Fourth Consecutive Season League Features at Least 120 International Players and 11th Consecutive Season with at Least 100 International PlayersAll 30 Teams Feature at Least One International PlayerOpening-Night Rosters Feature Record Five Players from CameroonThe National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com)today announced that a record-tying 17 players from Africa are among the 125 international players from 43 countries across six continents on opening-night rosters for the 2024-25 season, including a record five players from Cameroon headlined by 2022-23 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers).There are also more than 35 players with at least one parent from an African country, including three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat; ties to Nigeria), two-time Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year 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 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 (125) and countries and territories represented (43) 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: Antetokounmpo, five-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA First Team member Luka Don'i' (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), 2023 NBA champion and three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Joki' (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), and three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania).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: Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19), Embiid (2022-23) and Joki' (2023-24, 2021-22 and 2020-21). Last season also marked the third consecutive season that three international players finished top three in MVP voting: Joki', Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder; Canada) and Don'i'. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks visit Embiid and the 76ers on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 1:30 a.m. CAT on ESPN in the season opener for both teams. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder visit Joki' and the Nuggets on Friday, Oct. 25 at 4 a.m. CAT on NBA League Pass in the season opener for both teams.There are 15 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Don'i', Embiid, Gilgeous-Alexander, Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves; France), Al Horford (Boston Celtics; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Mavericks; Australia), Joki', Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Kristaps Porzi''is (Celtics; Latvia), Sabonis, Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon), Ben Simmons (Brooklyn Nets; Australia), Nikola Vu'evi' (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(http://apo-opa.co/4ePLTYv), Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Don'i' (No. 2), and Embiid and Joki' (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: Wembanyama (77% of votes), Gilgeous-Alexander (10% of votes), Joki' (10% of votes) and Don'i' (3% of votes).Wembanyama and the Spurs visit Don'i' and the Mavericks on Oct. 25 at 1:30 a.m. CAT on Canal+ in the season opener for both teams.The 79th NBA regular season tips off tonight with a doubleheader on Canal+ and will reach fans in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages through the leagues broadcast partners around the world and NBA League Pass, the leagues 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 (1:30 a.m. CAT). In the second game, Gobert and the Timberwolves visit Rui Hachimura (Japan) and the Los Angeles Lakers (4 a.m. CAT).Below is the full list of international players on 2024-25 opening-night rosters (active and inactive):CountryNameTeamTiesAngolaBruno FernandoToronto RaptorsAustraliaDyson DanielsAtlanta HawksAustraliaBen SimmonsBrooklyn NetsAustraliaJosh GreenCharlotte HornetsAustraliaJosh GiddeyChicago BullsAustraliaLuke Travers*Cleveland CavaliersAustraliaDant ExumDallas MavericksAustraliaKyrie IrvingDallas MavericksAustraliaJack McVeigh*Houston RocketsAustraliaJock LandaleHouston RocketsAustraliaJohnny FurphyIndiana PacersTies to Papua New GuineaAustraliaJoe InglesMinnesota TimberwolvesAustraliaAlex Ducas*Oklahoma City ThunderAustraliaPatty MillsUtah JazzAustriaJakob PoeltlToronto RaptorsBahamasBuddy HieldGolden State WarriorsBahamasKai Jones*LA ClippersBahamasDeandre AytonPortland Trail BlazersTies to NigeriaBelgiumAjay Mitchell*Oklahoma City ThunderBelgiumToumani CamaraPortland Trail BlazersTies to MaliBosnia and HerzegovinaKarlo Matkovi'New Orleans PelicansTies to CroatiaBosnia and HerzegovinaJusuf Nurki'Phoenix SunsBrazilGui