NBA rosters feature record-tying 125 international players from 43 countries across six continents
All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents are on opening-night rosters for the 2024-25 season, including a record number of players from Australia (13), Germany (8) and Cameroon (5), and a record-tying 14 players from France and 17 from the continent of Africa. Opening-night rosters feature at least 120 international players for the fourth consecutive season and at least 100 international players for the 11th straight season. All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player.
The records for international players and countries and territories represented were set at the start of the 2023-24 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively.
For the 11th consecutive season, Canada is the most-represented country outside of the U.S. with 21 players, followed by France, Australia, Germany and Serbia (6). There are 61 European players on opening-night rosters, including four members of the 2023-24 Kia All-NBA Team: 2021 NBA champion and two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria), five-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA First Team member Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), 2023 NBA champion and three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), and three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania). The record-tying 17 players from Africa, including a record five players from Cameroon, are headlined by 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers).
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Portland Trail Blazers feature a league-high seven international players each, followed by the Atlanta Hawks, Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors with six each.
Below are additional international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:
• Three international players have won the last six Kia NBA MVP Awards: Embiid (2022-23), Jokić (2023-24, 2021-22 and 2020-21) and Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19). Last season also marked the third consecutive season that three international players finished top three in MVP voting: Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder; Canada) and Dončić. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks visit Embiid and the 76ers on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN in the season opener for both teams. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder visit Jokić and the Nuggets on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 10 p.m. ET on TNT in the season opener for both teams.
• There are 15 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Dončić, Embiid, Gilgeous-Alexander, Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves; France), Al Horford (Boston Celtics; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Mavericks; Australia), Jokić, Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Kristaps Porziņģis (Celtics; Latvia), Sabonis, Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon), Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets; Australia), Nikola Vučević (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro) and Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors; Canada).
• At least five international players have made the Kia All-NBA Team each season since 2018-19.
• As part of the 2024-25 NBA GM Survey, Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Dončić (No. 2), and Embiid and Jokić (T- No. 3 with the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum) were voted as the players most likely to win the 2024-25 Kia NBA MVP Award (40%, 30% and 7% of votes, respectively).
• Four international players were voted as the players GMs would most want to sign if they were starting a franchise today: 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs; France; ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 77% of votes), Gilgeous-Alexander (10% of votes), Jokić (10% of votes) and Dončić (3% of votes). Wembanyama and the Spurs visit Dončić and the Mavericks on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT in the season opener for both teams.
• There are also a number of American players with ties to other countries as well as more than 35 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), Jalen Green (Rockets; ties to the Philippines), Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Jaylin Williams (Thunder; ties to Vietnam).
The 79th NBA regular season tips off tonight with a doubleheader on TNT and will reach fans in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages through the league’s broadcast partners around the world and NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA App. In the first game, Horford and the defending NBA champion Celtics will receive their championship rings before hosting OG Anunoby (United Kingdom; ties to Nigeria), Towns and the Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET). In the second game, Gobert and the Timberwolves visit Rui Hachimura (Japan) and the Los Angeles Lakers (10 p.m. ET).
Below is the full list of international players on 2024-25 opening-night rosters (active and inactive):
Country
Name
Team
Ties
Angola
Bruno Fernando
Toronto Raptors
Australia
Dyson Daniels
Atlanta Hawks
Australia
Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets
