Top African Players to Watch in the NBA This Season

It’s become impossible to deny the growing influence of African players on the NBA. Each season, the volume of African-born players in the league seems to grow. Some have even emerged as bona fide stars. To get a better idea of just how impactful African players have become, here is a list of the top African-born NBA players who fans will want to keep tabs on during the 2025-26 season.

Maluach is the newest African-born player to make his way to the NBA. Born in South Sudan but raised in Uganda, Maluach played for pro teams in the Basketball Africa League before going to Duke for a season. He played on a star-studded team with the Blue Devils last season and will soon make his NBA debut alongside Kevin Durant with the Phoenix Suns, who traded for him after the Rockets drafted Maluach 10th overall in this year’s NBA Draft.

Despite winning a gold medal for Team USA at the Olympics last summer, Embiid was born in Cameroon. As a seven-time all-star and the league MVP in 2023, Embiid is among the most decorated African-born players in NBA history. Of course, injuries have gotten the better of Embiid at times, putting his health for the 2025-26 season in question. However, if he can get back to full health, he can make the 76ers a contender in the Eastern Conference this season. If you think the 76ers could be a sleeper pick to win the NBA title this season, consider looking for betting sites with free bonuses.

Just a role player when he won an NBA title with the Warriors in 2022, Kuminga is now a key part of Golden State’s core after averaging 15.3 points per game last season. Of course, Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s blossoming into a star. Born in Goma, the capital of DR Congo, Kuminga will only be 23 at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. He still has room to grow, so this could be the best season of his career.

A native of Cameroon, Siakim has a truly amazing story. Growing up, he was enrolled in seminary school and nearly became a Catholic priest. Siakim also received little recognition on the basketball court before landing at New Mexico State. But after two excellent college seasons, he became a first-round pick in 2016. Siakim still had to prove himself in the D-League before eventually becoming the NBA’s Most-Improved Player in 2019. A year later, Siakim became an all-star for the first time. He was part of Toronto’s championship team in 2019 and nearly led the Pacers to a title last season.

As the son of one of Africa’s most famous athletes of all time, Bol has been in his father’s shadow for most of his life. Born in Khartoum, he was just two when his family moved to the U.S. as political refugees. At 7’3’’, Bol isn’t quite as tall as his famous 7’7’’ father, but he’s proven to be big enough to become a serviceable NBA player. Bol has averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game through the first six seasons. He will play with Maluach for the Phoenix Suns during the 2025-26 campaign.

While he’s lived in the U.S. since age three, Okogie was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He’s also represented Nigeria in international competition. After two standout college seasons at Georgia Tech, Okogie was a first-round pick in 2018 and has turned into a solid role player in the NBA. He signed with the Houston Rockets this past summer, putting him on a team with championship aspirations this season.

Tshiebwe isn’t an established NBA player yet, playing just 22 games over the past two seasons. But the big man, originally from DR Congo, is a player to watch closely during the 2025-26 season. Tshiebwe was a First-Team All-G League selection each of the past two seasons. Keep in mind that he led the country in rebounding both of his seasons at Kentucky, so he has the tools to play in the NBA. While Tshiebwe is still on a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and could spend most of the season back in the G League, he should get more opportunities with the Jazz than last season, so this could be his breakout season.

Officially, Biyombo remains a free agent at the moment. The 32-year-old was born in Zaire before it became DR Congo and has 14 years of NBA experience under his belt. While he’s never lived up to being the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Biyombo could still contribute to an NBA team this season if given a chance.