The following is a list of Serbian basketball players that play or have played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The first American player of Serbian descent to play in the NBA was Bato Govedarica, who played 23 games for the Syracuse Nationals during the 1953–54 NBA season. In the 1970s Pete Maravich became the first player of Serbian descent to enter an All Star game (five times) and to be elected into an All-NBA team (four times). Dražen Dalipagić was the first player to come from Serbia to be on trial with an NBA team, with the Boston Celtics in 1976, but, despite general manager Red Auerbach calling him an "NBA star material", he wasn't signed due to his "inability to communicate with the coach and his fellow players". Center Vlade Divac and forward Žarko Paspalj were the first players from Serbia to play in the NBA, in the 1989–90 season. In his second season, Divac became the first Serb to play in the NBA finals. In 2004, Darko Miličić became the first basketball player from Serbia to win an NBA championship. Since then, Predrag Stojaković, Ognjen Kuzmić, Nemanja Bjelica, Nikola Jokić, and Nikola Topić won the league in 2011, 2015, 2022, 2023, and 2025, respectively.
Nikola Jokić is the Serbian player with most NBA honours and in 2021 he became the first Serb, and only the third European, to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. In 2022, Jokić was named the NBA MVP for the second year in a row, becoming the 13th player to win the award in consecutive seasons, as well as the second European player to win the award more than once, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo. In 2024, Jokić became the first non-American player to win the MVP award three times. In 2023, he became the first Serbian to be named Finals MVP.
Active players The following is a list of current NBA players.
Note: This list is correct through the start of the .
Entry Year Player Draft Year (Pick)Drafted byCurrent teamFormer team(s) (Years)Honours Nikola Jokić2014 (#41) Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets (–present) 1181094 Bogdan Bogdanović2014 (#27) Phoenix Suns Houston Rockets (–present) 952635 Nikola Jović2022 (#27) Miami Heat Miami Heat (–present) 415416— Tristan Vukčević2023 (#42) Washington Wizards Washington Wizards (–present) 3940— Nikola Topić2024 (#12) Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder (–present) 2100 NBA champion (2025) Bogoljub Marković2025 (#47) Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks (–present) 000
Former players The following is a list of former NBA players. Years Player Draft Year (Pick) Drafted byTeam(s) (Years)Honours –Vlade Divac1989 (#26) Los Angeles Lakers 161134121 Žarko Paspalj1988 San Antonio Spurs ()1280— – Miloš Babić1990 (#50) Phoenix Suns 2210— Radisav Ćurčić1987 Dallas Mavericks ()1200— – Predrag Danilović1992 (#43) Golden State Warriors 2753— Rastko Cvetković1992 Denver Nuggets ()1140— Aleksandar Đorđević1989 Portland Trail Blazers ()180— – Predrag Stojaković1996 (#14) Sacramento Kings 1380495 Dragan Tarlać1995 (#31) Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls ()1430— – Vladimir Radmanović2001 (#12) Seattle SuperSonics 1273747 – Željko Rebrača1994 (#54) Seattle SuperSonics 621512 – Marko Jarić2000 (#30) Los Angeles Clippers 74470 Predrag Savović2002 Denver Nuggets ()1270— Igor Rakočević2000 (#51) Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves ()1420— – Darko Miličić2003 (#2) Detroit Pistons 1046821 NBA champion (2004)– Aleksandar Pavlović2003 (#19) Utah Jazz 1056752— – Nenad Krstić2002 (#43) New Jersey Nets 741928 Mile Ilić2005 (#43) New Jersey Nets New Jersey Nets ()150— Kosta Perović2006 (#38) Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors ()170— – Ognjen Kuzmić2012 (#52) Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors (–)2373 NBA champion (2015) ; Miroslav Raduljica2010 2530—– Nemanja Bjelica2010 (#35) Washington Wizards 744922 NBA champion (2022)– Miloš Teodosić2009 Los Angeles Clippers (–)2600—
Players who are still active overseas Years Player Draft Year (Pick) Drafted byTeam(s) (Years)Honours Current club Nemanja Nedović2013 (#30) Phoenix Suns Golden State Warriors ()1241— Free agent– Boban Marjanović2010 933131— Free agent Marko Gudurić2017 Memphis Grizzlies ()1440— Olimpia Milano, Italy– Alen Smailagić2019 (#39) New Orleans Pelicans Golden State Warriors (–)2290— Galatasaray, Turkey– Aleksej Pokuševski2020 (#17) Minnesota Timberwolves 41680— Lokomotiv Kuban, Russia Filip Petrušev2021 (#50) Philadelphia 76ers 130— Dubai Basketball, Adriatic– Vasilije Micić2014 (#52) Philadelphia 76ers 21010— Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel
Drafted players
The following is a list of drafted players who have never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game. Draft Year (Pick) Player Drafted by Status 1985 (#97) Ljubiša Stefanović Seattle SuperSonicsRetired, played his entire career overseas 1995 (#51) Dejan Bodiroga Sacramento Kings 2002 (#36) Miloš Vujanić New York Knicks, rights traded to the Phoenix Suns2007 (#60) Milovan Raković Dallas Mavericks, rights traded to the Portland Trail Blazers2008 (#53) Tadija Dragićević Utah Jazz, rights traded to the New York Knicks2011 (#54) Milan Mačvan Cleveland Cavaliers2014 (#54) Nemanja Dangubić Philadelphia 76ers, rights traded to the Memphis Grizzlies Currently playing for Dubai, Adriatic2015 (#26) Nikola Milutinov San Antonio Spurs, rights traded to the Brooklyn Nets Currently playing for Olympiacos, Greece2015 (#57) Nikola Radičević Denver Nuggets, rights traded to the New York Knicks Currently free agent2015 (#60) Luka Mitrović Philadelphia 76ers, rights traded to the New York Knicks Currently free agent2016 (#35) Rade Zagorac Boston Celtics, rights traded to the Memphis Grizzlies Currently free agent2017 (#58) Ognjen Jaramaz New York Knicks Currently playing for Lietkabelis Panevėžys, Lithuania2019 (#60) Vanja Marinković Sacramento Kings, rights traded to the Los Angeles Clippers Currently playing for Partizan, Serbia2021 (#57) Balša Koprivica Charlotte Hornets, rights traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder Currently playing for San Pablo Burgos, Spain2024 (#43) Nikola Đurišić Miami Heat, rights traded to the Atlanta Hawks Currently playing for Crvena zvezda, Serbia
Undrafted Summer League players The following is a list of undrafted players who have never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game, but have played in the NBA Summer League or its predecessors.
