The National Basketball Association (NBA) www.NBA.com today announced that a record 135
international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents
are on opening-night rosters for the 2025-26 season. Among the record 135
international players are more than 55 players who were either born in Africa
or have at least one parent from Africa, including 2021 NBA champion and
two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee
Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria), 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP and seven-time NBA
All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon), 2019 NBA champion and
three-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon) and 2023-24
Kia NBA Rookie of the Year and 2025 NBA All-Star Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio
Spurs; France; ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Opening-night rosters feature at least 120 international
players for the fifth consecutive season and at least 100 international players
for the 12th straight season. All 30 NBA teams feature at least one
international player. The previous record for international players (125) and
the record for countries and territories represented (43) were set at the start
of the 2023-24 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively.
Canada (23 players), headlined by 2025 NBA champion and
2024-25 Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), is the
most-represented country outside the U.S. for the 12th consecutive season,
followed by France, Australia, Germany (7) and Serbia (6).
The Atlanta Hawks feature a record-tying 10 international
players, followed by the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors with
seven apiece.
Below are additional international player milestones and
storylines for the upcoming season:
Four international players have won the last seven Kia NBA
MVP Awards: Gilgeous-Alexander (2024-25), 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year
and 2025 NBA All-Star Nikola Jokić (2023-24, 2021-22 and 2020-21), Embiid
(2022-23) and Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19). Last season also marked the fourth
consecutive season that three international players finished top three in MVP
voting: Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Jokić (No. 2) and Antetokounmpo (No. 3).
There are a record 16 international players on opening-night
rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, five-time NBA All-Star and
Kia All-NBA First Team member Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers; Slovenia),
Embiid, Gilgeous-Alexander, Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves; France), Al
Horford (Golden State Warriors; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Dallas
Mavericks; Australia), Jokić, Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Kristaps
Porziņģis (Hawks; Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania),
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets; Turkey), Siakam, Nikola Vučević (Chicago
Bulls; Montenegro), Wembanyama and Andrew Wiggins (Miami Heat; Canada).
At least three international players have made the Kia
All-NBA Team each season since 2018-19.
In the 2025-26 NBA GM Survey (https://apo-opa.co/3JkORcR),
Jokić (No. 1), Dončić (No. 2), Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 3) and Wembanyama (No.
4) were voted the players most likely to win the 2025-26 Kia NBA MVP Award
(67%, 10%, 8% and 7% of votes, respectively).
Three international players were voted as the players GMs
would most want to sign if they were starting a franchise today: Wembanyama
(83% of votes), Gilgeous-Alexander (13% of votes) and Jokić (3% of votes).
Opening-night rosters feature a record nine NBA Academy
program alumni and more than 50 players who participated in Basketball Without
Borders.
There are also several American players with parents from
other countries, including Jalen Green (Phoenix Suns; ties to the Philippines),
Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Jaylin
Williams (Thunder; ties to Vietnam).
The 80th NBA regular season tips off tonight with a
doubleheader on NBA League Pass as the defending NBA champion Thunder hosts the
Rockets (1:30 a.m. CAT) and the Warriors visit the Lakers (4 a.m. CAT). The
2025-26 season will reach fans in 214 countries and territories in more than 50
languages through the league’s broadcast partners around the world, including
ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, ZAP TV and NTV in sub-Saharan Africa, and NBA League
Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA
App.
