2020 Basketball Eligibles
For years when you thought of Soviet born basketball players they were faceless drones, but that would change with the likable (and Ivan Drago lookalike), Andrei Kirilenko who would become a star with the Utah Jazz.
The first player from Turkey to make the NBA, Hedo Turkoglu was not just a footnote but was a bona fide player in the league. Turkoglu would emerge as a solid player during his tenure with the Orlando Magic and was able to spread the game internationally.
While Jason Richardson was never an All Star, he was a very good player who dazzled fans of the Golden State Warriors with his hustle and intensity. Richardson was a sweet shooter from behind the arc and in his first season as a member of the Charlotte Bobcats, he would lead the NBA in Three Pointers. With a career PER of 16.8 and a trio of seasons with a Points per Game average over 20,…
Kenyon Martin (or K-Mart) as he was known as, would emerge as an efficient two way forward in the NBA and put up a few good seasons with the New Jersey Nets and later the Denver Nuggets. Martin would showcase versatility and defensive acumen and was considered one of the better defensive players in the NBA during his tenure.
Shawn Marion’s nickname of “The Matrix” might just be one of the best (and appropriate) in not just basketball but all of sports. Marion could do it all. He was a scorer, a rebounder and a solid defender and could whatever void you needed.