NBA Rosters Feature 108 International Players | Zagsblog
Recent Posts
About ZagsBlog
Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Follow Zags on Twitter
Couldn't connect with Twitter
Contact Zags
Connect with Zags:
Friday / March 29.
  • NBA Rosters Feature 108 International Players

    Share Zagsblog Share Zagsblog

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that 108 international players from a record 42 countries and territories are on opening-night rosters for the 2017-18 season.  This marks the fourth consecutive season that opening-night rosters feature at least 100 international players and that all 30 teams have at least one international player.

    The record for international players (113) and previous record for countries and territories represented (41) were set at the start of the 2016-17 season.

    In addition to the 108 international players on 2017-18 opening-night rosters, there are five international players on “two-way” contracts.  Beginning this season, NBA teams can sign up to two two-way players to NBA contracts.  These contracts allow two-way players to be with their NBA parent team for up to 45 days, spending most of the season in the NBA G League.

    The most-represented countries among the 108 international players on opening-night rosters are Canada (11 players), France (10 players), Australia (record-tying eight players) and Spain (seven players), followed by Brazil, Croatia, Germany, Serbia and Turkey (five players each).  Opening-night rosters also feature a record number of European players (64).

    The Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz have an NBA-high seven international players each.  The Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs each have six.  The Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic field five each.

    The NBA’s 72nd season begins tonight with a doubleheader on TNT as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2017.  In the opening game, the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Celtics in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals at 8 p.m. ET.  In the second game, the Houston Rockets visit the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET.

    A number of international players are scheduled to make their NBA debut during opening week, including:

    • Lauri Markkanen (Finland; Basketball without Borders 2014 and 2015), the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, will make his NBA debut when the Chicago Bulls visit the Raptors on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA LEAGUE PASS.
    • Frank Ntilikina (France; Basketball without Borders 2015 and 2016), the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, will make his NBA debut when the Knicks travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
    • Zhou Qi (China), the 43rd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and the Rockets take on the Warriors tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
    • Ben Simmons (Australia), the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, will make his NBA debut when the 76ers visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
    • Milos Teodosic (Serbia; Basketball without Borders 2001), who was voted the best international player not in the NBA in the 2016-17 NBA.com GM Survey, will make his NBA debut when the LA Clippers play the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

     

    Below please find the full list of international players on 2017-18 opening-night rosters

    (active and inactive):

     

