NBA Roster Features 100 International Players For Second Consecutive Year
For the second consecutive year, the NBA has announced that 100 international players from 37 countries and territories are on opening night rosters of the 2015-16 season.
It has been recorded that there are 10 African and 9 Brazilian players on the opening night rosters. Canada has the most of any country for the second consecutive year with a record- tying 10 NBA players. Australia features a record- tying eight players, while Croatia and Spain round out the top five with four NBA players each.
All 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player. The Toronto Raptors lead the league with seven international players, while the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz each feature six. The Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets field five each, while the rosters of the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Orlando Magic each include four.
The 70th NBA season began this week with a doubleheader on TNT as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2015. The first match up was the Cavaliers at the Bulls (95-97 final). The NBA Champion Golden State Warriors (three international players) then hosted the New Orleans Pelicans (two international players) (95-111 final). Lastly, the Detroit Pistons (three international players) visited the Hawks (106-94).
NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories.
The league has established a major international presence, with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories and 47 languages and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.