Player Invited by (Years) Status Dražen Dalipagić Boston Celtics (1976) Retired, played his entire career overseas Dejan Koturović Phoenix Suns (2003) Marko Jovanović Detroit Pistons (2006) Ivan Radenović Los Angeles Clippers (2007) Nikola Dragović New Orleans Pelicans (2010) Andreja Milutinović Milwaukee Bucks (2013) Marko Kešelj Portland Trail Blazers (2015)Kešelj debitovao za Portland Stefan Nastić Vlado Janković New Orleans Pelicans (2016) Nikola Jovanović Currently playing for Vienna, Austria Stefan Janković Miami Heat (2017) Currently playing for Taipei Fubon Braves, Taiwan Dejan Todorović Chicago Bulls (2017) Currently playing for El Calor de Cancún, MexicoGuest list: Bulls announce 13 players waking up in Vegas for summer league Aleksandar Stefanović San Antonio Spurs (2022) Retired, played his entire career overseas Boriša Simanić Utah Jazz (2022) Currently playing for Mitteldeutscher, Germany Uroš Plavšić Atlanta Hawks (2023) Currently playing for U-BT Cluj-Napoca, Romania Uroš Trifunović Houston Rockets (2025) Currently playing for Türk Telekom, Turkey Lazar Stefanović Orlando Magic (2025) Currently playing for Igokea, Bosnia and Herzegovina Stefan Todorović Philadelphia 76ers (2025) Currently playing for Ilirija, Slovenia
Players with Serbian citizenship or parentage The following is a list of players, that play or have played in the NBA, who have citizenship of Serbia or Serbian parentage or who are Serbs of former Yugoslav republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia). * Denotes player who is still active in the NBA Note: This list is correct through the start of the .
NationalityRelation Player Draft Year (Pick)Drafted byYear(s)Team(s) Bosnian Serb1999 (#12) Toronto; Toronto, Utah2 15 0 0Bosnian Serb;Citizenship2001 Detroit1 1 0 0Serbian father1986 (#60) Portland–Portland, New Jersey4 2900 29Citizenship;Serbian father*2020 (#9) Washington–presentWashington, Portland6 425 1 0SR Serbia-born;Citizenship2003 (#17) Phoenix–Phoenix, Golden State3 150 0 0Citizenship; Montenegrin Serb2008 (#31) Minnesota–Minnesota7 271 0 0Citizenship2003 (#39) New YorkPortland1 1 0 0Serbian parents*2011 (#16) Philadelphia–presentPhiladelphia, Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Orlando15 1036 2 16Serbian motherCarolyn White. "Netherlands teen makes big move in basketball". USA Today. February 4, 1998. 7C.2002 (#34) Milwaukee–Milwaukee, Golden State, New Jersey, New York10 527 0 12Citizenship2004 –Atlanta2 113 0 22Serbian father *2018 (#3) Atlanta–presentDallas, LA Lakers8 514 6 55Serbian father2008 (#45) San Antonio–Phoenix, Houston, Miami, Toronto, Brooklyn, Chicago, Milwaukee15946 1 622011 Phoenix, Miami1 16 0 0Serbian father1997 (#33) Philadelphia–Phoenix2 44 0 0Slovenian Serb1998 (#17) Minnesota–Minnesota, San Antonio, Toronto, Indiana12 811 0 64Serbian father2004 (#27) LA Lakers–, , –LA Lakers, New Jersey, LA Clippers, New York10 581 0 65Montenegrin Serb2011 (#23) Houston–Chicago, New Orleans, Milwaukee5 319 0 40Serbian mother2015 (#31) Minnesota–Cleveland, San Antonio7 476 0 19SR Serbia-born;Citizenship1998 (#18) HoustonNew York, Milwaukee1 17 0 2Serbian parents2000 (#16) Sacramento–Sacramento, San Antonio, Orlando, Toronto, Phoenix, LA Clippers15 9970 98Serbian parents1951 (#24) Syracuse Syracuse1 23 0 0Citizenship2011 (#44) Golden State–Golden State, Philadelphia2 110 0 0Serbian mother2015 (#9) Charlotte–Charlotte, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston8 413 0 17Serbian father*2019 –presentMemphis, Utah, New York7 363 0 18 Serbian parents— Cleveland1 1 0 0Serbian father1970 (#3) Atlanta–Atlanta, New Orleans, Boston10 6585 26Serbian parents— Pittsburgh1 510 0Citizenship2008 –Golden State1 13 0 0Citizenship2016 (#55) Brooklyn–Charlotte1 5 0 0
See also List of European basketball players in the United States List of National Basketball Association players by country List of Croatian NBA players List of Montenegrin NBA players List of Serbian WNBA players List of Serbian NBA coaches
Notes Details
Other nationalities, ethnic groups
References