Below is the full list of international players on 2025-26
opening-night NBA rosters (active and inactive):
Country Name Team Ties
Australia Dyson
Daniels Atlanta Hawks
Australia Josh
Green Charlotte Hornets
Australia Josh
Giddey Chicago Bulls
Australia Lachlan
Olbrich* Chicago Bulls
Australia Luke
Travers* Cleveland Cavaliers
Australia Tyrese
Proctor Cleveland Cavaliers
Australia Danté
Exum Dallas Mavericks
Australia Kyrie
Irving Dallas Mavericks
Australia Alex
Toohey* Golden State Warriors
Australia Johnny
Furphy Indiana Pacers Ties to Papua New Guinea
Australia Jock
Landale Memphis Grizzlies
Australia Joe
Ingles Minnesota Timberwolves
Australia Rocco
Zikarsky* Minnesota Timberwolves
Austria Jakob Poeltl Toronto Raptors
Bahamas Buddy
Hield Golden State Warriors
Bahamas Deandre
Ayton Los Angeles Lakers Ties to Nigeria
Bahamas VJ
Edgecombe Philadelphia 76ers
Belgium Ajay
Mitchell Oklahoma City Thunder
Belgium Toumani
Camara Portland Trail Blazers Ties to Mali
Bosnia and Herzegovina Karlo
Matković New Orleans Pelicans Ties to Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina Jusuf
Nurkić Utah Jazz
Brazil Gui Santos Golden State Warriors
Cameroon Pascal
Siakam Indiana Pacers
Cameroon Christian
Koloko* Los Angeles Lakers
Cameroon Yves
Missi New Orleans Pelicans
Cameroon Joel
Embiid Philadelphia 76ers
Canada Caleb Houstan* Atlanta Hawks
Canada Nickeil
Alexander-Walker Atlanta Hawks
Canada Emanuel Miller* Chicago Bulls
Canada Dwight Powell Dallas Mavericks
Canada Ryan Nembhard* Dallas Mavericks
Canada Jamal Murray Denver Nuggets
Canada Jackson Rowe* Golden State Warriors
Canada Andrew Nembhard Indiana Pacers
Canada Bennedict Mathurin Indiana Pacers Ties to Haiti
Canada Brandon Clarke Memphis Grizzlies
Canada Olivier-Maxence
Prosper* Memphis Grizzlies Ties to Haiti
Canada Zach Edey Memphis Grizzlies
Canada Andrew Wiggins Miami Heat
Canada Leonard Miller Minnesota Timberwolves
Canada Luguentz Dort Oklahoma City Thunder
Canada Dillon Brooks Phoenix Suns
Canada Shaedon Sharpe Portland Trail Blazers
Canada Kelly Olynyk San Antonio Spurs
Canada RJ Barrett Toronto Raptors
Canada AJ Lawson* Toronto Raptors
Canada Will Riley Washington Wizards
Canada Jahmyl Telfort* LA Clippers Ties
to Haiti
Canada Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder
China Yang Hansen Portland Trail Blazers
Croatia Ivica Zubac LA Clippers
Croatia Dario Šarić Sacramento Kings
Czech Republic Vít Krejčí Atlanta Hawks
Democratic Republic of the Congo Jonathan Kuminga Golden
State Warriors
Democratic Republic of the Congo Bismack Biyombo San
Antonio Spurs
Democratic Republic of the Congo Oscar Tshiebwe* Utah
Jazz
Dominican Republic Al
Horford Golden State Warriors
Dominican Republic David
Jones Garcia* San Antonio Spurs
Finland Lauri Markkanen Utah Jazz
France Zaccharie
Risacher Atlanta Hawks
France Nolan Traoré Brooklyn Nets
France Tidjane Salaün Charlotte Hornets
France Moussa Diabaté Charlotte Hornets Ties to Guinea and Mali
France Noa Essengue Chicago Bulls Ties to Cameroon
France Nicolas Batum LA Clippers Ties
to Cameroon
France Joan Beringer Minnesota Timberwolves Ties to Benin
France Rudy Gobert Minnesota Timberwolves
France Guerschon
Yabusele New York Knicks Ties to the Democratic Republic of
the Congo
France Mohamed Diawara New York Knicks Ties to Mali
