| PRESS RELEASE NEW YORK, United States of America, October 22, 2025/ — Opening-Night Rosters Feature More Than 55 Players Who Were Either Born in Africa or Have at Least One Parent from Africa Fifth Consecutive Season with at Least 120 International Players and 12th Straight Season with at Least 100 International Players All 30 Teams Feature at Least One International Player Atlanta Hawks Have Record-Tying 10 International Players 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 * – Two-Way Player Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA). SOURCE National Basketball Association (NBA) |
National Basketball Association (NBA) Rosters Feature Record 135 International Players from Record-Tying 43 Countries Across Six Continents
NBA sets records with 135 international players from 43 countries on 2025-26 opening rosters, including 55+ with African roots like Embiid and Antetokounmpo, 16 All-Stars, and full team representation—highlighting the league’s global dominance as the season tips off tonight.
