Liga Endesa: record-high foreigners, national players in crisis

For the tenth consecutive year, Liga Endesa has the highest percentage of foreign players: 72.2%, surpassing Germany’s Bundesliga (60%). UCAM Murcia leads with 94.1% foreign players, followed by Baskonia (86.7%), MoraBanc Andorra (86.7%), Palencia (82.4%), and Río Breogán (80%). Real Madrid and Barcelona are exceptions, each featuring six Spaniards among the 16 players they used.

The average age of American players in Liga Endesa is 29.7 years, playing 19.9 minutes and scoring 9.9 points on average, while Spaniards, younger (26.9 years) and slightly taller (1.97m vs. 1.95m), play fewer minutes (10.8) and score less (4.9 points). Only 27.8% of the league’s players are American, and among last season’s top five scorers, three are American, while the first Spaniard (Willy Hernangómez) ranks 19th.

At UCAM Murcia, the first Spanish player appeared only in Round 21 last season. Baskonia also features few national players, highlighting a widespread issue as teams increasingly rely on international talent. Liga Endesa continues to dominate as Europe’s most foreign-driven league, reflecting a structural crisis for local players.