NBA rosters for 2023-24 season feature record 125 international players

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that a record 125 international players from 40 countries and territories across six continents are on opening-night rosters for the 2023-24 season, including a record number of players from Canada (26) and France (14).  This marks the third consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 120 international players and the 10th straight season that opening-night rosters have at least 100 international players.  All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player.

The previous record for international players (121) and current record for countries and territories represented (42) were set at the start of the 2021-22 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively.

For the 10th consecutive season, Canada is the most-represented country outside of the U.S., followed by France, Australia (nine players), Serbia (seven players) and Germany (six players).  Nigeria and Turkey each have five players.  There are 64 European players on opening-night rosters, including four members of the 2022-23 Kia All-NBA Team: 2021 NBA champion and two-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria), four-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA First Team member Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), 2023 NBA champion and two-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) and three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania).  There are also 15 players from Africa, including 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon).

The Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder feature a league-high eight international players each, followed by the Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs with seven international players each.  The Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns each have six.

Below are additional international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:

Three international players have won the last five Kia NBA MVP Awards: Embiid (2022-23), Jokić (2021-22 and 2020-21) and Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19). Last season also marked the second consecutive season that Embiid, Jokić and Antetokounmpo finished top three in MVP voting.  Embiid and the 76ers visit Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Thursday, Oct. 26 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, Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves; France), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder; Canada), Al Horford (Celtics; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Mavericks; Australia), Jokić, Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Kristaps Porzingis (Celtics; Latvia), Sabonis, Pascal Siakam (Raptors; 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 2023-24 NBA GM Survey, Jokić, Antetokounmpo and Dončić were voted the No. 1, 2 and 4 players most likely to win the 2023-24 Kia NBA MVP Award (43%, 20% and 10% of votes, respectively). Jokić, 2023 No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama (Spurs; France), Antetokounmpo and Dončić were voted the No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 players whom GMs would most want to sign if they were starting a franchise today (33%, 23%, 13% and 10%, respectively).
Wembanyama is the 14th international player to be selected first overall in the NBA Draft and the highest-drafted French player ever. Wembanyama is poised to make his NBA debut when the Spurs host the Mavericks on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Forty-one international players on opening-night rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers, including Deandre Ayton (Portland Trail Blazers; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), Embiid (BWB Africa 2011), Gilgeous-Alexander (BWB Global 2016), Rui Hachimura (Los Angeles Lakers; Japan; BWB Global 2016), Jamal Murray (Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015), Siakam (BWB Africa 2012) and Jonas Valančiūnas (New Orleans Pelicans; Lithuania; BWB Europe 2008). BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has seen 112 former campers advance to the NBA or WNBA since 2001.
There are a record four NBA Academy graduates on opening-night rosters: Dyson Daniels (Pelicans; Australia; NBA Global Academy), Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia; NBA Global Academy), Bennedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers; Canada; ties to Haiti; NBA Academy Latin America) and Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Mavericks; Canada; ties to Haiti; NBA Academy Latin America). NBA Academy is a year-round elite basketball development program that provides top high-school-age athletes from outside the U.S. with a holistic approach to player development and a predictable pathway to maximize their potential.
A record 55 current NBA players were featured on national team rosters for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, including four on the gold medal-winning German Men’s National Team: tournament MVP Dennis Schröder (Raptors), Daniel Theis (Pacers) and brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic).
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 (Houston Rockets; ties to the Philippines), Matisse Thybulle (Trail Blazers; ties to Australia and Haiti), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Jaylin Williams (Thunder; ties to Vietnam).

The 78th NBA regular season tips off tonight with a doubleheader on TNT and will reach fans in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 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, Jokić, Murray and the defending NBA champion Nuggets will receive their championship rings before hosting LeBron James and the Lakers in a rematch of the 2023 Western Conference Finals (7:30 p.m. ET).  In the second game, four-time NBA champions Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Warriors will host Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Suns (10 p.m. ET).

