Under 25: The Best Current International NBA Players

With every NBA Draft comes the inevitable search for the next big international superstar with skills that will translate to the NBA. This thirst for potential has blessed us with the likes of Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, and Dirk Nowitzki, but it has also left us scratching our heads at times. Darko Milicic and Nikoloz Tskitishvili come to mind.

With a new era of international stars now emerging, I'd like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the talent and potential of these ten players, the best international players currently on a NBA team that are no more than 25 years old.

Thabo Sefolosha: Ok City Thunder SG

Born in Switzerland, the 25 year old Sefolosha began his professional basketball career at 17 and made a decent name for himself in the premier French pro league before being drafted 13th overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2006.

Sefolosha has made a name for himself as a tough, physical defender and uses his size and impressive wing span to get in the passing lanes and contest shots. He is averaging nearly two steals per game to this point in the season. Sefolosha has all the makings of a defensive stopper and his presence is quickly becoming a welcome addition to a young Thunder team looking for defensive leadership.

Sefolosha really struggles on the offensive end, but is gradually learning how to become functional on that end of the court. His jump shot is improving, and if he can begin to make better decisions with the basketball, he should solidify his spot in the starting rotation for quite some time.

Rodrigue Beaubois: Dallas Mavericks G

Born in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, the 21 year old Frenchman Beaubois was widely considered to be one of the most athletic players available in the draft class of 2009.

Beaubois is a lightning quick point guard, with good ball control, and a wingspan that allows him to play bigger than his slender 6'1'' frame suggests, which gives him the necessary tools to be a good defender. He has an improving jump shot, is a good passer, can beat about anyone off the dribble, and drives strong to the rim.

He doesn't have natural point guard instincts and his lack of high level basketball experience are the only weaknesses standing in his way. With some more NBA experience, Beaubois can be a serious threat on this level.

Kelenna Azubuike: Golden State Warriors SF

Born in London, England the 25-year-old Azubuike barely makes this list as he turns 26 in less than a month.

Undrafted out of the University of Kentucky, Azubuike has played his way into the Golden State Warriors starting lineup and is proving to be one of their more consistent players.

He is a versatile, all-around scorer and his game continues to evolve every year. He can shoot threes at an impressive clip, pull up for the mid-range jumper, and he can also bully smaller guards in the post and finish strong at the rim. His strength makes him a good defender, especially against opponents that want to play a physical game.

Andrew Bogut: Milwaukee Bucks C

Born in Australia, the 24 year old Bogut was taken as the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks after an impressive career at the University of Utah.

Bogut is one of those players that isn't overly athletic, but has learned how to use his big body to his advantage and can usually have his way with most centers in this league on the offensive side of the ball.

He owns the boards when he is in the game, and has become a good shot-blocker with a physical presence in the paint. He has a good offensive game in the post, with most of his points coming off of short range baskets, and he has developed into an exceptional passes for his position.

His biggest downfall has been his proneness for injuries. If he can stay healthy, he is definitely a top-five center in the Eastern Conference.

Rudy Fernandez: Portland Trailblazers SG

Born in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, the 24 year old Spaniard took the world by storm with his performance in the 2008 Olympics against the Redeem Team.

Fernandez has some of the best leaping ability you will ever see, but he really struggles to get to the rim so his athleticism is rarely put on display. He moves without the ball better than almost anyone in the league, and gets off his shot with even the slightest opening in the defense.

He is truly a dynamic, active, and exciting offensive player, but is somewhat of a liability on the defensive end. If he can shore up his defensive prowess, he should be able to take his game to the next level.

Marc Gasol: Memphis Grizzlies C

Born in Barcelona, Spain, the 24-year-old Spaniard is a bigger, stronger, and slower version of his brother Pau.

He does not have his brother's athleticism, but he is crafty and finds ways to get the ball in the hoop. He has a good outside shot, but he rarely utilized his ability last year in this respect. His defense left a lot to be desired last year as he has slow foot speed and he tended to lose his man off the ball fairly easily. He has good size to be a factor in the post but doesn't have the athleticism to be a stopper.

He is off to a torrid start this year, averaging well over a double-double and he is looking more and more like one of the more underrated players taken in last year's draft.

Andris Biedrins: Golden State Warriors C

Born in Riga, Latvian, the 23-year-old-center is quickly emerging as a player to be reckoned with.

He blocks shots and rebounds as well as anyone in the league. He is athletic for his size, and his speed allows him to attack his opponents off of the dribble from the high post. He always seems to find the open man off the pass from the block. Biedrins is not a good outside shooter, so he can be predictable at times, but he relies on his athleticism to get him to the rim.

He is a tireless and positive force on a Warriors team that finds itself in recent turmoil. If he can continue to develop his offensive repertoire, Biedrins can easily become a top-10 center in the NBA based on his unique combination of size and athleticism.

Al Horford :Atlanta Hawks C

Born in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, the 23 year old is quietly becoming a star amongst the Eastern Conference big men.

Although undersized in the post, he makes up for his lack of size with great technical play and pure effort. He is a high character guy and his teammates absolutely love playing with him. He is a good post defender, good rebounder, and loves to play physical. In a NBA without many true centers, Horford stands apart in the classic center mold.

He is playing outstanding basketball and is currently averaging a double-double on a very good team. Horford will only continue to improve, and could stand alone with Dwight Howard as the two best centers in the East before long.

Danilo Gallinari: New York Knicks F

Born in Sant'Angelo Lodigian, Italy the 21-year-old forward is an offensive dynamo who fits perfectly in the D'Antoni system.

Not touted as a marksmen from long range coming into the draft, Gallinari demonstrated some intriguing potential as a shooter in limited playing time last season. In fact, Coach D'Antoni called him the best shooter he has ever seen.

He isn't very athletic, but he is big and long and demonstrated the ability to use his length in order to get his shot off at will.

He does not like to get physical, and is more in the mold of the classic "European softy," but that is not what he is asked to do for this team. Gallinari is an excellent ball handler, a good passer, and has been given the green light to fire away from long range. He might have more potential than any other player on this list to become the "Dirk Nowitzki" heir apparent.

Andrea Bargnani: Toronto Raptors C

Born in Rome, Italy, the 24-year-old-center was the first overall pick taken by the Toronto Raptors in the 2006 NBA Draft.

He is emerging as a primetime player, and looks to become the next great European hope. He loves to shoot the three, and he has been doing so brilliantly this season (.458), but he can also put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop, which creates a nightmare matchup for nearly every defender in the league.

He is not a good defender, nor can he rebound to save his life, but like Gallinari, his team does not expect him to excel in these areas.

His mobility for a big man simply cannot be understated, and while his shooting brings the defenders out to guard him, it's actually his ability to drive the ball that keeps them honest. It is nearly impossible to predict his next move.

This is the year that Bargnani needs to live up to the hype that made him the first overall pick. He is out to a nice start to the season, and I look for his point production to creep up to the mid 25 ppg mark by season's end. He is a mismatch in so many ways that if he can solidify some of the weaker aspects of his game, he can truly become one of the league's best players.