Basketball is immensely popular in Mexico, with thousands of fans passionately following both domestic and NBA games. While football may reign supreme as Mexico’s most popular sport, basketball has carved out a special place in Mexican sports culture.
Mexican fans closely follow the exploits of their compatriots playing basketball at the highest levels. The NBA has seen its fair share of Mexican basketball stars who have showcased their skills on basketball’s biggest stage over the years.
1. Eduardo Nájera
There is no greater Mexican basketball icon than Eduardo Nájera. The 6’8’’ (2.03m) power forward/center from Meoqui, Mexico enjoyed a distinguished 12-year NBA career from 2000-2012.
Nájera made history by becoming the first Mexican-born player to be drafted into the NBA when the Houston Rockets selected him with the 38th overall pick in 2000. He would go on to play for the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Charlotte Bobcats.
2. Gustavo Ayón
Towering center Gustavo Ayón was another Mexican basketball trailblazer who played in the NBA from 2011-2014.
After going undrafted in 2009, the 6’10’’ (2.08m) Ayón plied his trade in the Mexican LNBP before getting his big break with Spanish club Baloncesto Fuenlabrada in 2009. His impressive performances for the Spanish side subsequently earned Ayón a contract with the New Orleans Hornets in December 2011.
Ayón would go on to have productive stints with New Orleans, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, playing in 135 NBA games and averaging 4.7 points and 4.9 rebounds.
3. Jorge Gutierrez
Diminutive point guard Jorge Gutierrez ardently chased his NBA dream for years before finally achieving it. Born in Chihuahua City, Mexico, Gutierrez played four seasons of college basketball with the University of California, Berkeley.
After going undrafted in 2012, Gutierrez had to chart an unconventional path to the league. He plied his trade in Mexico, the NBA G League and even played in Australia before signing with the Brooklyn Nets in December 2013.
Gutierrez would go on to play 47 games for Brooklyn, Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks between 2013-2016. Though he only averaged 2.9 points, Gutierrez impressed with his trademark hustle, playmaking and pesky defense, especially during his 25 games with Brooklyn.
4. Juan Toscano-Anderson
Oakland native Juan Toscano-Anderson has strong Mexican heritage through his mother who hails from Tepic, Mexico. After playing college hoops at Marquette University, Toscano-Anderson embarked on a globetrotting professional career.
Toscano-Anderson plied his trade all across Mexico and Venezuela, even having a stint in the NBA G League before the Golden State Warriors came calling in 2020. He initially signed a two-way contract with the team.
Thanks to his athleticism, intensity and fearlessness, Toscano-Anderson soon became a fixture in Golden State’s rotation. His breakthrough campaign came in 2021/22 when he played key minutes during the Warriors’ Championship run.
5. Horacio Llamas
No list of pioneering Mexican basketball players is complete without the legendary Horacio Llamas. Before Ayón and Nájera arrived, Llamas blazed the trail for Mexicans in the NBA.
Llamas entered NBA history books in 1997 when he signed with the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first Mexican-born player in league history. The athletic, 6’11’’ (2.10m) center played two seasons under coach Danny Ainge, participating in 49 games.
Though Llamas only averaged 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds for Phoenix, his groundbreaking stint in the league opened the floodgates for Mexican players. Since Llamas, the NBA has seen over half a dozen Mexicans play in the league.
Sources:
www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/top-5-mexican-players-nba-athletes-teams
sportsbrief.com/nba/43666-who-greatest-mexican-basketball-players-time/
