Greatest basketball players ever who never played in the NBA
The NBA is widely regarded as the highest level of basketball, but some of the greatest players in history never played a single NBA game. You can see that the online betting sites 1xBet also have a complete section dedicated to NBA wagers.
Their careers were built in Europe and South America, where they became legends through club success and international competition.
Oscar Schmidt is arguably the strongest candidate for No. 1. The Brazilian shooting guard turned down NBA opportunities because, during his era, professional players could not compete in the Olympics. The 1xBet betting sites also have online wagers on Olympic basketball too.
Schmidt played 5 Olympic Games and 5 World Championships, and his 1,093 Olympic points remain a record. In 1988, he averaged an extraordinary 42.3 points per game in Seoul. Across a 25-year professional career, he scored 49,703 points.
A fantastic pure scorer
Nikos Galis was perhaps Europe’s most devastating pure scorer. If you get 1xBet betting app now, you can also use your mobile devices to wager on other fantastic European basketball players too.
The Greek-American guard played his entire professional career in Greece after being drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1979. He averaged more than 30 points per game across European club and national-team competitions, winning 8 Greek championships. He also led Greece to the 1987 European Championship title while earning tournament MVP honors. Those who get the 1xBet betting app now can also place their wagers on Greek basketball competitions too.
Drazen Dalipagic was another extraordinary scorer. A Yugoslavian superstar, he won:
- Olympic gold in 1980;
- a World Championship in 1978;
- and 3 European Championships.
He was also named European Player of the Year 3 times and averaged more than 30 points per game for much of his career.
Almost reaching the NBA
Dino Meneghin represents longevity and dominance. The Italian center played 28 seasons, won 12 Italian championships and 7 European Cups, and appeared in 4 Olympics. He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in 1970 but never played in the United States. All those aforementioned basketball competitions are also available for live betting at the 1xBet platform.
Finally, Dejan Bodiroga deserves recognition for his exceptional European career. He won major titles with Panathinaikos, Barcelona and Real Madrid, captured 2 World Championships with Yugoslavia, and was drafted by Sacramento without ever entering the NBA. Together, these players demonstrate that basketball greatness has never belonged exclusively to the NBA. Nevertheless, betting live on the NBA at 1xBet is always a great prospect.
Disclaimer:
BCLB №: 0000348
18+
T@C apply
Play responsibly
