The path from the NBA to European basketball has become increasingly common, with more players choosing to continue their careers overseas after spending time in the world’s best league. The 2026 offseason was no different, bringing another wave of talent across the Atlantic and adding several intriguing new names to the EuroLeague landscape.
What makes this year’s group particularly interesting is the range of experience it represents. There are accomplished veterans who have spent years competing at the highest level, alongside players whose NBA careers never quite developed as expected and who now have an opportunity to take on bigger roles. For some, it is a new chapter after a long run in the NBA; for others, it could be the first real chance to establish themselves as significant players at the highest level outside the United States.
With the 2026-27 season set to begin on September 24, Basketball Sphere ranks the top 10 players coming from the USA who are making their EuroLeague debut.
10) MarJon Beauchamp
Team: Bayern
Last season’s stats: NBA – 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists in 14 games | G League – 25.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists in 19 games
Selected 24th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA Draft, MarJon Beauchamp arrives in Europe after four years in the NBA. He played 155 games in the league, representing the Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers, while also spending significant time in the G League. Now, for the first time in his career, he will have the chance to establish himself in European basketball with Bayern.
Bayern appears to have built a roster that should give Beauchamp plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt. His physicality, athleticism and defensive versatility allow him to contribute without being a primary creator, while his ability to run the floor, cut, attack closeouts and knock down open threes should fit well into Anton Gavel’s system.
9) A.J. Lawson
Team: Baskonia
Last season’s stats: NBA – 4.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists in 24 games | G League – 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 26 games
A.J. Lawson enters the EuroLeague after a season in which he showed just how productive he can be when given a bigger offensive role. The 26-year-old Canadian spent most of the year between the Toronto Raptors and the G League, where he averaged 20.8 points per game and earned All-NBA G League Second Team honors. After several years of fighting for NBA minutes, Europe gives Lawson a chance to find out how much of that production he can carry to a higher level.
Baskonia could give him a role that has been difficult to find in North America. The club has lost several of its main players from last season, leaving a significant gap in its rotation and creating the need for new players to take on bigger responsibilities. Lawson has already shown that he can produce when given more freedom on offense, and now he will have to prove that against EuroLeague competition. That makes his first season in Vitoria particularly interesting, as a strong campaign could establish him as a legitimate EuroLeague player rather than someone still searching for a place in the NBA.
8) DaQuan Jeffries
Team: Besiktas
Last season’s stats: NBA – 10.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists in 3 games | G League – 24.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 32 games
DaQuan Jeffries enters the EuroLeague after productive season in the NBA G League, where he earned All-NBA G League First Team honors. The 27-year-old forward has been part of several NBA organizations since going undrafted in 2019, including the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, and Charlotte Hornets, although his path has largely been defined by his G League production.
Now, Jeffries gets an opportunity to translate that production to the highest level of European basketball with Besiktas. The Turkish side does not have an abundance of established stars on its roster, which could give Jeffries a much more prominent role and the freedom to show the scoring ability he displayed in the G League. If he can carry that confidence and efficiency into the EuroLeague, he has a chance to become one of Besiktas’ most important players.
7) Ethan Thompson
Team: Partizan
Last season’s stats: NBA – 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 32 games | G League – 26.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists in 8 games
Ethan Thompson arrives in Belgrade after finally earning a more consistent NBA opportunity with the Indiana Pacers last season. The 27-year-old guard spent most of his professional career in the G League, but Partizan represents a completely different challenge. The Serbian club already has Carlik Jones as its primary offensive creator, but it needs another player capable of taking responsibility when Jones is contained or off the floor.
That is where Thompson has a major opportunity. He can score off the catch, attack closeouts, create his own shot and operate in the mid-range, giving Partizan another source of self-creation rather than simply another complementary piece. Even more interestingly, he already knows Jones from their time together with the Windy City Bulls, and their different skill sets could make the reunion particularly valuable. Thompson’s scoring ability and confidence could make him the second star Partizan needs alongside Jones.
6) Keaton Wallace
Team: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Last season’s stats: NBA – 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 53 games | Playoffs – 2.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 1.0 assist in 3 games
Keaton Wallace is one of the more intriguing players on this list because his NBA numbers do not tell the full story of his development. After going undrafted, the 27-year-old guard worked his way from the G League to a regular NBA role with the Atlanta Hawks, gradually becoming more comfortable as a ball-handler and playmaker rather than simply a defensive-minded shooter. His two-way skill set gives him a solid foundation, but Maccabi Tel Aviv could offer him something he has rarely had: the opportunity to carry a much larger offensive workload.
The situation in Tel Aviv makes Wallace particularly appealing as a potential breakout candidate. Maccabi Tel Aviv has a strong frontcourt, while there is considerably more room for someone to establish himself on the perimeter. Wallace can shoot, defend, attack closeouts and create for teammates… His playmaking development gives him a chance to turn his NBA experience into consistent EuroLeague production and become the player who sets the tone for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s backcourt.
