Landmark 75th Anniversary Season Marks Eighth Consecutive Year With at Least 100 International Players; Toronto Raptors Feature Record-Tying 10 International Players, Followed by the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder with Seven Each; 13 African Players on Opening-Night Rosters.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) announced that 109 international players from 39 countries are on opening-night rosters for its landmark 75th Anniversary Season, including a record number of players from Canada (18), Germany (seven) and the Bahamas (three), and a record-tying number of players from Nigeria (five). The Toronto Raptors lead the league with a record-tying 10 international players from a record nine countries on opening-night rosters.
The 2021-22 season tipping off tonight marks the eighth consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 100 international players. The number of international players in the NBA has grown from five in the league’s first season in 1946-47 to a record 113 at the start of the 2016-17 season.
For the eighth consecutive year, Canada is the most-represented country outside of the U.S., followed by Australia, France and Germany (seven players each). Nigeria, Serbia, Spain and Turkey each have five players.
The Raptors lead the league with 10 international players, followed by the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder with seven international players each. The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans each have five.
A record 35 players on opening-night rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers, including Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011), Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016) and Pascal Siakam (Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012). BWB is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program that has seen 90 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents since 2001.
In addition to the 109 international players on 2021-22 opening-night rosters, there are a record 12 international players from seven countries on “two-way” contracts, including six players who participated in BWB. There are also a number of American players with ties to other countries, including more than 30 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), Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz; ties to the Philippines), Matisse Thybulle (76ers; ties to Australia and Haiti), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State Warriors; Mexico), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Kemba Walker (New York Knicks; Antigua).
The 2021-22 NBA season tips off tonight with the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Brooklyn Nets at 1:30 a.m. CAT on ESPN and Canal+. In the second game, the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Warriors at 4 a.m. CAT on Canal+.
Below please find international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:
- A record-tying six international players were named to the 2020-21 All-NBA Team: 2021 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria; All-NBA First Team); Luka Don?i? (Mavericks; Slovenia; All-NBA First Team); 2020-21 Kia NBA MVP Nikola Joki? (Nuggets; Serbia; All-NBA First Team); Embiid (All-NBA Second Team); Rudy Gobert (Jazz; France; All-NBA Third Team); and Kyrie Irving (Nets; Australia; All-NBA Third Team).
- As part of the NBA.com 2021-22 GM Survey (https://on.nba.com/3lXfdTM), Don?i? and Antetokounmpo were voted the No. 1 and No. 2 players with whom general managers would most want to start a franchise (43% and 40%, respectively), and the No. 2 and No. 3 players most likely to win the 2021-22 Kia NBA MVP Award (33% and 13% of votes, respectively).
- Josh Giddey (Thunder; Australia) is poised to become the first NBA Academy graduate to play in the NBA when Oklahoma City visits Utah tomorrow, Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass. Giddey became the first NBA Academy graduate to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected sixth overall by the Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft.
- There are 13 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Don?i?, Goran Dragi? (Raptors; Slovenia), Embiid, Al Horford (Boston Celtics; Dominican Republic), Gobert, Irving, Joki?, Kristaps Porzingis (Mavericks; Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers; Lithuania), Siakam, Ben Simmons (76ers; Australia) and Nikola Vu?evi? (Chicago Bulls; Montenegro).
- Neemias Queta (two-way player for the Sacramento Kings) is poised to become the first player from Portugal to play in the NBA.
- A record 10 former BWB campers were selected in the 2021 NBA Draft, surpassing the previous record of eight set in 2019.
Below please find the full list of international players on 2021-22 opening-night rosters (active and inactive):
Country | Name | NBA Team | Ties |
Angola | Bruno Fernando | Boston Celtics | |
Argentina | Facundo Campazzo* | Denver Nuggets | |
Argentina | Gabriel Deck* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Argentina | Leandro Bolmaro* | Minnesota Timberwolves | |
Australia | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | |
Australia | Jock Landale | San Antonio Spurs | |
Australia | Joe Ingles | Utah Jazz | |
Australia | Josh Giddey* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Australia | Josh Green* | Dallas Mavericks | |
Australia | Kyrie Irving | Brooklyn Nets | |
Australia | Patty Mills | Brooklyn Nets | |
Austria | Jakob Poeltl | San Antonio Spurs | |
Bahamas | Buddy Hield | Sacramento Kings | |
Bahamas | Kai Jones* | Charlotte Hornets | |
Bahamas | Deandre Ayton* | Phoenix Suns | Ties to Nigeria |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Jusuf Nurki? | Portland Trail Blazers | |
Brazil | Didi Louzada | New Orleans Pelicans | |
Brazil | Raul Neto | Washington Wizards | |
