How many international players are featured in the 2024-25 NBA season? Complete breakdown of athletes from 43 countries
The 2024-25 NBA season is already off to historic pace, with an attesting stat revealed on Tuesday. The league's opening-night rosters will feature a record-tying 125 international players from 43 countries. All NBA teams have at least one player born outside of the United States of America.
These 125 international players are spread across six continents, with a record-tying 17 from Africa. Senior ESPN writer Marc J. Spears shared an intriguing breakdown of players of African descent with a post to X.
The league is continuing to reach countries across the world as the brand grows year by year. Of the last six NBA Most Valuable Player awards, all six came from international players (Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid). Five players in the top 10 of ESPN's Top 100 Players are international players.
In the 2024–25 season, teams will play in Mexico and France as the league continues to reach countries outside of the United States. Here is a complete breakdown of international players and their home countries for this season.
NBA international players' breakdown
Here is a breakdown of the league's international players and the list of countries these players are from.
- Angola - 1
- Australia - 13
- Austria - 1
- Bahamas - 3
- Belgium - 2
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - 2
- Brazil - 1
- Cameroon - 5
- Canada - 21
- China - 1
- Croatia - 3
- Czech Republic - 1
- Democratic Republic of the Congo - 2
- Dominican Republic - 2
- Finland - 1
- France - 14
- Georgia - 2
- Germany - 8
- Greece - 1
- Israel - 1
- Italy - 1
- Jamaica - 1
- Japan - 2
- Latvia - 1
- Lithuania - 2
- Mali - 2
- Montenegro - 1
- Netherlands - 2
- New Zealand - 1
- Nigeria - 4
- Portugal - 1
- Senegal - 1
- Serbia - 6
- Slovenia - 2
- South Sudan - 1
- Spain - 1
- St. Lucia - 1
- Sudan - 1
- Sweden - 2
- Switzerland - 2
- Turkey - 1
- Ukraine - 2
- United Kingdom - 2
The Portland Trailblazers and the Oklahoma City Thunder each lead NBA teams with seven international players on their opening-night rosters. Canada (21) and France (14) each lead countries outside the USA in players for the 2024-25 NBA season.