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\u2013 <\/strong>Opening-Night Rosters Feature 125 International Players from Record-Tying 43 Countries Across Six Continents <\/em><\/strong>\u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2013<\/strong> Sixth Consecutive Season with at Least 120 International Players and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>13th<\/sup> Straight Season with at Least 100 International Players <\/em><\/strong>\u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2013<\/strong> Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards Have League-High Seven Each <\/em><\/strong>\u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com<\/a>) today announced that a record of more than 60 players who were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent are on opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season.\u00a0 Overall, opening-night rosters feature 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents, including 70 European players, marking the second consecutive season and second time ever with at least that many.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The more than 60 players who were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent include more than 25 from or with at least one parent from Nigeria. \u00a0Among the more than 60 players are three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Heat; ties to Nigeria), Antetokounmpo, two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby (New York Knicks; UK; ties to Nigeria), 2026 No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (Wizards; ties to the Republic of the Congo), 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon), and 2019 NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n France has a league-high 17 international players, marking the first time in 13 seasons that a country other than Canada has led the NBA in international players. \u00a0The group is headlined by two-time NBA All-Star and 2025-26 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs). \u00a0Canada ranks second with 16, headlined by 2025 NBA champion and reigning back-to-back Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), followed by Australia (nine), Germany (seven), Nigeria (a record six) and Serbia (six).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n This is the sixth consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 120 international players and the 13th<\/sup> straight season with at least 100 international players.\u00a0 All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player.\u00a0 The Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards feature a league-high seven each.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The record for international players (135) and the record for countries and territories represented (43) were set at the start of the 2025-26 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The 70 European players include 2021 NBA champion and two-time Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Heat; Greece; ties to Nigeria), 2023 NBA champion and three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Joki\u0107 (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), six-time NBA All-Star and Kia All-NBA First Team member Luka Don\u010di\u0107 (Los Angeles Lakers; Slovenia), and Wembanyama.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Below are additional international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:<\/p>\n The 81st <\/sup>NBA regular season tips off today with a tripleheader on beIN Sports, Canal+ and SuperSport as the Boston Celtics visit the Detroit Pistons (9 p.m. CAT), the defending NBA champion Knicks host the 76ers (1 a.m. CAT) and the Spurs meet the Thunder in San Antonio (3:30 a.m. CAT).\u00a0 The 2026-27 season will reach fans in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages through the league\u2019s broadcast partners around the world and NBA League Pass, the league\u2019s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA App.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Below is the full list of international players on 2026-27 opening-night NBA rosters (active and inactive):<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Country<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Name<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Team<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dyson Daniels<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jock Landale<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Josh Giddey<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Tyrese Proctor<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Kyrie Irving<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Johnny Furphy<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Papua New Guinea<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Rocco Zikarsky*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ben Simmons<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sacramento Kings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Josh Green<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Utah Jazz<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Austria<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jakob Poeltl<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Toronto Raptors<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Bahamas<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Buddy Hield<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Bahamas <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n VJ Edgecombe<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Bahamas <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Deandre Ayton<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Washington Wizards<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Nigeria<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Belgium<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ajay Mitchell<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Belgium<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Toumani Camara<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Mali<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jusuf Nurki\u0107<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Utah Jazz<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Brazil<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Gui Santos<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Cameroon<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Pascal Siakam<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Cameroon<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Yves Missi<\/p>\n<\/td>\n New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Cameroon<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Joel Embiid<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Nickeil Alexander-Walker<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Luguentz Dort<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Leonard Miller<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jamal Murray<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ryan Nembhard*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Andrew Nembhard<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Zach Edey<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Olivier-Maxence Prosper<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Haiti<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Andrew Wiggins<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Miami Heat<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Trey Lyles<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Bennedict Mathurin<\/p>\n<\/td>\n New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Haiti<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Canada <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dillon Brooks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Shaedon Sharpe<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n RJ Barrett<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Toronto Raptors<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Will Riley<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Washington Wizards<\/p>\n<\/td>\n China <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Yang Hansen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Croatia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Mario Hezonja<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Croatia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ivica Zubac<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Croatia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Karlo Matkovi\u0107<\/p>\n<\/td>\n New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Czech Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n V\u00edt Krej\u010d\u00ed<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Portland Trail Blazers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Oscar Tshiebwe*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Houston Rockets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jonathan Kuminga<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dominican Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Al Horford<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dominican Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n David Jones Garcia*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Estonia<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Henri Veesaar<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Finland<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Lauri Markkanen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Utah Jazz<\/p>\n<\/td>\n France<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Nolan Traor\u00e9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n France<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Moussa Diabat\u00e9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Charlotte Hornets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Guinea and Mali<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n France<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Tidjane Sala\u00fcn<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Charlotte Hornets<\/p>\n<\/td>\n France<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Noa Essengue<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Ties to Cameroon<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n France<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n
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