5) Tyrese Martin
Team: Barcelona
Last season’s stats: NBA – 6.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 46 games | G League – 31.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists in 3 games
Tyrese Martin arrives in Barcelona looking for a bigger role after four seasons in the NBA. After 122 NBA appearances with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, the 27-year-old forward is entering Europe for the first time as a player with the physical tools and scoring ability to make a much bigger impact than his NBA numbers suggest. He can operate as a shooting guard or small forward, has become a reliable perimeter shooter and has shown that he can fill up the box score when given the chance to be more aggressive.
The timing could hardly be more interesting. Barcelona has completely reshaped its roster, adding 11 new players while looking for a new face of the team following a major rebuilding process. Martin may not have arrived with the name recognition of an established star, but his combination of size, athleticism, shooting and offensive versatility gives him a chance to become one. That combination could quickly make Martin one of the most dangerous players among this year’s EuroLeague newcomers.
4) Jae Crowder
Team: Asvel
Season 2024/25: NBA – 2.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists in 9 games
Season 2023/24: NBA – 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 50 games
Jae Crowder brings arguably the most impressive NBA resume on this list, having spent 14 seasons in the league and played for nine different teams. The 36-year-old has been part of several deep playoff runs, reached the NBA Finals and established himself as a dependable 3-and-D forward throughout his career. Now, he is taking on a completely new challenge with Asvel and making his EuroLeague debut late in his career.
Crowder’s biggest strengths remain his defensive versatility, physicality and ability to stretch the floor from three-point range. He can defend both forward positions, communicate effectively and contribute without needing a high number of touches on offense. Those qualities could be particularly useful for an Asvel team that has undergone significant changes this summer, with Crowder also bringing valuable experience to a largely new group. The main question is how much he can still give at 36, but if his body holds up, his experience and understanding of his role could make him a very useful addition for Tony Parker.
3) Amir Coffey
Team: Hapoel Tel Aviv
Last season’s stats: NBA – 3.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists in 46 games
Amir Coffey may not have the most eye-catching numbers among this year’s EuroLeague newcomers, but his NBA experience makes him one of the more intriguing players on the list. The 29-year-old went undrafted in 2019 before working his way into the league and eventually becoming a reliable rotation player with the Los Angeles Clippers. He finished his NBA career with 369 appearances, spending seven seasons at the highest level before making the move to Europe for the first time.
Coffey has built his reputation on versatility, perimeter shooting and the ability to defend multiple positions, and he is coming off a career-best 42% from three-point range. Hapoel Tel Aviv could give him a much more prominent place in its rotation than he had during his final NBA season, particularly as the Israeli club looks to strengthen its roster for another EuroLeague campaign.
2) Garrison Mathews
Team: Milano
Last season’s stats: NBA – 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists in 15 games
Garrison Mathews arrives in Milano with seven seasons and 329 regular-season games of NBA experience behind him, but his move to Europe comes at an important point in his career. The 29-year-old guard went undrafted in 2019 before establishing himself as a reliable NBA rotation player with the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers. His value has always been tied to a very specific skill set, most notably his shooting, movement without the ball and willingness to do the less glamorous work.
That profile could translate particularly well to Milano, where there is room for him to establish himself on the perimeter. Mathews is a career 38.2% three-point shooter in the NBA and has become particularly dangerous when coming off screens, relocating after passes and finding space in transition. He is not a player who will create an offense by himself, but Milano can put him in situations where his movement and shooting become major weapons. There is also an extra motivation behind this move: Mathews has openly stated that he wants to return to the NBA, meaning a strong season in Europe could be an important step toward that goal.
1) T.J. Warren
Team: Paris
Last season’s stats: G League – 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists in 8 games
T.J. Warren stands out as the player on this list who has shown the highest offensive ceiling at the NBA level. Selected 14th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, the 32-year-old forward played 385 NBA games for the Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists throughout his career. His best stretch came during the 2020 NBA Bubble, when he exploded onto the scene with 31.0 points per game over six contests, including a 53-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers that earned him a spot on the All-Bubble First Team.
Warren’s career took a different path after that remarkable run, with foot injuries and reduced opportunities preventing him from consistently returning to his previous level. That makes his move to Paris particularly fascinating. The French club is not getting the player who dominated during the 2020 NBA Bubble, but it is bringing in a proven scorer with a track record of creating his own offense at the highest level. At 32, Warren also has plenty to prove after spending recent years trying to rebuild his career, and a successful EuroLeague season could give him a new platform. If he can stay healthy and rediscover even part of the scoring ability that once made him an NBA standout, Warren has the talent to become the biggest offensive weapon among this year’s EuroLeague rookies.
