National Basketball Association (NBA)


Landmark 75th Anniversary Season Marks Eighth Consecutive Year With at Least 100 International Players; Toronto Raptors Feature Record-Tying 10 International Players, Followed by the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder with Seven Each; 13 African Players on Opening-Night Rosters.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) announced that 109 international players from 39 countries are on opening-night rosters for its landmark 75th Anniversary Season, including a record number of players from Canada (18), Germany (seven) and the Bahamas (three), and a record-tying number of players from Nigeria (five).  The Toronto Raptors lead the league with a record-tying 10 international players from a record nine countries on opening-night rosters.

The 2021-22 season tipping off tonight marks the eighth consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 100 international players.  The number of international players in the NBA has grown from five in the league’s first season in 1946-47 to a record 113 at the start of the 2016-17 season.

For the eighth consecutive year, Canada is the most-represented country outside of the U.S., followed by Australia, France and Germany (seven players each).  Nigeria, Serbia, Spain and Turkey each have five players. 

The Raptors lead the league with 10 international players, followed by the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder with seven international players each.  The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans each have five.

A record 35 players on opening-night rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers, including Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011), Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016) and Pascal Siakam (Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012).  BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has seen 90 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents since 2001.

In addition to the 109 international players on 2021-22 opening-night rosters, there are a record 12 international players from seven countries on “two-way” contracts, including six players who participated in BWB.  There are also a number of American players with ties to other countries, including more than 30 players with at least one parent from an African country.  Among the American players with ties to other countries are Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat; ties to Nigeria), Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz; ties to the Philippines), Matisse Thybulle (76ers; ties to Australia and Haiti), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State Warriors; Mexico), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Kemba Walker (New York Knicks; Antigua).

The 2021-22 NBA season tips off tonight with the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Brooklyn Nets at 1:30 a.m. CAT on ESPN and Canal+.  In the second game, the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Warriors at 4 a.m. CAT on Canal+. 

Below please find international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:

  • A record-tying six international players were named to the 2020-21 All-NBA Team: 2021 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria; All-NBA First Team); Luka Don?i? (Mavericks; Slovenia; All-NBA First Team); 2020-21 Kia NBA MVP Nikola Joki? (Nuggets; Serbia; All-NBA First Team); Embiid (All-NBA Second Team); Rudy Gobert (Jazz; France; All-NBA Third Team); and Kyrie Irving (Nets; Australia; All-NBA Third Team).
  • As part of the NBA.com 2021-22 GM Survey (https://on.nba.com/3lXfdTM), Don?i? and Antetokounmpo were voted the No. 1 and No. 2 players with whom general managers would most want to start a franchise (43% and 40%, respectively), and the No. 2 and No. 3 players most likely to win the 2021-22 Kia NBA MVP Award (33% and 13% of votes, respectively).
  • Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia) is poised to become the first NBA Academy graduate to play in the NBA when Oklahoma City visits Utah tomorrow, Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass.  Giddey became the first NBA Academy graduate to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected sixth overall by the Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft.
  • There are 13 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Don?i?, Goran Dragi? (Raptors; Slovenia), Embiid, Al Horford (Boston Celtics; Dominican Republic), Gobert, Irving, Joki?, Kristaps Porzingis (Mavericks; Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers; Lithuania), Siakam, Ben Simmons (76ers; Australia) and Nikola Vu?evi? (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro).
  • Neemias Queta (two-way player for the Sacramento Kings) is poised to become the first player from Portugal to play in the NBA. 
  • A record 10 former BWB campers were selected in the 2021 NBA Draft, surpassing the previous record of eight set in 2019. 

Below please find the full list of international players on 2021-22 opening-night rosters (active and inactive):

Country

Name

NBA Team

Ties

Angola

Bruno Fernando

Boston Celtics

Argentina

Facundo Campazzo*

Denver Nuggets

Argentina

Gabriel Deck*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Argentina

Leandro Bolmaro*

Minnesota Timberwolves

Australia

Ben Simmons

Philadelphia 76ers

Australia

Jock Landale

San Antonio Spurs

Australia

Joe Ingles

Utah Jazz

Australia

Josh Giddey*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Australia

Josh Green*

Dallas Mavericks

Australia

Kyrie Irving

Brooklyn Nets

Australia

Patty Mills

Brooklyn Nets

Austria

Jakob Poeltl

San Antonio Spurs

Bahamas

Buddy Hield

Sacramento Kings

Bahamas

Kai Jones*

Charlotte Hornets

Bahamas

Deandre Ayton*

Phoenix Suns

Ties to Nigeria

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jusuf Nurki?

Portland Trail Blazers

Brazil

Didi Louzada

New Orleans Pelicans

Brazil

Raul Neto

Washington Wizards

Cameroon

Joel Embiid*

Philadelphia 76ers

Cameroon

Pascal Siakam*

Toronto Raptors

Canada

Andrew Wiggins

Golden State Warriors

Canada

Brandon Clarke

Memphis Grizzlies

Canada

Cory Joseph

Detroit Pistons

Ties to Trinidad and Tobago

Canada

Dalano Banton

Toronto Raptors

Canada

Dillon Brooks

Memphis Grizzlies

Canada

Dwight Powell

Dallas Mavericks

Canada

Jamal Murray*

Denver Nuggets

Canada

Josh Primo*

San Antonio Spurs

Canada

Kelly Olynyk*

Detroit Pistons

Canada

Kevin Pangos

Cleveland Cavaliers

Canada

Khem Birch

Toronto Raptors

Canada

Luguentz Dort*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Canada

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

New Orleans Pelicans

Canada

Oshae Brissett

Indiana Pacers

Canada

RJ Barrett*

New York Knicks

Canada

Trey Lyles

Detroit Pistons

Canada

Tristan Thompson

Sacramento Kings

Ties to Jamaica

Canada

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Croatia

Bojan Bogdanovi?

