Jokić and the Nuggets will face Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Wednesday, Jan. Two international players have won the last four Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Awards: reigning back-to-back MVP Jokić (2021-21) and Antetokounmpo (2019-19).Reigning 2-time Kia MVP Nikola Jokic (right) and 76ers star Joel Embiid are 2 of the NBA’s best international stars. Some key international player milestones and storylines for 2022-23: Among the American players with ties to other countries are Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat ties to Nigeria), Jalen Green (Houston Rockets ties to the Philippines), Matisse Thybulle (76ers ties to Australia and Haiti), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Lakers ties to Mexico), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves ties to the Dominican Republic) and Jaylin Williams (Thunder ties to Vietnam). There are also a number of American players with ties to other countries, including more than 35 players with at least one parent from an African country. NBA Academies, a year-round elite basketball development program for top high school-age athletes from outside the U.S., have been launched in Canberra, Australia Greater Noida, India San Luis Potosí, Mexico and Saly, Senegal for top prospects from their respective countries and continents. Additionally, there are a record three NBA Academy graduates on opening-night rosters: Dyson Daniels (Pelicans Australia NBA Global Academy), Josh Giddey (Thunder Australia NBA Global Academy) and Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers Canada ties to Haiti NBA Academy Latin America). Thirty-eight players on opening-night rosters participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers, including Deandre Ayton (Suns Bahamas BWB Global 2016), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder Canada BWB Global 2016), Joel Embiid (76ers Cameroon BWB Africa 2011), Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards Japan BWB Global 2016), Jamal Murray (Nuggets Canada BWB Global 2015), Pascal Siakam (Raptors Cameroon BWB Africa 2012) and Jonas Valančiūnas (New Orleans Pelicans Lithuania BWB Europe 2008). ![]() The Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz each have six. The Toronto Raptors feature eight international players, marking the second consecutive season the Raptors lead the league, followed by the Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings with seven international players each. There is a total of 58 European players on opening-night rosters, including three members of the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks Greece ties to Nigeria), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks Slovenia) and 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets Serbia). Nigeria, Serbia and Spain each have five players. This marks the first time that opening-night rosters have at least 120 international players in consecutive seasons.įor the ninth consecutive year, Canada is the most-represented country outside of the U.S., followed by Australia, France (nine players) and Germany (six players). The NBA today announced that 120 international players from 40 countries are on opening-night rosters for the 2022-23 season. In the second game, the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors will receive their championship rings before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers ( 10 p.m. In the first game, the Philadelphia 76ers will visit the reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics ( 7:30 p.m. The 2022-23 season tips off tonight with a doubleheader on TNT. All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player. ![]() This marks the first time that opening-night rosters have at least 120 international players in consecutive seasons and the ninth straight season that opening-night rosters feature at least 100 international players. ![]() ![]() NEW YORK - The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that 120 international players from 40 countries and six continents are on opening-night rosters for the 2022-23 season, including a record number of players from Canada (22) and Australia (10) and a record-tying five players from Nigeria. Pascal Siakam (left) and Precious Achiuwa are 2 of the NBA-leading 8 international players on the Raptors’ roster.
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