SantosGolden State WarriorsCameroonPascal SiakamIndiana PacersCameroonChristian Koloko*Los Angeles LakersCameroonYves MissiNew Orleans PelicansCameroonJoel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ersCameroonUlrich Chomche*Toronto RaptorsCanadaTristan ThompsonCleveland CavaliersCanadaDwight PowellDallas MavericksCanadaOlivier-Maxence ProsperDallas MavericksTies to HaitiCanadaJamal MurrayDenver NuggetsCanadaAndrew WigginsGolden State WarriorsCanadaDillon BrooksHouston RocketsCanadaAndrew NembhardIndiana PacersCanadaBennedict MathurinIndiana PacersTies to HaitiCanadaBrandon ClarkeMemphis GrizzliesCanadaZach EdeyMemphis GrizzliesCanadaLeonard MillerMinnesota TimberwolvesCanadaNickeil Alexander-WalkerMinnesota TimberwolvesCanadaLuguentz DortOklahoma City ThunderCanadaCaleb HoustanOrlando MagicCanadaCory JosephOrlando MagicTies to Trinidad and TobagoCanadaDalano BantonPortland Trail BlazersCanadaShaedon SharpePortland Trail BlazersCanadaTrey LylesSacramento KingsCanadaKelly OlynykToronto RaptorsCanadaRJ BarrettToronto RaptorsCanadaShai Gilgeous-AlexanderOklahoma City ThunderChinaYongxi Cui*Brooklyn NetsCroatiaBojan Bogdanovi'Brooklyn NetsCroatiaDario ari'Denver NuggetsCroatiaIvica ZubacLA ClippersCzech RepublicVt Krej'Atlanta HawksDemocratic Republic of the CongoJonathan KumingaGolden State WarriorsDemocratic Republic of the CongoOscar Tshiebwe*Utah JazzDominican RepublicAl HorfordBoston CelticsDominican RepublicChris DuarteChicago BullsFinlandLauri MarkkanenUtah JazzFranceZaccharie RisacherAtlanta HawksFranceMoussa Diabat*Charlotte HornetsTies to Guinea and MaliFranceTidjane SalanCharlotte HornetsFranceNicolas BatumLA ClippersTies to CameroonFranceArmel Traor*Los Angeles LakersTies to MaliFranceRudy GobertMinnesota TimberwolvesFrancePacme DadietNew York KnicksTies to Cte d'IvoireFranceOusmane DiengOklahoma City ThunderTies to SenegalFranceGuerschon YabuselePhiladelphia 76ersTies to the Democratic Republic of the CongoFranceRayan RupertPortland Trail BlazersTies to Morocco FranceSidy CissokoSan Antonio SpursTies to SenegalFranceVictor WembanyamaSan Antonio SpursTies to the Democratic Republic of the CongoFranceAlex SarrWashington WizardsTies to SenegalFranceBilal CoulibalyWashington WizardsTies to MaliGeorgiaGoga BitadzeOrlando MagicGeorgiaSandro MamukelashviliSan Antonio SpursGermanyDennis SchrderBrooklyn NetsTies to The GambiaGermanyMaxi KleberDallas MavericksGermanyDaniel TheisNew Orleans PelicansGermanyAriel Hukporti*New York KnicksTies to TogoGermanyIsaiah HartensteinOklahoma City ThunderGermanyTristan da SilvaOrlando MagicGermanyFranz WagnerOrlando MagicGermanyMoritz WagnerOrlando MagicGreeceGiannis AntetokounmpoMilwaukee BucksTies to NigeriaIsraelDeni AvdijaPortland Trail BlazersItalySimone FontecchioDetroit PistonsJamaicaNick RichardsCharlotte HornetsJapanRui HachimuraLos Angeles LakersTies to BeninJapanYuki Kawamura*Memphis GrizzliesLatviaKristaps Porzi''isBoston CelticsLithuaniaDomantas SabonisSacramento KingsLithuaniaJonas Valan'i'nasWashington WizardsMaliAdama Sanogo*Chicago BullsMaliN'Faly Dante*Houston RocketsMontenegroNikola Vu'evi'Chicago BullsNetherlandsQuinten Post*Golden State WarriorsNetherlandsJesse Edwards*Minnesota TimberwolvesNew ZealandSteven AdamsHouston RocketsNigeriaPrecious AchiuwaNew York KnicksNigeriaAdem BonaPhiladelphia 76ersTies to TurkeyNigeriaJosh OkogiePhoenix SunsNigeriaCharles BasseySan Antonio SpursPortugalNeemias QuetaBoston CelticsTies to Guinea-BissauSenegalMouhamed GueyeAtlanta HawksSerbiaBogdan Bogdanovi'Atlanta HawksSerbiaVasilije Mici'Charlotte HornetsSerbiaNikola Joki'Denver NuggetsSerbiaNikola Jovi'Miami HeatSerbiaNikola Topi'Oklahoma City ThunderSerbiaTristan Vuk'evi'Washington WizardsTies to SwedenSloveniaVlatko 'an'arDenver NuggetsSloveniaLuka Don'i'Dallas MavericksSouth SudanDuop ReathPortland Trail BlazersTies to AustraliaSpainSanti AldamaMemphis GrizzliesSt. LuciaChris BoucherToronto RaptorsTies to CanadaSudanBol BolPhoenix SunsSwedenBobi KlintmanDetroit PistonsSwedenPelle LarssonMiami HeatSwitzerlandClint CapelaAtlanta HawksTies to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the CongoSwitzerlandKyshawn GeorgeWashington WizardsTies to Canada and FranceTurkeyAlperen SengunHouston RocketsUkraineAlex LenSacramento KingsUkraineSvi MykhailiukUtah JazzUnited KingdomOG AnunobyNew York KnicksTies to NigeriaUnited KingdomJeremy SochanSan Antonio SpursTies to Poland* - Two-Way PlayerDistributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).Contact:Pawel WeszkaNBA Africa PR & Communicationspweszka@nba.com+27 10 0072666Media filesDownload logo
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