NBA: 25 Best International Players Of All Time

9 of 26

Feb 3, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) fouls Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) on a shot attempt during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Serge Ibaka, Congo

Serge Ibaka is at No. 18 and will go down as one of the best defensive players ever, but his career still has still a long way to run. Depending on how the move to the Orlando Magic goes, the ex-Oklahoma City Thunder defensive leader might make the list sooner rather than later.

Ibaka has already climbed into the top 50 all time with blocked shots and as he is only 27 there is plenty of time to climb that leader board.

His 7.4 rebounds per game is certainly a solid number which puts him around Vin Baker, A.C. Green and Kevin McHale.

More hoops habit: 25 Best Players to Play for the Oklahoma City Thunder

For his career, Ibaka has been the third scoring wheel at the Oklahoma City behind Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Hopefully at Orlando, Ibaka can improve his career scoring average of 11.6 points per game.

Some of Ibaka’s honors include being named to the NBA All-Defensive team three times in succession 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Ibaka had led the league in total blocks four years and in blocks per game twice.

Until the trade, Ibaka had spent his entire time with one organization.

Oklahoma City was lucky to get him originally as they traded a second-round draft pick which later turned out to be Emir Preldzic and a trade exception for the pick that got Ibaka, as well as a couple of extra components within the trade

Not a bad trade to get a super talented player in Ibaka.

Next: No. 17 Luol Deng