Below is the full list of international players on 2023-24 opening-night rosters (active and inactive):

Country
Name
Team
Ties


Angola
Bruno Fernando
Atlanta Hawks



Australia
Patty Mills
Atlanta Hawks



Australia
Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets



Australia
Josh Green**
Dallas Mavericks



Australia
Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks



Australia
Danté Exum
Dallas Mavericks



Australia
Jock Landale
Houston Rockets



Australia
Dyson Daniels^
New Orleans Pelicans



Australia
Josh Giddey^**
Oklahoma City Thunder



Australia
Joe Ingles
Orlando Magic



Austria
Jakob Poeltl
Toronto Raptors



Bahamas
Buddy Hield
Indiana Pacers



Bahamas
Deandre Ayton**
Portland Trail Blazers
Ties to Nigeria


Belgium
Toumani Camara
Portland Trail Blazers



Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jusuf Nurkić
Phoenix Suns



British Virgin Islands
D’Moi Hodge*
Los Angeles Lakers



Bulgaria
Sasha Vezenkov
Sacramento Kings



Cameroon
Joel Embiid**
Philadelphia 76ers



Cameroon
Christian Koloko**
Toronto Raptors



Cameroon
Pascal Siakam**
Toronto Raptors



Canada
Dalano Banton
Boston Celtics



Canada
Oshae Brissett
Boston Celtics



Canada
Tristan Thompson
Cleveland Cavaliers



Canada
AJ Lawson***
Dallas Mavericks



Canada
Dwight Powell
Dallas Mavericks



Canada
Olivier-Maxence Prosper^**
Dallas Mavericks
Ties to Haiti


Canada
Jamal Murray**
Denver Nuggets



Canada
Cory Joseph
Golden State Warriors
Ties to Trinidad and Tobago


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
Joshua Primo***
LA Clippers



Canada
Brandon Clarke
Memphis Grizzlies



Canada
Lindell Wigginton***
Milwaukee Bucks



Canada
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Minnesota Timberwolves



Canada
Leonard Miller
Minnesota Timberwolves



Canada
RJ Barrett**
New York Knicks



Canada
Luguentz Dort**
Oklahoma City Thunder



Canada
Caleb Houstan
Orlando Magic



Canada
Shaedon Sharpe
Portland Trail Blazers



Canada
Trey Lyles
Sacramento Kings



Canada
Charles Bediako***
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to Ghana


Canada
Kelly Olynyk**
Utah Jazz



Canada
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander**
Oklahoma City Thunder



Canada
Eugene Omoruyi*
Washington Wizards
Ties to Nigeria


Croatia
Bojan Bogdanović
Detroit Pistons



Croatia
Dario Šarić**
Golden State Warriors



Croatia
Ivica Zubac
LA Clippers



Croatia
Luka Šamanić***
Utah Jazz



Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jonathan Kuminga
Golden State Warriors



Democratic Republic of the Congo
Oscar Tshiebwe*
Indiana Pacers



Dominican Republic
Al Horford
Boston Celtics



Dominican Republic
Chris Duarte
Sacramento Kings



Finland
Lauri Markkanen**
Utah Jazz



France
Théo Maledon*
Charlotte Hornets



France
Frank Ntilikina**
Charlotte Hornets
Ties to Belgium and Rwanda


France
Malcolm Cazalon*
Detroit Pistons



France
Killian Hayes**
Detroit Pistons



France
Moussa Diabate***
LA Clippers
Ties to Guinea and Mali


France
Nicolas Batum**
LA Clippers
Ties to Cameroon


France
Rudy Gobert
Minnesota Timberwolves



France
Evan Fournier
New York Knicks
Ties to Algeria


France
Ousmane Dieng
Oklahoma City Thunder
Ties to Senegal


France
Olivier Sarr*
Oklahoma City Thunder
Ties to Senegal


France
Rayan Rupert
Portland Trail Blazers



France
Victor Wembanyama
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo


France
Sidy Cissoko
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to Senegal


