellville, Georgia, Okogie began playing basketball for Shiloh High School. After signing for Georgia Tech, he pushed himself to prominence and earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team, and two years later he was selected 20th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following Jimmy Butler's trade from the Timberwolves in early November of that year, Okogie stepped into the starting lineup, averaging nearly 22 minutes per game for the remainder of the season. The 6'4" shooting guard has spent seven years in the NBA, playing for the Phoenix Suns and now the Hornets, while he also represented Nigeria at the Olympics.
Chimezie Metu - FC Barcelona (EuroLeague)
Born in Los Angeles, Chimezie Metu spent his early years in the US before moving to Nigeria with his father at the age of six. He lived in Nigeria for a further six years before returning to California where he took up basketball in high school. Metu went on to play in college, gaining attention for his highlight-reel dunks, which put him on the radar of the Spurs in the 2018 NBA Draft. After making his NBA debut, he signed with the Sacramento Kings and moved to the Suns and Pistons before finding his home at EuroLeague powerhouse FC Barcelona in July 2024.
