1. Steve Nash
Without a doubt, Steve Nash is the greatest Canadian basketball player of all time. Born in South Africa but raised in Canada from an early age, Nash dazzled fans with his flashy passing and high basketball IQ during an 18-year NBA career.
Nash is one of the most decorated players in league history, tying for third all-time with 12 All-Star selections. He also captured back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 as the catalyst for the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns teams of the mid-2000s.
Nash averaged 14.3 points and 8.5 assists for his career while shooting an incredible 49% from the field, 42.8% from three, and 90.4% from the free throw line.
Key Career Achievements:
- 2x NBA MVP (2005, 2006)
- 8x NBA All-Star (2002-2003, 2005-2008, 2010, 2012)
- 7x All-NBA Selection (5x First Team, 2x Second Team)
- 5x NBA Assists Leader (2005-2007, 2010, 2011)
- 3x 50-40-90 Club
- Most accurate free throw shooter in NBA history
2. Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Wiggins entered the league saddled with sky-high expectations after being selected first overall in 2014 out of Kansas. Though it took him several years to fulfill that promise, the high-flying Canadian has firmly entrenched himself as one of the NBA’s better wing players today.
After winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2015, Wiggins seemed destined for stardom with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Though he posted gaudy scoring numbers, questions about his intensity and defense persisted.
That perception changed upon his arrival at Golden State in 2020, where Wiggins embraced a key role-player job to help the Warriors capture a title in 2022.
Key Career Achievements:
- NBA Champion (2022)
- NBA All-Star (2023)
- All-Rookie First Team (2015)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (2015)
- 10,000+ career points
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
In just his fifth NBA season, 24-year-old guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has inserted himself into the “best Canadian player ever” conversation with a phenomenal start to his career. An All-Star starter in 2023, Gilgeous-Alexander has exploded into superstardom by leading the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder franchise.
With crafty ball-handling skills and limitless range, Gilgeous-Alexander is already averaging over 30 points per game in his young career. His quick development and two-way impact suggest a potential MVP candidate and perennial All-Star is in the works.
Key Career Achievements:
- 2x NBA All-Star (2023, 2024)
- All-NBA First Team (2023)
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2019)
- 31.1 points per game in 2023-2024 (2nd in NBA)
4. Jamal Murray
Selected 7th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, Kitchener, Ontario native Jamal Murray overcame early injury setbacks to emerge as one of the NBA’s most explosive scoring guards over the past half-decade. After helping the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals in 2020, Murray ascended into a bonafide star role last season.
Despite missing all of 2021-22 with an ACL tear, Murray returned with a vengeance in leading Denver to their first-ever championship in 2023. The scoring maestro averaged over 26 points in the playoffs, including two 50-point outbursts against title favorites Phoenix and Boston.
Key Career Achievements:
- NBA Champion (2023)
- Western Conference Finals Appearance (2020)
- 2x 50-point playoff performances (2023)
- 17.7 career points per game
5. Tristan Thompson
As the lone traditional big man on this list, Tristan Thompson earns this spot largely through blue-collar rebounding, defense, and championship success next to LeBron James in Cleveland. Selected 4th overall out of Texas in 2011, Thompson joined a young, rebuilding Cavaliers squad.
By his third season, Thompson secured a full-time starting job, using relentless energy to pound the glass and outwork opponents down low. His rebounding and screen-setting proved the perfect complement in the paint next to franchise cornerstone Kyrie Irving.
Key Career Achievements:
- 2016 NBA Champion
- 2011 All-Rookie Second Team
- 6th in rebounds in Cavaliers franchise history
Sources:
fadeawayworld.net/the-10-greatest-canadian-nba-players-of-all-time
www.complex.com/sports/a/katie-heindl/best-canadian-nba-players-right-now
