* Alperen Sengun will play for Houston Rockets, Adem Bona for Philadelphia 76ers, and Tarik Biberovic for Dallas Mavericks
The 2026-27 NBA season kicks off Tuesday with three Turkish players set to take the court in the league’s 81st season.
The opening day will feature a single game, with the Detroit Pistons hosting the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena in Michigan. The game will tip off at 3pm local time (1900 GMT).
Three Turkish players in action
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Three Turkish players will compete in the NBA this season, with Alperen Sengun playing for the Houston Rockets, Adem Bona representing the Philadelphia 76ers and Tarik Biberovic joining the Dallas Mavericks.
Two-time All-Star Sengun will enter the season aiming to lead the Rockets back to the playoffs.
Bona's 76ers will look to contend with a strengthened roster featuring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Biberovic, meanwhile, will make his NBA debut with the Mavericks.
Sengun enters sixth NBA season
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The 24-year-old Sengun, who has established himself among the NBA's top players, will begin his sixth season in the league.
He averaged 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game last season as the Rockets finished fifth in the Western Conference.
Sengun became the first Turkish player to be selected to consecutive All-Star Games last season and helped Houston reach the playoffs for the second time in his career.
Thunder, Spurs and Knicks among teams in spotlight
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The Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks are the teams to watch entering the new season with hopes to secure the championship.
The New York Knicks will begin their title defense, while the San Antonio Spurs will be led by French star Victor Wembanyama. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been among the league's leading teams in recent seasons, will also enter the campaign targeting a championship.
LeBron James enters 24th NBA season
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LeBron James will begin his 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers after previously playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer, James will extend his record for the most seasons played in the league.
The 41-year-old has won four NBA championships and has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player four times in the regular season and four times in the Finals.
James will seek to add further records and another championship to his career in Philadelphia.
Playoffs to begin April 17
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The NBA regular season will conclude on April 11, 2027.
The final four playoff berths will be determined through the play-in tournament, featuring teams finishing seventh through 10th in each conference. The play-in games will be held from April 13-16.
The NBA playoffs will begin April 17.
The 2027 All-Star Weekend will be held in Phoenix from Feb. 19-21.