The Top 25 players ever from the Americas

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By The Lighter Side | April 5, 2014

25. Jose Ortiz. NBA stats: 2.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 9.4 PER in two seasons. Finesse big man who made shooting off the glass an art form. Had a cup of coffee in the NBA and then went on to play in Europe with powerhouses like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or Aris. Was a member of the Puerto Rican National Team for over 20 years.

24. Pablo Prigioni. NBA stats: 3.7 ppg, 3.2 apg, 13.2 PER in two seasons. High basketball IQ player that was consistently one of the top point guards in Europe for almost a decade. Fine performance during his rookie year with the Knicks makes you wonder if he could have had a nice career as a backup in the NBA.

23. Francisco Garcia. NBA stats: 8.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 12.6 PER in nine seasons. Good role player for the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets. Plays tough D and can hit the open three-pointer.

22. Tristan Thompson. NBA stats: 10.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 14.9 PER in three seasons. High-energy player with an offensive game that's still coming along. Outside shooting has improved already. Potential double-double player in years to come.

21. Carlos Arroyo. NBA stats: 6.6 ppg, 3.1 apg, 13.4 PER in nine seasons. Flashy playmaker that has been successful both in America and Europe. Not very gifted physically, but made up for that with a lot of skill.

20. Greivis Vasquez. NBA stats: 9.0 ppg, 5.3 apg, 14.2 PER in four seasons. Should have a long NBA career based on what we've seen so far. Excelled when given the chance to start in New Orleans, but probably a better fit as a quality backup guard.

19. Eduardo Najera. NBA stats: 4.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 12.0 PER in 12 seasons. Hustle player that managed to stay in the league more than his basketball talent warranted. Didn't take plays off and became a fan favorite at several of his NBA stops.

18. Jose Juan Barea. NBA stats: 8.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 13.5 PER in eight seasons. Played a big role in Dallas' 2011 championship run. Creative and ultra-confident guard that has exceeded all expectations in the NBA.

17. Bob Houbregs. NBA stats: 9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 17.0 PER in five seasons. One of the international pioneers in the NBA. The only Canadian player at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

16. Carlos Delfino. NBA stats: 8.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 12.6 PER in eight seasons. A gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics, the Argentinean guard has been a fine contributor to several NBA teams thanks to his good three-point shooting.

15. Charlie Villanueva. NBA stats: 11.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 16.1 PER in nine seasons. Would be ranked higher on talent alone, but effort and focus have been questionable – especially after signing a rich free agent deal in Detroit.

14. Jamaal Magloire. NBA stats: 7.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 13.5 PER in 12 seasons. A workhorse at the center position that was once surprisingly selected to the All-Star Game. Passed on playing with Canada a million times.

13. Samuel Dalembert, NBA stats: 7.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 15.5 PER in 12 seasons. Maddeningly inconsistent, but a high-quality center when he was into it. Length, mobility and athleticism were top-notch at the five position.

12. Andres Nocioni. NBA stats: 10.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 12.9 PER in eight seasons. Pure heart. Very strong small forward that was a Joakim Noah-type player in Chicago before Joakim Noah. His NBA career went to waste in bad situations in Philadelphia and Sacramento.

11. Tiago Splitter. NBA stats: 8.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 18.4 PER in four seasons. A superstar in Europe, Splitter had to pay his dues in San Antonio before becoming the key player he is today. Has great footwork, takes high-percentage shots and rebounds the ball well.

10. Anderson Varejao. NBA stats: 7.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 15.8 PER in 10 seasons. A poor man's Joakim Noah. Gets it done with hustle and smarts. Fantastic rebounder. Durability has been a concern.

9. Leandro Barbosa. NBA stats: 11.9 ppg, 2.3 apg, 15.6 PER in 11 seasons. A huge offensive threat off the bench during his good Phoenix years. Very hard to stay in front of him back then. Has lost a step or two now.

8. Nene. NBA stats: 12.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 17.4 PER in 12 seasons. Big body and big talent at the center position. Efficient offensive player that brings a physical presence. Has never been much of a rebounder, though.

7. Rick Fox. NBA stats: 9.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 13.6 PER in 13 seasons. Only played for the two most storied franchises in the NBA. Won three championships with the Lakers as a lock-down defender and three-point sniper.

6. Al Horford. NBA stats: 14.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 18.7 PER in seven seasons. Has been one of the top centers in the NBA in the past few years even though his natural position is power forward. The two-time All-Star is a very good rebounder with a nice mid-range jumper.

5. Oscar Schmidt. Didn't play in the NBA. Unofficially considered the top scorer in basketball history. Got a ton of buckets for 10 different clubs during a career that spanned almost three decades. Passed on the chance to play in the NBA during his prime years so he could continue competing with the Brazilian National Team. Didn't play a lick of defense.

4. Luis Scola. NBA stats: 13.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 16.5 PER in seven seasons. Wildly dominant in Europe, Scola arrived in the NBA as a veteran and still had plenty of success. A low-post ace with a lot of competitive fire. Won big with Argentina and may end up winning the whole thing with Indiana too. It's him, not Manu Ginobili, that's the all-time leading scorer for the Argentinean National Team.

3. Rolando Blackman. NBA stats: 18.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 16.7 PER in 13 seasons. The Panamian-born Blackman was a four-time All-Star with the Mavericks between 1985 and 1990. An offensive player first and foremost, he was the franchise all-time leading scorer in the pre-Nowitzki era.

2. Manu Ginobili. NBA stats: 14.7 ppg, 4.0 apg, 21.5 PER in 12 seasons. Best South American player ever. Great combination of skill, smarts, heart, guts and (in his younger years) athleticism. Has won Euroleague titles, Olympic medals and NBA championships.

1. Steve Nash. NBA stats: 14.3 ppg, 8.5 apg, 20.0 PER in 18 seasons. One of the top point guards in basketball. Couldn't play D, but we've seen few players shooting and passing the ball like him in the NBA. Will retire with two MVP awards, but sadly with no titles.

Bob Houbregs, Leandro Barbosa, Nenê, Oscar Schmidt, Rolando Blackman, Gallery

Gallery, Bob Houbregs, Leandro Barbosa, Nenê, Oscar Schmidt, Rolando Blackman, Al Horford, Anderson Varejao, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino, Charlie Villanueva, Eduardo Najera, Greivis Vasquez, Jamaal Magloire, Jose Juan Barea, Luis Scola, Manu Ginobili, Rick Fox, Samuel Dalembert, Steve Nash, Tiago Splitter

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The Top 25 players ever from the Americas

The Top 25 players ever from the Americas

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The Top 25 players ever from the Americas

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