Since the NBA has expanded drastically over the past decade, more and more European players are entering the league.

Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Marco Belinelli, an Italian, is in his 11th NBA season. As a member of the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Hornets and now the Hawks, he has had dozens of teammates, has logged a ton of minutes and therefore is most likely a solid talent evaluator.

In a self-written article for The Players Tribune, the 31-year-old shooting guard revealed a list of the top five European basketball players that he's squared up against.

As you can imagine, a transcendent German superstar was at the top of his list, but Belinelli’s explanation was quite interesting.

When thinking of Dirk Nowitzki’s impact on the game of basketball, two items come to mind. First, due to his incredible long-range shooting ability, he re-defined the perception of big men forever. His patented fade away is one of the most noticeable signature shots in the entire league. Secondly, he has been an ambassador of the game in Germany and throughout Europe, forging the path for others to follow in his footsteps.

Belinelli’s account of Nowitzki dates back two decades.

“Like a lot of European players around my age, I got to watch Dirk as a teenager before he became a huge NBA sensation. He was considered an unknown when he got picked in the NBA draft, but we all knew who he was and what he could do,” he wrote.

“So, when someone asks me this question, about the best European players I’ve ever played against, Dirk is the first person I think of," Belinelli noted.

He continued, “In 2005 or 2006, I played my first game for Italy against the German national team. Everyone knew Dirk could shoot, so when I switched onto him, I pressed up as much as I could to prevent him from getting a shot up. He was only a couple years older than me, I thought I could meet his energy level and stop him. … But it was impossible. … He drove right past me. He could move like a point guard, and he was so tall that I couldn’t block his shot. What he was doing didn’t look real. He changed basketball in so many ways. Me and my teammates were so amazed by the way he moved, how easily he got baskets. When he came to the NBA, we all knew he would be a big deal even before everyone in the NBA did.”

Not only does Dirk top Belinelli's list, but he also ranks amongst the best players in league history according to the Italian sharpshooter.

“Dirk is one of the five best players of all time, in my opinion. He is amazing,” he wrote. Rounding out Belinelli’s list was Hedo Turkoglu, Peja Stojakovic, Anthony Parker and Manu Ginobili.