10 European Players that failed in the NBA-Sportsglob.com

Introduction

The NBA is one of the most competitive sports globally, with only a few players ever getting enough recognition to make it big. And while some are famous for their careers on the court, others have failed miserably. This article talks about 10 European players that fell in the NBA.

 1. Johan Petro

Johan Petro had a short career with the Lakers, but the story did not end there. After returning to Europe, the player got a second chance and met specific requirements. Even though he did not prove himself enough during the tests he participated in, the Tampa Bay team chose Petro to lift the white tradition and play in the NBA.

2. Nik Stauskas

The Philadelphia 76ers took Nik Stauskas with the 8th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. Many people were sceptical about his draft stock, and if he would be able to make it in the NBA, he made it through two seasons before being traded to Brooklyn as part of a trade package brought in Nerlens Noel. After playing seven games with them, he was waived by the team and sent back to Europe, where he played for FC Bayern Munich II.

 3. Nikola Milutinov

Nikola Milutinov (born April 23, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for Real Madrid’s Spanish club. He was named Euroleague Young Player of the Year in 2013. Milutinov was a player that did not make it in the NBA. The Serbian-born player went to Europe after being drafted by the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He was drafted because he had a lot of potential, but instead of getting better, he got worse. He averaged 0 points and 0 rebounds during his playing time on the Orlando Magic’s Development League team.

 4. Dario Saric

Dario Saric’s NBA career has been a long time coming. He was drafted 11th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers after spending three years playing in Europe. Saric is Croatian, meaning he played for one of the best European leagues back home. The upside for Dario? A player who can fill up a stat sheet at both ends of the floor and many international fans will recognize him playing with Croatia’s national team.

5. Patricio Garino

The Atlanta Hawks drafted Patricio Garino with the 55th pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He averaged just over 10 points per game and was an average three-point shooter for the most part. For a player who couldn’t make it into an All-Star game, this is a pretty disappointing performance from him.

 6. Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam is a native of Cameroon and played for the University of Toronto before signing an NBA contract with the Utah Jazz. The team waived him in 2017-2018 after playing just nine games and was signed to a 10-day contract by the Atlanta Hawks in December 2018 but did not play any games with them. Pascal Siakam is a Cameroonian professional basketball player. He plays for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Siakam attended the New Mexico State University and was selected by the Raptors in the 2016 NBA Draft. In 2018, Siakam led the Raptors on their first-ever trip to The NBA Finals.

 7.Goran Dragić

Goran Dragić is a 6’3″ Serbian guard/forward drafted 7th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2011 NBA draft. Though he has a long history of playing professionally overseas, he had never played in the NBA before coming to Phoenix. He provided good defence and outside shooting for his team but struggled with his decision-making and shot selection leading to him being cut from the Sun’s roster after two seasons. He has since returned to Europe.

8. Marcelo Huertas

Marcelo Huertas was a failed French
a professional basketball player who has played in the NBA and is currently playing for the Atlanta Hawks.
Huertas signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2016, but he was cut from the team after appearing in just three games.

9. Dirk Nowitzki 

Dirk Nowitzki was drafted in 1998 by the Milwaukee Bucks with their first pick and got the nickname “The German Hammer” for his unique ability to hit shots from anywhere. He supposedly averaged 31 points a game during his NBA days. Some say that he had an excellent German upbringing which gave him an advantage.

10. Danilo Gallinari

Danilo Gallinari is an Italian centre that played in the NBA for five years. Denver Nuggets drafted him with the number 16 pick in 2007. He spent his first two seasons playing for their D-League affiliate, the Colorado 14ers. In 2010, he was traded to New York Knicks. In 2013, he joined other European players and moved to Italy to play for Olimpia Milano.