By Emmanuel Okogba
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced a record number of players born in Africa or with at least one parent born on the continent on opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season, with six Nigerian players listed among the international contingent.
According to the league, more than 60 players with African backgrounds feature on opening-night rosters, while the overall number of international players stands at 125 from 43 countries across six continents.
The NBA said this marks the sixth consecutive season with at least 120 international players and the 13th straight season with at least 100.
The six players listed under Nigeria are Ugonna Onyenso of the Detroit Pistons, Charles Bassey of the Golden State Warriors, Adem Bona of the Philadelphia 76ers, Precious Achiuwa of the Sacramento Kings, Josh Okogie of the Utah Jazz and Felix Okpara of the Washington Wizards.
The league also reported that more than 25 of the players with African backgrounds have Nigerian connections, including those born elsewhere or with at least one parent from Nigeria.
Among the prominent players with Nigerian heritage are Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The African-connected group also includes Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid and Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, both of whom were born in Cameroon.
The NBA said France leads the international player count with 17, followed by Canada with 16. Australia has nine players, Germany seven, while Nigeria and Serbia have six each.
France’s representation is led by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Canada’s contingent includes Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning two-time NBA Most Valuable Player.
The Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards have the highest number of international players among NBA teams, with seven each. All 30 franchises have at least one international player on their opening-night rosters.
The league also recorded 70 European players for the season, marking the second consecutive campaign with at least that number.
International players have continued to make their mark on the NBA’s individual awards. According to the league, four international stars have shared the last eight Most Valuable Player awards: Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Last season also marked the fifth consecutive campaign in which three international players finished among the top three in MVP voting, with Gilgeous-Alexander first, Jokić second and Wembanyama third.
The NBA further announced that a record 19 international players who have previously been named All-Stars are on opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season.
More than 45 players on the rosters have also participated in Basketball Without Borders, the NBA and International Basketball Federation’s global basketball development and community outreach programme.
The 2026-27 campaign is the NBA’s 81st regular season. The league said its games would reach fans in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages through broadcast partners and NBA League Pass.
The record African representation and Nigeria’s six-player contingent underscore the continued presence of Nigerian talent in the NBA as the league expands its international reach.
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