NBA players by ethnicity 2023 | Statista (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of the NBA is race in 2023? ›

Share of NBA players 2010-2023, by ethnicity

In 2023, approximately 70.4 percent of NBA players were African American. Meanwhile, ethnically white players constituted a 17.5 percent share of all NBA players that year.

According to racial equality activist Richard Lapchick, the NBA in 2021 was composed of 73.2 percent black players, 16.8 percent white players, 3.1 percent Latino players of any race, and 0.4 percent Asian players.

Mexico has a significant history with the NBA, dating back to 1947 when Horacio Llamas became the first Mexican-born player to enter the league. As of 2023, two prominent Mexican players have been making their mark in the NBA - Gustavo Ayón and Juan Toscano-Anderson.

In the 2022-23 season, 82.5% of players were people of color, a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points; 70.4% of all NBA players were African American (a decrease of 1.5 percentage points).

Of the big four professional sports leagues in North America, the NFL and the NBA have the highest percentage of African American players. In 2023, 70.4 percent of NBA players were African American, as well as half of the head coaches within the league.

When you look at the ethnicity of the NBA stars, you see that the overwhelming majority are African-American, making up 73.2% of the league. White players make up 16.8% and Hispanic players come in with 3.1% of the NBA.

Play an NBA game: Earl Lloyd, an All-American at West Virginia State where he led the Yellow Jackets to a 30-0 record in 1947-48, became the first African-American to play in an NBA game on Oct. 31, 1950.

Taking the top spot is California, with 442 NBA and ABA players who were born in this state. It is home to some of the most prominent players in basketball, including two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers.

He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils followed by a five-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career, and then stints in various other leagues. Abdelnaby is one of two Egyptian-born players in the history of the NBA, along with Abdel Nader.

Alan Chazaro details the former Suns Center's winding path to the NBA – although he never became a superstar, his journey and cultural impact remain an inspiration to Mexican fans.

Who is the best Hispanic basketball player? ›

The most accomplished Spanish player in NBA history, Pau Gasol was a part of the Spanish national teams that were rivals to Team USA at the Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He won two silver medals and a bronze medal. While in the NBA, Gasol scored 20,894 career points and grabbed 11,305 rebounds.

The tallest NBA player ever is Gheorghe Mureșan, standing at an imposing height of 7 feet 7 inches (231 cm). Born in Romania, Mureșan played in the NBA from 1993 to 2000, primarily with the Washington Bullets/Wizards and the New Jersey Nets. His towering presence was unmatched on the court.

Personal life. Williams grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas. His mother, Linda Williams, was born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam, and moved to the United States in 1975 after the Vietnam War. Williams is the first player of Vietnamese descent to play in the NBA.

He was a second round draft pick (46th overall) of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2004 NBA draft. At 7 ft 3 in, 305 lb, he was among the largest players in the NBA. He is also the first (and as of December 2023), only South Korean to play in the NBA.

1950-51: The first 3 black players played in the NBA. There were 11 teams, so approximately 132 players, so ~2% black and 98% white. 1960: Close to 20% of league players were black, and the remaining 80% were white.

Share of WNBA players 2023, by ethnicity

In 2023, over 60 percent of players in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) were black or African American. Meanwhile, just 1.4 percent of players in the league identified as Asian.