Australia
Josh Green
Charlotte Hornets
Australia
Josh Giddey
Chicago Bulls
Australia
Luke Travers*
Cleveland Cavaliers
Australia
Danté Exum
Dallas Mavericks
Australia
Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks
Australia
Jack McVeigh*
Houston Rockets
Australia
Jock Landale
Houston Rockets
Australia
Johnny Furphy
Indiana Pacers
Ties to Papua New Guinea
Australia
Joe Ingles
Minnesota Timberwolves
Australia
Alex Ducas*
Oklahoma City Thunder
Australia
Patty Mills
Utah Jazz
Austria
Jakob Poeltl
Toronto Raptors
Bahamas
Buddy Hield
Golden State Warriors
Bahamas
Kai Jones*
LA Clippers
Bahamas
Deandre Ayton
Portland Trail Blazers
Ties to Nigeria
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
Phoenix Suns
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
Cameroon
Ulrich Chomche*
Toronto Raptors
Canada
Tristan Thompson
Cleveland Cavaliers
Canada
Dwight Powell
Dallas Mavericks
Canada
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Dallas Mavericks
Ties to Haiti
Canada
Jamal Murray
Denver Nuggets
Canada
Andrew Wiggins
Golden State Warriors
Canada
Dillon Brooks
Houston Rockets
Canada
Andrew Nembhard
Indiana Pacers
Canada
Bennedict Mathurin
Indiana Pacers
Ties to Haiti
Canada
Brandon Clarke
Memphis Grizzlies
Canada
Zach Edey
Memphis Grizzlies
Canada
Leonard Miller
Minnesota Timberwolves
Canada
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Minnesota Timberwolves
Canada
Luguentz Dort
Oklahoma City Thunder
Canada
Caleb Houstan
Orlando Magic
Canada
Cory Joseph
Orlando Magic
Ties to Trinidad and Tobago
Canada
Dalano Banton
Portland Trail Blazers
Canada
Shaedon Sharpe
Portland Trail Blazers
Canada
Trey Lyles
Sacramento Kings
Canada
Kelly Olynyk
Toronto Raptors
Canada
RJ Barrett
Toronto Raptors
Canada
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City Thunder
China
Cui Yongxi*
Brooklyn Nets
Croatia
Bojan Bogdanović
Brooklyn Nets
Croatia
Dario Šarić
Denver Nuggets
Croatia
Ivica Zubac
LA Clippers
Czech Republic
Vít Krejčí
Atlanta Hawks
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jonathan Kuminga
Golden State Warriors
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Oscar Tshiebwe*
Utah Jazz
Dominican Republic
Al Horford
Boston Celtics
Dominican Republic
Chris Duarte
Chicago Bulls
Finland
Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz
France
Zaccharie Risacher
Atlanta Hawks
France
Moussa Diabaté*
Charlotte Hornets
Ties to Guinea and Mali
France
Tidjane Salaün
Charlotte Hornets
France
Nicolas Batum
LA Clippers
Ties to Cameroon
France
Armel Traoré*
Los Angeles Lakers
Ties to Mali
France
Rudy Gobert
Minnesota Timberwolves
France
Pacôme Dadiet
New York Knicks
Ties to Côte d’Ivoire
France
Ousmane Dieng
Oklahoma City Thunder
Ties to Senegal
France
Guerschon Yabusele
Philadelphia 76ers
Ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
France
Rayan Rupert
Portland Trail Blazers
Ties to Morocco
France
Sidy Cissoko
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to Senegal
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
Georgia
Goga Bitadze
Orlando Magic
Georgia
Sandro Mamukelashvili
San Antonio Spurs
Germany
Dennis Schröder
Brooklyn Nets
Ties to The Gambia
Germany
Maxi Kleber
Dallas Mavericks
Germany
Daniel Theis
New Orleans Pelicans
Germany
Ariel Hukporti*
New York Knicks
Ties to Togo
Germany
Isaiah Hartenstein
Oklahoma City Thunder
Germany
Tristan da Silva
Orlando Magic
Germany
Franz Wagner
Orlando Magic
Germany
Moritz Wagner
Orlando Magic
Greece
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks
Ties to Nigeria
Israel
Deni Avdija
Portland Trail Blazers
Italy
Simone Fontecchio
Detroit Pistons
Jamaica
Nick Richards
Charlotte Hornets
Japan
Rui Hachimura
Los Angeles Lakers
Ties to Benin
Japan
Yuki Kawamura*
Memphis Grizzlies
Latvia
Kristaps Porziņģis
Boston Celtics
Lithuania
Domantas Sabonis
Sacramento Kings
Lithuania
Jonas Valančiūnas
Washington Wizards
Mali
Adama Sanogo*
Chicago Bulls
Mali
N’Faly Dante*
Houston Rockets
Montenegro
Nikola Vučević
Chicago Bulls
Netherlands
Quinten Post*
Golden State Warriors
Netherlands
Jesse Edwards*
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Zealand
Steven Adams
Houston Rockets
Nigeria
Precious Achiuwa
New York Knicks
Nigeria
Adem Bona
Philadelphia 76ers
Ties to Turkey
Nigeria
Josh Okogie
Phoenix Suns
Nigeria
Charles Bassey
San Antonio Spurs
Portugal
Neemias Queta
Boston Celtics
Ties to Guinea-Bissau
Senegal
Mouhamed Gueye
Atlanta Hawks
Serbia
Bogdan Bogdanović
Atlanta Hawks
Serbia
Vasilije Micić
Charlotte Hornets
Serbia
Nikola Jokić
Denver Nuggets
Serbia
Nikola Jović
Miami Heat
Serbia
Nikola Topić
Oklahoma City Thunder
Serbia
Tristan Vukčević
Washington Wizards
Ties to Sweden
Slovenia
Vlatko Čančar
Denver Nuggets
Slovenia
Luka Dončić
Dallas Mavericks
South Sudan
Duop Reath
Portland Trail Blazers
Ties to Australia
Spain
Santi Aldama
Memphis Grizzlies
St. Lucia
Chris Boucher
Toronto Raptors
Ties to Canada
Sudan
Bol Bol
Phoenix Suns
Sweden
Bobi Klintman
Detroit Pistons
Sweden
Pelle Larsson
Miami Heat
Switzerland
Clint Capela
Atlanta Hawks
Ties to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Switzerland
Kyshawn George
Washington Wizards
Ties to Canada and France
Turkey
Alperen Sengun
Houston Rockets
Ukraine
Alex Len
Sacramento Kings
Ukraine
Svi Mykhailiuk
Utah Jazz
United Kingdom
OG Anunoby
New York Knicks
Ties to Nigeria
United Kingdom
Jeremy Sochan
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to Poland