The former professional basketball player, Kobe Bryant, was drafted into NBA immediately after his school and went on to become one of the most successful basketball players of his generation. During his career of two decades, the Los Angeles Lakers player created numerous new records. He authored a book and one of his poems even inspired an animated short film.
James Harden is a basketball player, widely regarded as the best shooting guard in the history of the NBA. His prolific ability to score from difficult situations and positions has helped his team win many games. He was part of the United States national team that won the gold medal at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest Chinese basketball players ever, Yao Ming represented the Houston Rockets of the NBA. Known as the Ming Dynasty in the US, Ming's popularity and success in the NBA made him a symbol of China. One of China's most popular sportsmen, Ming is also credited with introducing the Chinese Basketball Association to the world.
Phil Jackson is a former professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association and won the NBA championships in 1970 and 1973 when he was with New York Knicks. Later, he coached the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and led them both to numerous championships and league titles and is considered one of the greatest basketball coaches ever.
Though his childhood was rough, Jimmy Butler III’s talent as a basketball player eventually led to his selection by the Chicago Bulls in the 2011 draft. He played six seasons with the Bulls and became the first player in its history to bag the NBA Most Improved Player award. He played for Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers before joining Miami Heat.
Taiwanese-American professional basketball player Jeremy Lin is famous for being the first Asian American to win an NBA championship. He has played for numerous teams in his career, the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) being the latest. He loves music and has collaborated with the rapper MC Jin on the single "The First Opponent."
Toni Kukoč is a Croatian-American retired basketball player who played in the NBA for teams like Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks. A three-time NBA champion, Kukoč was made an inductee of the FIBA Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 and 2021 respectively.