Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through the defender's hoop, while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated.
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time and is considered by many to be the greatest European player of all time. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. In 2023, Nowitzki was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball executive and former professional player who played most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Detroit Pistons. Nicknamed "Big Ben", he is often regarded as the greatest undrafted player in NBA history, and was known for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and overall defensive play. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University. In his NBA career, he also played with the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Benjamin Ashenafi Gordon is a British-American former professional basketball player. Gordon played for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and he played college basketball for the University of Connecticut, where he won a national championship in 2004.
Luol Ajou Deng is a South Sudanese–British former professional basketball player. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2012. Born in South Sudan that was then part of Sudan, Deng fled the country with his family as a child, eventually settling in the United Kingdom. He became a British citizen in 2006, and has played for the Great Britain national team.
Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod, better known as Boris Diaw, is a French basketball executive and former player who is the president of Metropolitans 92 of LNB Pro A. Diaw began his playing career in Pro A and returned to that league after 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played mostly at the power forward position. In 2006, Diaw was named the NBA's Most Improved Player as a member of the Phoenix Suns. He won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014.
Francisco Marinho Robby Elson is a Dutch former professional basketball player. Elson was the seventh Dutch player to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Elson served as the captain of the Netherlands national basketball team in international basketball, as he led the team in several EuroBasket qualifying rounds. He was the first Dutch player to become NBA champion, with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
Kristopher Carlos Joseph is a Canadian former professional basketball player. He played for the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team from 2008 to 2012. He was selected in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics with the 51st pick overall. He is the older cousin of Pistons point guard Cory Joseph.
JSA Bordeaux Métropole Basket is a professional basketball club based in Bordeaux, France. The club plays in the NM1, the Third-tier level league of France.
Élisabeth Riffiod is a former French women's professional basketball player. With 247 games played with the national team and 6 French championships won, she is considered as one of the best French centers to ever play the game.
Benjamin David Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the LSU Tigers, after which he was named a consensus first-team All-American and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. Simmons was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. After sitting out a year due to an injured right foot, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was selected three times to the NBA All-Star Game. As the result of a holdout from the 76ers following the 2020–21 season, which led him to be traded to the Nets, Simmons is the most-fined player in NBA history, in terms of total financial loss.
Markel Humphrey is an American basketball player who plays for BBC Monthey of the Swiss Basketball League. He usually plays as small forward or shooting guard.
Akselis Vairogs is a Latvian professional basketball coach and a former player, who played the shooting guard position.
Mateusz Ponitka is a Polish professional basketball player for Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroCup. He also represents the senior Poland national team in international competitions. Standing at a height of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), he plays at the small forward position.
Élie-Franck Okobo is a French professional basketball player for AS Monaco Basket of the LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. A 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall combo guard, the Bordeaux native began his club career at age 16. Okobo subsequently competed for the youth team of Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez, reaching the LNB Espoirs title game in 2016. In the 2016–17 season, he assumed a greater role with the senior team, and in the following year, he became a regular starter.
Marques Townes is a Dominican-American basketball player. He played college basketball for the Loyola Ramblers, after beginning his career with Fairleigh Dickinson.
Ousmane Dieng is a French professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Carlos Dotson is an American professional basketball player for U.D. Oliveirense of the Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol. He played college basketball for the Anderson Trojans, the College of Central Florida Patriots, and the Western Carolina Catamounts.
Kiady Mijoro Razanamahenina is a Malagasy basketball player who plays for Lyonso. Standing at 1.84 m, he plays as point guard. Razanamahenina also plays for the Madagascar national team.
Joshua Kenneth Mballa is a French basketball player. He played college basketball for the Ole Miss Rebels, the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Buffalo Bulls.
