The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced that a record of more than 60 players who were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent were on opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season.
Overall, opening-night rosters feature 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents, including 70 European players, marking the second consecutive season and second time ever with at least that many.
The more than 60 players who were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent include more than 25 from or with at least one parent from Nigeria.
Among the more than 60 players are three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Heat; ties to Nigeria), Antetokounmpo, two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby (New York Knicks; UK; ties to Nigeria), 2026 No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (Wizards; ties to the Republic of the Congo), 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP and seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon), and 2019 NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon).
France has a league-high 17 international players, marking the first time in 13 seasons that a country other than Canada has led the NBA in international players. The group is headlined by two-time NBA All-Star and 2025-26 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).
Canada ranks second with 16, headlined by 2025 NBA champion and reigning back-to-back Kia NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), followed by Australia (nine), Germany (seven), Nigeria (a record six) and Serbia (six).
This is the sixth consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 120 international players and the 13th straight season with at least 100 international players. All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player. The Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards feature a league-high seven each.
The record for international players (135) and the record for countries and territories represented (43) were set at the start of the 2025-26 and 2017-18 seasons, respectively.
The 70 European players include 2021 NBA champion and two-time Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Heat; Greece; ties to Nigeria), 2023 NBA champion and three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), six-time NBA All-Star and Kia All-NBA First Team member Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers; Slovenia), and Wembanyama.
Below are additional international player milestones and storylines for the upcoming season:
- Four international players have won the last eight Kia NBA MVP Awards: Gilgeous-Alexander (2025-26 and 2024-25), Jokić (2023-24, 2021-22 and 2020-21), Embiid (2022-23) and Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19). Last season also marked the fifth consecutive season that three international players finished top three in MVP voting: Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Jokić (No. 2) and Wembanyama (No. 3).
- There are a record 19 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers; Israel), Dončić, Embiid, Gilgeous-Alexander, Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves; France), Al Horford (Golden State Warriors; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Mavericks; Australia), Jokić, Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz; Finland), Jamal Murray (Nuggets; Canada), Kristaps Porziņģis (Warriors; Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets; Türkiye), Siakam, Ben Simmons (Kings; Australia), Nikola Vučević (Orlando Magic; Montenegro), Wembanyama and Andrew Wiggins (Heat; Canada).
- At least three international players have made the Kia All-NBA Team each season since 2018-19.
- In the 2026-27 NBA GM Survey, Wembanyama (No. 1) and Jokić (No. 2) were voted the players most likely to win the 2026-27 Kia NBA MVP Award (77% and 10% of votes, respectively). Wembanyama was also voted as the player GMs would most want to sign if they were starting a franchise today (93% of votes).
- Opening-night rosters feature more than 45 players who participated in Basketball Without Borders, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program.
- There are also several American players with parents from other countries, including Jalen Green (Phoenix Suns; ties to the Philippines), Norman Powell (Chicago Bulls; ties to Jamaica), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks; ties to the Dominican Republic) and Jaylin Williams (Thunder; ties to Vietnam).
The 81st NBA regular season tipped off on 20 Ocotber with a tripleheader on beIN Sports, Canal+ and SuperSport.
The 2026-27 season 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.