Cameroon | Joel Embiid* | Philadelphia 76ers | |
Cameroon | Pascal Siakam* | Toronto Raptors | |
Canada | Andrew Wiggins | Golden State Warriors | |
Canada | Brandon Clarke | Memphis Grizzlies | |
Canada | Cory Joseph | Detroit Pistons | Ties to Trinidad and Tobago |
Canada | Dalano Banton | Toronto Raptors | |
Canada | Dillon Brooks | Memphis Grizzlies | |
Canada | Dwight Powell | Dallas Mavericks | |
Canada | Jamal Murray* | Denver Nuggets | |
Canada | Josh Primo* | San Antonio Spurs | |
Canada | Kelly Olynyk* | Detroit Pistons | |
Canada | Kevin Pangos | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
Canada | Khem Birch | Toronto Raptors | |
Canada | Luguentz Dort* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Canada | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | New Orleans Pelicans | |
Canada | Oshae Brissett | Indiana Pacers | |
Canada | RJ Barrett* | New York Knicks | |
Canada | Trey Lyles | Detroit Pistons | |
Canada | Tristan Thompson | Sacramento Kings | Ties to Jamaica |
Canada | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Croatia | Bojan Bogdanovi? | Utah Jazz | |
Croatia | Dario Šari?* | Phoenix Suns | |
Croatia | Ivica Zubac | LA Clippers | |
Czech Republic | Tomáš Satoranský* | New Orleans Pelicans | |
Czech Republic | Vít Krej?í* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Jonathan Kuminga | Golden State Warriors | |
Dominican Republic | Al Horford | Boston Celtics | |
Dominican Republic | Chris Duarte | Indiana Pacers | |
Egypt | Abdel Nader | Phoenix Suns | |
Finland | Lauri Markkanen* | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
France | Evan Fournier | New York Knicks | Ties to Algeria |
France | Frank Ntilikina* | Dallas Mavericks | Ties to Belgium and Rwanda |
France | Killian Hayes* | Detroit Pistons | |
France | Nicolas Batum* | LA Clippers | Ties to Cameroon |
France | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | |
France | Théo Maledon | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
France | Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot | Atlanta Hawks | Ties to Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Georgia | Goga Bitadze* | Indiana Pacers | |
Germany | Daniel Theis | Houston Rockets | |
Germany | Dennis Schröder | Boston Celtics | Ties to The Gambia |
Germany | Isaac Bonga* | Toronto Raptors | |
Germany | Isaiah Hartenstein* | LA Clippers | |
Germany | Maxi Kleber | Dallas Mavericks | |
Germany | Franz Wagner | Orlando Magic | |
Germany | Moritz Wagner | Orlando Magic | |
Greece | Georgios Kalaitzakis | Milwaukee Bucks | |
Greece | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Ties to Nigeria |
Greece | Thanasis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Ties to Nigeria |
Israel | Deni Avdija* | Washington Wizards | |
Italy | Danilo Gallinari* | Atlanta Hawks | |
Jamaica | Nick Richards | Charlotte Hornets | |
Japan | Rui Hachimura* | Washington Wizards | Ties to Benin |
Japan | Yuta Watanabe | Toronto Raptors | |
Latvia | Davis Bertans | Washington Wizards | |
Latvia | Kristaps Porzi??is | Dallas Mavericks | |
Lithuania | Domantas Sabonis | Indiana Pacers | |
Lithuania | Jonas Valan?i?nas* | New Orleans Pelicans | |
Montenegro | Marko Simonovi? | Chicago Bulls | |
Montenegro | Nikola Vu?evi? | Chicago Bulls | |
New Zealand | Steven Adams | Memphis Grizzlies | |
Nigeria | Charles Bassey* | Philadelphia 76ers | |
Nigeria | Josh Okogie | Minnesota Timberwolves | |
Nigeria | Precious Achiuwa | Toronto Raptors | |
Nigeria | Udoka Azubuike | Utah Jazz | |
Nigeria | Chimezie Metu | Sacramento Kings | |
Republic of the Congo | Serge Ibaka | LA Clippers | Ties to Spain |
Senegal | Gorgui Dieng* | Atlanta Hawks | |
Serbia | Aleksej Pokuševski* | Oklahoma City Thunder | |
Serbia | Boban Marjanovi? | Dallas Mavericks | |
Serbia | Bogdan Bogdanovi? | Atlanta Hawks | |
Serbia | Nemanja Bjelica | Golden State Warriors | |
Serbia | Nikola Joki? | Denver Nuggets | |
Slovenia | Goran Dragi? | Toronto Raptors | |
Slovenia | Vlatko ?an?ar | Denver Nuggets | |
Slovenia | Luka Don?i? | Dallas Mavericks | |
Spain | Juancho Hernangómez | Boston Celtics | |
Spain | Ricky Rubio | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
Spain | Santi Aldama* | Memphis Grizzlies | |
Spain | Usman Garuba | Houston Rockets | Ties to Nigeria |
Spain | Willy Hernangómez* | New Orleans Pelicans | |
St. Lucia | Chris Boucher | Toronto Raptors | Ties to Canada |
Sudan | Bol Bol | Denver Nuggets | |
Switzerland | Clint Capela | Atlanta Hawks | Ties to Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Turkey | Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | |
Turkey | Cedi Osman | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
Turkey | Enes Kanter* | Boston Celtics | |
Turkey | Furkan Korkmaz | Philadelphia 76ers | |
Turkey | Omer Yurtseven | Miami Heat | |
Ukraine | Alex Len | Sacramento Kings | |
Ukraine | Svi Mykhailiuk | Toronto Raptors | |
United Kingdom | OG Anunoby | Toronto Raptors | Ties to Nigeria |
Below please find the full list of international two-way players:
Country | First Name | NBA Team | Ties |
Canada | Eugene Omoruyi | Dallas Mavericks | Ties to Nigeria |
Canada | Ignas Brazdeikis* | Orlando Magic | Ties to Lithuania |
Croatia | Luka Šamani?* | New York Knicks | |
France | Petr Cornelie | Denver Nuggets | |
France | Sekou Doumbouya* | Los Angeles Lakers | Ties to Guinea |
France | Killian Tillie | Memphis Grizzlies | |
France | Yves Pons | Memphis Grizzlies | Ties to Haiti |
France | Joel Ayayi* | Washington Wizards | Ties to Benin |
Georgia | Sandro Mamukelashvili* | Milwaukee Bucks | |
Lithuania | Arnoldas Kulboka* | Charlotte Hornets | |
Portugal | Neemias Queta | Sacramento Kings | Ties to Guinea-Bissau |
Senegal | Tacko Fall | Cleveland Cavaliers |
*Participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).Media Contacts:
Mark Pozin
NBA
(347) 852-5374
mpozin@nba.com
© Press Release 2021
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