We are recalling all foreign players that have ever played in the League, telling about foreign championships and National teams of different countries in World basketball map project. Today we are moving to USA.
Population: 329 mln
Players in the history of League: 503.
Top-10 scorers: Keith Langford (1960), Cory Higgins (1616), Tyrese Rice (1436), Jerry Johnson (1430), Kyle Hines (1417), Anthony Hilliard (1207), Chester Simmons (1177), James Augustine (1166), Derrick Brown (1103), Aaron Jackson (1097).
Top-10 games played: Kyle Hines (195), Aaron Jackson (148), James Augustine (133), Cory Higgins (132), Keith Langford (107), Jerry Johnson (105), Sonny Weems (99), Tyrese Rice (95), Zabian Dowdell (95), Demetris Nichols/Jeremy Chappell/Anthony Hilliard (89).
Throughout the history of the VTB United League there have been more than 500 American players. They are more likely to win League awards, participate in All-Star Games (29 times), became season’s MVPs (Curry, Rowland and Goullock) and sixth man of the year (Augistine, Smith, Wright) 3 times, and won play-off MVP (Holden), rookie of the year (Briscoe) and defensive player of the year (Hines) once, and moreover, became top scorers of the season 6 times (Wilson, Marshall, Higgins, Culpepper, Langford, and Minnerot).
Four USA basketball players are included in the VTB Unity League Hall of Fame – Jerry Johnson (2019), Keith Langford (2019), Earl Rowland (2019) and John Robert Holden (2020).
The most titled American players in the League history are Kyle Hines (6 gold medals), Aaron Jackson (5 gold medals), and Corey Higgins (4 gold medals). The best scorer from the United States, Keith Langford, scored 1,960 points in five seasons in the VTB League (5th place in history). Kyle Hines played in 195 games (the 15th place in history).
Basketball in the USA
League: NBA (National Basketball Association)
Founded: in 1946
Number of teams: 30
League’s web-site: http://www.nba.com/
On December 21, 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts, college teacher James Naismith invented basketball, and rules for a new game were written and the first teams formed.
The United States had several professional leagues in the 1930s/1940s. The merger of the two largest, NBL and BAA, created the National Basketball Association.
In 1949, 17 teams participated in the NBA, which was divided into three divisions (eastern, western, and central). Since 2002, the league has 30 clubs in two conferences (Eastern and Western). The most titled of them are Boston Celtics (17 titles) and Los Angeles Lakers (16 titles).
The NBA has its commissioner; the NBA Draft is held annually, at which clubs select young talented players from universities; there is a pay ceiling designed to maintain balance and intrigue in the tournament; there is a Star Weekend consisting of the All-star Game, the Rising Star Game, Celebrity Game, G-League Star Game and Contests; The NBA’s partners are the largest American companies; the league has its own store and TV channel, its own charitable organization, its farm league and cyber sports league, as well as its own individual awards.
Among the unusual individual awards there is the J. Walter Kennedy prize (awarded to a player or coach who has demonstrated himself in public and charitable activities at the end of a regular season), the Lifetime Achievement Award (awarded to someone who has made a major contribution to the NBA), the Athletic Conduct Award, as well as the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
In the history of the NBA there were 10 basketball players from Russia: Sergey Bazarevich, Andrey Kirilenko, Pavel Podklzin, Sergey Monia, Victor Khryapa, Yaroslav Korolev, Timofey Mozgov, Alexey Shved, Sergey Karasev and Alexander Kaun. Also in the history of the tournament there were two players born in Russia – Johnny Maknowski (guard «Syracuse» from 1949 to 1951) and Alexander Volkov.
Interesting fact
In the history of the VTB League, 129 American basketball players came from the NBA. The most experienced of these were Kosta Kufos (686 NBA games), Brandon Jennings (555 NBA games), and Dorell Wright (549 games as well NBA champion).
After the VTB League, there were 29 players in the NBA. The most striking spokesman is former Spartak’s guard Patrick Beverly, who plays in the NBA since 2013.
USA National team
FIBA rank: 1
FIBA members: since 1934
Achievements: 15-time Olympic Games champions, 5-time World champions, 7-time America champions
The founder of basketball is the strongest and most titled National team in the world. The Americans have 15 victories in 19 Olympic tournaments, 5 victories in 18 World Championships and 7 victories in 9 American Championships
Prior to 1992, students represented the United States at international tournaments. Some of them later became famous basketball players and even made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame – Jerry West, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry Lucas.
