NBA-0ver 120 international players on NBA opening-night rosters

Opening-night rosters will feature 125 ​international players, the NBA said ​on Tuesday, with France ‌becoming ​the first country outside Canada in 13 seasons to lead the league in international representatives. The ‌2026-27 season tips off on Tuesday, marking the 13th consecutive year where at least 100 international players are on opening-night rosters, with 43 ‌countries represented across six continents.

France is the most-represented outside the ‌US with 17 players, a group headlined by San Antonio Spurs' twice All-Star and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama. Canada, which for the past ⁠12 ​seasons had led ⁠the league in international players, is next with 16 players, followed by Australia (9), ⁠Germany (7), Nigeria (6) and Serbia (6).

The Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards feature ​a league-high seven international players each. The NBA said there were ⁠70 European players on opening-night rosters, including the Heat's Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Denver Nuggets' Nikola ⁠Jokic (Serbia) ​and Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (Slovenia).

The league is staging three games outside of the US and Canada this season as ⁠part of its efforts to grow the game globally. Denver and Indiana will ⁠meet in ⁠Mexico City on November 7 before January games between New Orleans and San Antonio in Paris and ‌Manchester.