Utah Jazz

Croatia

Dario Šari?*

Phoenix Suns

Croatia

Ivica Zubac

LA Clippers

Czech Republic

Tomáš Satoranský*

New Orleans Pelicans

Czech Republic

Vít Krej?í*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Jonathan Kuminga

Golden State Warriors

Dominican Republic

Al Horford

Boston Celtics

Dominican Republic

Chris Duarte

Indiana Pacers

Egypt

Abdel Nader

Phoenix Suns

Finland

Lauri Markkanen*

Cleveland Cavaliers

France

Evan Fournier

New York Knicks

Ties to Algeria

France

Frank Ntilikina*

Dallas Mavericks

Ties to Belgium and Rwanda

France

Killian Hayes*

Detroit Pistons

France

Nicolas Batum*

LA Clippers

Ties to Cameroon

France

Rudy Gobert

Utah Jazz

France

Théo Maledon

Oklahoma City Thunder

France

Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot

Atlanta Hawks

Ties to Democratic Republic of the Congo

Georgia

Goga Bitadze*

Indiana Pacers

Germany

Daniel Theis

Houston Rockets

Germany

Dennis Schröder

Boston Celtics

Ties to The Gambia

Germany

Isaac Bonga*

Toronto Raptors

Germany

Isaiah Hartenstein*

LA Clippers

Germany

Maxi Kleber

Dallas Mavericks

Germany

Franz Wagner

Orlando Magic

Germany

Moritz Wagner

Orlando Magic

Greece

Georgios Kalaitzakis

Milwaukee Bucks

Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks

Ties to Nigeria

Greece

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks

Ties to Nigeria

Israel

Deni Avdija*

Washington Wizards

Italy

Danilo Gallinari*

Atlanta Hawks

Jamaica

Nick Richards

Charlotte Hornets

Japan

Rui Hachimura*

Washington Wizards

 Ties to Benin

Japan

Yuta Watanabe

Toronto Raptors

Latvia

Davis Bertans

Washington Wizards

Latvia

Kristaps Porzi??is

Dallas Mavericks

Lithuania

Domantas Sabonis

Indiana Pacers

Lithuania

Jonas Valan?i?nas*

New Orleans Pelicans

Montenegro

Marko Simonovi?

Chicago Bulls

Montenegro

Nikola Vu?evi?

Chicago Bulls

New Zealand

Steven Adams

Memphis Grizzlies

Nigeria

Charles Bassey*

Philadelphia 76ers

Nigeria

Josh Okogie

Minnesota Timberwolves

Nigeria

Precious Achiuwa

Toronto Raptors

Nigeria

Udoka Azubuike

Utah Jazz

Nigeria

Chimezie Metu

Sacramento Kings

Republic of the Congo

Serge Ibaka

LA Clippers

Ties to Spain

Senegal

Gorgui Dieng*

Atlanta Hawks

Serbia

Aleksej Pokuševski*

Oklahoma City Thunder

Serbia

Boban Marjanovi?

Dallas Mavericks

Serbia

Bogdan Bogdanovi?

Atlanta Hawks

Serbia

Nemanja Bjelica

Golden State Warriors

Serbia

Nikola Joki?

Denver Nuggets

Slovenia

Goran Dragi?

Toronto Raptors

Slovenia

Vlatko ?an?ar 

Denver Nuggets

Slovenia

Luka Don?i?

Dallas Mavericks

Spain

Juancho Hernangómez

Boston Celtics

Spain

Ricky Rubio

Cleveland Cavaliers

Spain

Santi Aldama*

Memphis Grizzlies

Spain

Usman Garuba

Houston Rockets

Ties to Nigeria

Spain

Willy Hernangómez*

New Orleans Pelicans

St. Lucia

Chris Boucher

Toronto Raptors

Ties to Canada

Sudan

Bol Bol

Denver Nuggets

Switzerland

Clint Capela

Atlanta Hawks

Ties to Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Turkey

Alperen Sengun

Houston Rockets

Turkey

Cedi Osman

Cleveland Cavaliers

Turkey

Enes Kanter*

Boston Celtics

Turkey

Furkan Korkmaz

Philadelphia 76ers

Turkey

Omer Yurtseven

Miami Heat

Ukraine

Alex Len

Sacramento Kings

Ukraine

Svi Mykhailiuk

Toronto Raptors

United Kingdom

OG Anunoby

Toronto Raptors

Ties to Nigeria

Below please find the full list of international two-way players:

Country

First Name

NBA Team

Ties

Canada

Eugene Omoruyi

Dallas Mavericks

Ties to Nigeria

Canada

Ignas Brazdeikis*

Orlando Magic

Ties to Lithuania

Croatia

Luka Šamani?*

New York Knicks

France

Petr Cornelie

Denver Nuggets

France

Sekou Doumbouya*

Los Angeles Lakers

Ties to Guinea

France

Killian Tillie

Memphis Grizzlies

France

Yves Pons

Memphis Grizzlies

Ties to Haiti

France

Joel Ayayi*

Washington Wizards

Ties to Benin

Georgia

Sandro Mamukelashvili*

Milwaukee Bucks

Lithuania

Arnoldas Kulboka*

Charlotte Hornets

Portugal

Neemias Queta

Sacramento Kings

Ties to Guinea-Bissau

Senegal

Tacko Fall

Cleveland Cavaliers

*Participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

Media Contacts:
Mark Pozin
NBA
(347) 852-5374
mpozin@nba.com

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