Strong international flavor once again on NBA opening-night rosters
NEW YORK (NBA) - Players from outside the United States will once again be a big part of the NBA in 2017-18 with the league announcing that 108 international players from a record 42 countries and territories are on opening-night rosters.
FIBA EuroBasket 2017 MVP Goran Dragic of Slovenia and Latvia sensation Kristaps Porzingis are but two of the stars from abroad set to take center stage again in the NBA. Dragic will be the Miami Heat and Porzingis the New York Knicks.
It's the fourth straight opening-night when at least 100 international players are on rosters and that all 30 teams have at least one international player.
Slovenia's EuroBasket 2017 MVP Goran Dragic of Miami is one of 108 international players on opening night rosters in the NBA.
The most-represented countries 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 are stacked with players from abroad. Each has an NBA-high seven international players each.
. @NBA opening rosters include 108 players from a record 42 countries and territories. Toronto/Utah lead with 7 internationals, Mavs have 5.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 17, 2017
The Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs have six apiece and the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic have five each.
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.
FIBA