    Country

    First Name

    Last Name

    Team

    Argentina

    Nicolas

    Brussino

    Atlanta Hawks

    Argentina

    Manu

    Ginobili

    San Antonio Spurs

    Australia

    Kyrie

    Irving

    Boston Celtics

    Australia

    Aron

    Baynes

    Boston Celtics

    Australia

    Andrew

    Bogut

    Los Angeles Lakers

    Australia

    Matthew

    Dellavedova

    Milwaukee Bucks

    Australia

    Ben

    Simmons

    Philadelphia 76ers

    Australia

    Patty

    Mills

    San Antonio Spurs

    Australia

    Dante

    Exum

    Utah Jazz

    Australia

    Joe

    Ingles

    Utah Jazz

    Austria

    Jakob

    Poeltl

    Toronto Raptors

    Bahamas

    Buddy

    Hield

    Sacramento Kings

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Ivica

    Zubac

    Los Angeles Lakers

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Mirza

    Teletovic

    Milwaukee Bucks

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Jusuf

    Nurkic

    Portland Trail Blazers

    Brazil

    Cristiano

    Felicio

    Chicago Bulls

    Brazil

    Nene

    Houston Rockets

    Brazil

    Bruno

    Caboclo

    Toronto Raptors

    Brazil

    Lucas

    Nogueira

    Toronto Raptors

    Brazil

    Raul

    Neto

    Utah Jazz

    Cameroon

    Luc

    Mbah a Moute

    Houston Rockets

    Cameroon

    Joel

    Embiid

    Philadelphia 76ers

    Cameroon

    Pascal

    Siakam

    Toronto Raptors

    Canada

    Tristan

    Thompson

    Cleveland Cavaliers

    Canada

    Dwight

    Powell

    Dallas Mavericks

    Canada

    Jamal

    Murray

    Denver Nuggets

    Canada

    Trey

    Lyles

    Denver Nuggets

    Canada

    Cory

    Joseph

    Indiana Pacers

    Canada

    Tyler

    Ennis

    Los Angeles Lakers

    Canada

    Dillon

    Brooks

    Memphis Grizzlies

    Canada

    Kelly

    Olynyk

    Miami Heat

    Canada

    Andrew

    Wiggins

    Minnesota Timberwolves

    Canada

    Khem

    Birch

    Orlando Magic

    Canada

    Nik

    Stauskas

    Philadelphia 76ers

    China

    Zhou

    Qi

    Houston Rockets

    Croatia

    Ante

    Zizic

    Cleveland Cavaliers

    Croatia

    Bojan

    Bogdanovic

    Indiana Pacers

    Croatia

    Mario

    Hezonja

    Orlando Magic

    Croatia

    Dario

    Saric

    Philadelphia 76ers

    Croatia

    Dragan

    Bender

    Phoenix Suns

    Czech Republic

    Tomas

    Satoransky

    Washington Wizards

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Emmanuel

    Mudiay

    Denver Nuggets

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Bismack

    Biyombo

    Orlando Magic

    Dominican Republic

    Al

    Horford

    Boston Celtics

    Egypt

    Abdel

    Nader

    Boston Celtics

    Finland

    Lauri

    Markkanen

    Chicago Bulls

    France

    Guerschon

    Yabusele

    Boston Celtics

    France

    Nicolas

    Batum

    Charlotte Hornets

    France

    Alexis

    Ajinca

    New Orleans Pelicans

    France

    Frank

    Ntilikina

    New York Knicks

    France

    Evan

    Fournier

    Orlando Magic

    France

    Timothe

    Luwawu-Cabarrot

    Philadelphia 76ers

    France

    Tony

    Parker

    San Antonio Spurs

    France

    Joffrey

    Lauvergne

    San Antonio Spurs

    France

    Rudy

    Gobert

    Utah Jazz

    France

    Ian

    Mahinmi

    Washington Wizards

    Georgia

    Zaza

    Pachulia

    Golden State Warriors

    Germany

    Dennis

    Schroder

    Atlanta Hawks

    Germany

    Daniel

    Theis

    Boston Celtics

    Germany

    Paul

    Zipser

    Chicago Bulls

    Germany

    Maxi

    Kleber

    Dallas Mavericks

    Germany

    Dirk

    Nowitzki

    Dallas Mavericks

    Greece

    Giannis

    Antetokounmpo

    Milwaukee Bucks

    Greece

    Georgios

    Papagiannis

    Sacramento Kings

    Haiti

    Skal

    Labissiere

    Sacramento Kings

    Israel

    Omri

    Casspi

    Golden State Warriors

    Italy

    Marco

    Belinelli

    Atlanta Hawks

    Italy

    Danilo

    Gallinari

    LA Clippers

    Latvia

    Kristaps

    Porzingis

    New York Knicks

    Latvia

    Davis

    Bertans

    San Antonio Spurs

    Lithuania

    Domantas

    Sabonis

    Indiana Pacers

    Lithuania

    Mindaugas

    Kuzminskas

    New York Knicks

    Lithuania

    Jonas

    Valanciunas

    Toronto Raptors

    Mali

    Cheick

    Diallo

    New Orleans Pelicans

    Montenegro

    Nikola

    Mirotic

    Chicago Bulls

    Montenegro

    Nikola

    Vucevic

    Orlando Magic

    New Zealand

    Steven

    Adams

    Oklahoma City Thunder

    Poland

    Marcin

    Gortat

    Washington Wizards

    Puerto Rico

    J.J.

    Barea

    Dallas Mavericks

    Republic of the Congo

    Serge

    Ibaka

    Toronto Raptors

    Russia

    Timofey

    Mozgov

    Brooklyn Nets

    Senegal

    Gorgui

    Dieng

    Minnesota Timberwolves

    Serbia

    Nikola

    Jokic

    Denver Nuggets

    Serbia

    Boban

    Marjanovic

    Detroit Pistons

    Serbia

    Milos

    Teodosic

    LA Clippers

    Serbia

    Nemanja

    Bjelica

    Minnesota Timberwolves

    Serbia

    Bogdan

    Bogdanovic

    Sacramento Kings

    Slovenia

    Goran

    Dragic

    Miami Heat

    South Sudan

    Luol

    Deng

    Los Angeles Lakers

    South Sudan

    Thon

    Maker

    Milwaukee Bucks

    Spain

    Jose

    Calderon

    Cleveland Cavaliers

    Spain

    Juancho

    Hernangomez

    Denver Nuggets

    Spain

    Marc

    Gasol

    Memphis Grizzlies

    Spain

    Willy

    Hernangomez

    New York Knicks

    Spain

    Alex

    Abrines

    Oklahoma City Thunder

    Spain

    Pau

    Gasol

    San Antonio Spurs

    Spain

    Ricky

    Rubio

    Utah Jazz

    Sweden

    Jonas

    Jerebko

    Utah Jazz

    Switzerland

    Clint

    Capela

    Houston Rockets

    Switzerland

    Thabo

    Sefolosha

    Utah Jazz

    Tunisia

    Salah

    Mejri

    Dallas Mavericks

    Turkey

    Ersan

    Ilyasova

    Atlanta Hawks

    Turkey

    Cedi

    Osman

    Cleveland Cavaliers

    Turkey

    Omer

    Asik

    New Orleans Pelicans

    Turkey

    Enes

    Kanter

    New York Knicks

    Turkey

    Furkan

    Korkmaz

    Philadelphia 76ers

    Ukraine

    Alex

    Len

    Phoenix Suns

    United Kingdom

    OG

    Anunoby

    Toronto Raptors

     

    Below please find the full list of international two-way players:

     

    Country

    First Name

    Last Name

    Team

    Canada

    Chris

    Boucher

    Golden State Warriors

    Dominican Republic

    Luis

    Montero

    Detroit Pistons

    France

    Yakuba

    Ouattara

    Brooklyn Nets

    Puerto Rico

    Gian

    Clavell

    Dallas Mavericks

    Sudan

    Mangok

    Mathiang

    Charlotte Hornets

     

    Written by

    [email protected]

    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

  • } });
    X