NEW YORK, United States of America, October 22, 2025/APO Group/ --
* **_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](https://apo-opa.co/4o6cvcj)) 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](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_