France
Bilal Coulibaly
Washington Wizards
Ties to Mali


Georgia
Goga Bitadze**
Orlando Magic



Georgia
Sandro Mamukelashvili**
San Antonio Spurs



Germany
Maxi Kleber
Dallas Mavericks



Germany
Daniel Theis
Indiana Pacers



Germany
Isaiah Hartenstein**
New York Knicks



Germany
Dennis Schröder
Toronto Raptors
Ties to The Gambia


Germany
Franz Wagner
Orlando Magic



Germany
Moritz Wagner
Orlando Magic



Greece
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks
Ties to Nigeria


Greece
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks
Ties to Nigeria


Israel
Deni Avdija**
Washington Wizards



Italy
Simone Fontecchio**
Utah Jazz



Italy
Danilo Gallinari**
Washington Wizards



Jamaica
Nick Richards
Charlotte Hornets



Japan
Rui Hachimura**
Los Angeles Lakers
Ties to Benin


Japan
Yuta Watanabe
Phoenix Suns



Latvia
Kristaps Porziņģis
Boston Celtics



Latvia
Dāvis Bertāns
Oklahoma City Thunder



Lithuania
Jonas Valančiūnas**
New Orleans Pelicans



Lithuania
Azuolas Tubelis***
Philadelphia 76ers



Lithuania
Domantas Sabonis
Sacramento Kings



Mali
Adama Sanogo***
Chicago Bulls



Montenegro
Nikola Vučević
Chicago Bulls



New Zealand
Steven Adams
Memphis Grizzlies



Nigeria
Josh Okogie
Phoenix Suns



Nigeria
Udoka Azubuike*
Phoenix Suns



Nigeria
Charles Bassey**
San Antonio Spurs



Nigeria
Precious Achiuwa
Toronto Raptors



Nigeria
Chimezie Metu
Phoenix Suns



Portugal
Neemias Queta*
Boston Celtics



Senegal
Mouhamed Gueye
Atlanta Hawks



Serbia
Bogdan Bogdanović
Atlanta Hawks



Serbia
Nikola Jokić
Denver Nuggets



Serbia
Boban Marjanović
Houston Rockets



Serbia
Nikola Jović
Miami Heat



Serbia
Aleksej Pokuševski**
Oklahoma City Thunder



Serbia
Vasilije Micić
Oklahoma City Thunder



Serbia
Filip Petrušev**
Philadelphia 76ers



Slovenia
Vlatko Čančar
Denver Nuggets



Slovenia
Luka Dončić
Dallas Mavericks



South Sudan
Duop Reath*
Portland Trail Blazers



Spain
Ricky Rubio
Cleveland Cavaliers



Spain
Usman Garuba*
Golden State Warriors
Ties to Nigeria


Spain
Santi Aldama**
Memphis Grizzlies



St. Lucia
Chris Boucher
Toronto Raptors
Ties to Canada


Sudan
Bol Bol
Phoenix Suns



Switzerland
Clint Capela
Atlanta Hawks
Ties to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo


Turkey
Onuralp Bitim***
Chicago Bulls



Turkey
Alperen Şengün
Houston Rockets



Turkey
Furkan Korkmaz
Philadelphia 76ers



Turkey
Cedi Osman
San Antonio Spurs



Turkey
Ömer Yurtseven**
Utah Jazz



Ukraine
Svi Mykhailiuk
Boston Celtics



Ukraine
Alex Len
Sacramento Kings



United Kingdom
Jeremy Sochan
San Antonio Spurs
Ties to Poland


United Kingdom
OG Anunoby
Toronto Raptors
Ties to Nigeria

* – Two-Way Player

** – Former Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Camper

*** – Both Two-Way Player and Former BWB Camper

^ – NBA Academy Graduate