In 1992, the Americans first brought NBA stars to the Barcelona Olympics, and the team that featured legends such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scotty Pippen, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, David Robinson and Chris Mullin was named Dream Team. In all eight games the Americans scored more than a hundred points, coach Chuck Daley did not take a time-out for the entire tournament, and his players won decisive games – 127:76 in the semi-final with Lithuania and 117:85 in the final with Croatia
In 1994, the United States first brought NBA stars to the World Championship. The Americans outplayed the Russian National team 137:91 in the final.
In the 21st century, the period from 2002 to 2006 was the most challenging for the United States. During this time, the American National team failed to win any medals in three major international tournaments. At the 2002 World Cup, the United States finished 6th by taking a loss in the quarterfinals from Yugoslavia, at the 2004 Olympics they have reached 3rd place, with a lost game in the semi-finals to Argentina, and the 2006 World Cup, once again ended up with bronze medals due to Greece’s victory in the semi-finals.
At the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the United States team had the worst tournament in its history, ranking 7th, but still ranked first in the FIBA World Ranking.
The most famous American players in the history
Michael Jordan. 3rd pick of 1984 NBA Draft, 2-time Olympic Games champion, 6-time NBA champion, 6-time NBA Finals MVP, 5-time regular season MVP, 14-time NBA All-Star, 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, NCAA champion, Rookie Of the Year, Defensive Players Of the Year and 2-time Slam Dunk Contest champion. Moreover, Jordan has become the top scorer of the season 10 times and the top stealing player 3 times. He is the best scorer in the history of the NBA in terms of average points per game throughout entire career (30,12 points) and 5th best scorer of all-time (32 292 points). Michael is Hall-of-famer and the creator of popular brand Jordan.
LeBron James. First pick of 2003 NBA Draft, 2-time Olympic Games champion, 3-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, 4-time regular season MVP, 16-time NBA All-Star, 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year. In 2008 James has become the top scorer of the season, and in 2020 – the best in assists. He is forth in average career scoring list (27,07 points) and 3rd best all-time scorer (34 241).
Wilt Chamberlain. 2-time NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, 4-time NBA regular season MVP, 13-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year. Chamberlain has become the top scorer of the season 7 times, the best rebounder – 11 times and one time an assist leader. Legendary center holds NBA scoring record – March 2, 1962 Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single game. He is second on the average career scorers list (30,07) and 7th scorer of all-time (31419). Since 1978 he is a member of basketball Hall of Fame.
Magic Johnson. 1st pick of 1979 NBA Draft, Olympic Games champion, 5-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, 3-time regular season MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, 2-time All-Star Game MVP, NCAA champion. Furthermore, Johnson has become the top assisting player of the season 4 times and 2 times steals leader. He is 5th on NBA all-time assists list (10 141 assists). Since 2002 Magic is Hall-of-famer.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 1st pick of the 1969 NBA Draft, 6-time NBA champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, 6-time NBA regular season MVP, 19-time NBA All-Star, 3-time NCAA champion, Rookie Of the Year. Moreover, Abdul-Jabbar is a 2-time best scorer of the season, 1-time best rebounder, and 4-time blockshots leader. Legendary center is the top scorer in the NBA history, he scored 38 387 points in his career. In 1995 Kareem was included in Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kobe Bryant. 13th pick of 1996 NBA Draft, 2-time Olympic Games champion, 5-time NBA Champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA regular season MVP, 18-time All-Star and Slam Dunk Contest champion. Bryant was a 2-time best scorer of the season, was 4th on the all-time scorers list (33 643). In January 2020 Legendary guard died tragically in the helicopter crash.
Larry Bird. 6th pick of 1978 NBA Draft, Olympic Games champion, 3-time NBA champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, 3-time NBA regular season MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, NBA All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year, 3-time 3-point shootout contest champion. He became the first NBA player to end season with not less than 50% of field goals, 40% of three pointers and 90% of free throws. In 1998 Larry entered Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shaquille O’Neal. 1st pick of 1992 NBA Draft, Olympic Games champion, World champion, World Cup MVP, 4-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA regular season MVP, 15-time NBA All-Star, 3-time All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year. Moreover, O’Neal became best scorer of the season twice. In 2014 he entered Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bill Russell. 1st pick of 1992 NBA Draft, Olympic Games champion, World champion, World Cup MVP, 4-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA regular season MVP, 15-time NBA All-Star, 3-time All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year. Moreover, O’Neal became best scorer of the season twice. In 2014 he entered Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jerry West. 1st pick of 1992 NBA Draft, Olympic Games champion, World champion, World Cup MVP, 4-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA regular season MVP, 15-time NBA All-Star, 3-time All-Star Game MVP, Rookie Of the Year. Moreover, O’Neal became best scorer of the season twice. In 2014 he entered Basketball Hall of Fame.
Dmitriy Kolinov