France Pacôme Dadiet New York Knicks Ties to Ivory Coast
France Ousmane Dieng Oklahoma City Thunder Ties to Senegal
France Rayan Rupert Portland Trail Blazers Ties to Morocco
France Sidy Cissoko* Portland Trail Blazers Ties to Senegal
France Maxime Raynaud Sacramento Kings
France Victor
Wembanyama San Antonio Spurs Ties to the Democratic Republic of
the Congo
France Alex Sarr Washington Wizards Ties to Senegal
France Bilal Coulibaly Washington Wizards Ties to Mali
France Noah Penda Orlando Magic Ties to Cameroon and Martinique
Georgia Goga Bitadze Orlando Magic
Georgia Sandro
Mamukelashvili Toronto Raptors
Germany Maxi
Kleber Los Angeles Lakers
Germany Ariel
Hukporti New York Knicks Ties to Togo
Germany Isaiah
Hartenstein Oklahoma City
Thunder
Germany Tristan
da Silva Orlando Magic Ties to Brazil
Germany Dennis
Schröder Sacramento Kings Ties to The Gambia
Germany Franz
Wagner Orlando Magic
Germany Moritz
Wagner Orlando Magic
Greece Alex
Antetokounmpo* Milwaukee Bucks Ties to Nigeria
Greece Giannis
Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks Ties to Nigeria
Greece Thanasis
Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks Ties to Nigeria
Guinea Moussa Cissé* Dallas Mavericks
Israel Ben Saraf Brooklyn Nets
Israel Deni Avdija Portland Trail Blazers
Italy Simone
Fontecchio Miami Heat
Jamaica Nick Richards Phoenix Suns
Japan Rui Hachimura Los Angeles Lakers Ties to Benin
Latvia Kristaps
Porziņģis Atlanta Hawks
Lithuania Jonas
Valančiūnas Denver Nuggets
Lithuania Kasparas
Jakučionis Miami Heat
Lithuania Domantas
Sabonis Sacramento Kings
Mali N'Faly Dante Atlanta Hawks
Montenegro Nikola
Vučević Chicago Bulls
Netherlands Quinten
Post Golden State Warriors
New Zealand Steven
Adams Houston Rockets
Nigeria Adem Bona Philadelphia 76ers Ties to Turkey
Nigeria Josh Okogie Houston Rockets
Portugal Neemias
Queta Boston Celtics Ties to Guinea-Bissau
Russia Egor Dёmin Brooklyn Nets
Russia Vladislav
Goldin* Miami Heat
Senegal Eli Ndiaye* Atlanta Hawks
Senegal Mouhamed Gueye Atlanta Hawks
Serbia Nikola Jokić Denver Nuggets
Serbia Bogdan
Bogdanović LA Clippers
Serbia Nikola Jović Miami Heat
Serbia Nikola Topić Oklahoma City Thunder
Serbia Tristan
Vukčević* Washington Wizards Ties to Sweden
Serbia Nikola Đurišić Atlanta Hawks
Slovenia Luka
Dončić Los Angeles Lakers
South Sudan Khaman
Maluach Phoenix Suns Ties to Uganda
South Sudan Duop
Reath Portland Trail Blazers Ties to Australia
Spain Hugo González Boston Celtics
Spain Santi Aldama Memphis Grizzlies
St. Lucia Chris
Boucher Boston Celtics Ties to Canada
Sweden Bobi Klintman Detroit Pistons
Sweden Pelle Larsson Miami Heat
Switzerland Clint
Capela Houston Rockets Ties to Angola and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo
Switzerland Yanic
Konan Niederhauser LA Clippers Ties to Ivory Coast
Switzerland Kyshawn
George Washington Wizards Ties to Canada and France
Turkey Alperen Sengun Houston Rockets
Ukraine Svi Mykhailiuk Utah Jazz
Ukraine Max
Shulga* Boston Celtics
United Kingdom Amari
Williams* Boston Celtics
United Kingdom OG
Anunoby New York Knicks Ties to Nigeria
United Kingdom Tosan
Evbuomwan* New York Knicks Ties to Nigeria
United Kingdom Jeremy
Sochan San Antonio Spurs Ties to Poland
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