Vassilis Spanoulis (Greece)
Vassilis Spanoulis is by FAR the most successful professional basketball player on this list. Kill Bill is a European legend. He was All Europe Player of the Year in 2012 and EuroLeague MVP the following season, and he was named to the All EuroLeague Team a record eight different times.
Spanoulis was so dominant in Europe that he garnered the nickname Euro Kobe.
In 2006, V-Span decided to try his stuff in the NBA, where he signed a contract with the Houston Rockets. Spanoulis never got much playing time as a rookie and shot only 32% off the bench, not exactly the extra All Star the Rockets were hoping to pair with Tracy McGrady. Said Spanoulis: “I was McGrady back home. Great. McGrady is McGrady here.” He returned to Europe and went on to win 3 EuroLeague titles, 7 Greek championships, and 13 different MVP awards. Take that, TMac.
Naz says
You forgot the Golden State Warriors mistaken high draft pick around 10 years ago, Andres Biedrins, a terrible Center and not much better person.