South Americans That Made Their Mark on March Madness

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When one thinks of South American basketball players living the stereotypical American Dream, one thinks of the likes of Argentinian sensation Manu Ginobili. The Albiceleste sensation shot to prominence in 2004 when he led his beloved homeland to an Olympic gold medal in Athena, defeating the USA in the process. That prompted the San Antonio Spurs to give the sensational shooting guard a more prominent role within their team, and he wouldn't disappoint, leading the Lone Star State outfit to four NBA Championships in a scintillating 16-year career.

But with Ginobili initially getting his break in his native Argentina with boyhood club Estudiantes, then heading across the Atlantic to star in Italy, before finally getting his crack at the American dream, he missed out on a whole subsection of US-based basketball that takes Stateside supporters by storm. That, of course, is the NCAA Division I, and specifically, the epic March Madness tournament, which takes place every spring.

March Madness 2025

Argentinian Maximo Milovich will be hoping to make an impact in the chaos next month with the current 22-4 UC San Diego, as will Ole Miss' Brazilian rotation option Eduardo Klafke. Both sides should be selected as part of the 128-team lineup that is set to take the US by storm.

The bookies are already excited, and some already have their tournaments and promotions planned out ahead of what promises to be a wild ride. One particular March Madness Bracket with cash prizes is offering big cash prizes for players who accumulate the most points throughout the course of the month, with scores being awarded for correct predictions from the round of 64 onwards. Both Milovich and Klafke have the potential to lead their sides to victory and a deep run, but whose footsteps are they aiming to follow while flying their respective South American flags? Before you start putting together your March Madness bracket, let's take a look!

Hanner Mosquera-Perea

Hanner Mosquera-Perea helped the Indiana Hoosiers capture their first SEC Championship in over a decade back in 2013. With the Colombian in his freshman year, his role was largely developmental, but he still brought a defensive edge and the occasional highlight reel dunk when called upon. However, coach Tom Crean was happy to give his fledgling young star a backup role as he was able to lean on superstars such as Victor Oladipo, a policy that saw his side surge through to the Sweet Sixteen with comfortable victories against both James Madison and Temple.

Unfortunately, though, disaster lay in wait around the corner. Indiana was dumped out in the last 16 by rank outsiders Syracuse, a team that was the 16th seed heading into the clash. With the Hoosiers' offense misfiring, they were restricted to just 50 points in one of the biggest upsets of the season. Mosquera-Perea remained with the school for two more years before finishing his education in East Tennessee, but he would never come as close to a maiden national championship.

Ángel Núñez

Ángel Núñez was part of Rick Pitino’s powerhouse University of Louisville program, joining the school in 2012. The freshman headed to Kentucky as a three-star recruit but had limited playing time during his freshman year. Despite that, he had the chance to learn under one of the best coaches in the business and a front-row seat as the Cardinals powered their way to the final four.

With that experience fresh in his mind, he transferred to Gonzaga, wanting to make a much bigger impact in his sophomore year. The Bulldogs were the dominant force in their conference, and they romped to the WCC championship in all three of their seasons with Nunez on the roster. But back-to-back second-round exits meant that the dominant force out West was unable to leave a lasting impression on the national stage.

That all changed in 2025 when Nunez and the Zags finally strung together a series of postseason wins. With current Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis in the starting five, Gonzaga made it all the way to the Elite Eight, their deepest March Madness run this side of the millennium. Unfortunately, though, the Duke Blue Devils weren't about to be a victim of the Cinderella story, and their defensively resolute display secured their progression through to the final four.

Anthony Perez

Anthony Perez was quite the enigma at Ole Miss. On his day, he was capable of winning games on his own and looked like a legitimate top-draft prospect. When he wasn't quite at the races, however, he looked practically invisible on the court, something that triggered head coach Andy Kennedy to brand him one of his "greatest mysteries."

He made his March Madness bow as a sophomore in 2013 when his side shocked the college basketball world. They romped to the conference title for the first time since 1981, reeling off three straight victories in the SEC tournament. The final of those came against the heavyweight Florida Gators, but not even stars such as Dorian Finney-Smith could slow them down, with the Rebels winning a 66-63 thriller after some fourth-quarter heroics.