The Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns have the most international players with six. The Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns each have five international players. The Atlanta Hawks Al Horford, the top international selection in the 2007 NBA Draft, and Milwaukee Bucks Yi Jianlian, the NBA’s fourth player from China, also will make their NBA debut. In addition, NBA rosters will include a record eight players from France, five from Spain and six from Argentina.

At the end of the 2006 regular season, the NBA featured 85 international players from 37 countries and territories on team rosters (both active and inactive). In comparison, the NBA had 29 international players from 21 countries and territories in 1997-98.

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS BREAKDOWN

As of March 5, 2008, the NBA featured 75 international players from 30 countries and territories NBA rosters (active and inactive) for the 2007-08 NBA season.

  • SOUTH AMERICA (10 players)

    • Argentina (6): Carlos Delfino, Toronto Raptors; Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs; Walter Herrmann, Detroit Pistons; Andres Nocioni, Chicago Bulls; Fabricio Oberto, San Antonio Spurs; Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
    Brazil (4): Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers; Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns; Nene, Denver Nuggets; Marcus Vinicius, Memphis Grizzlies

  • NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (12 players)

    • Canada (3): Joel Anthony, Miami Heat; Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia 76ers; Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
    Dominican Republic (2): Francisco Garcia, Sacramento Kings, Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
    Mexico (1): Eduardo Najera, Denver Nuggets
    Puerto Rico (2): Carlos Arroyo, Orlando Magic; Jose Juan Barea, Dallas Mavericks
    St. Vincent and Grenadines (1): Adonal Foyle, Orlando Magic
    U.S. Virgin Islands (2): Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs; Raja Bell, Phoenix Suns

  • AFRICA (5 players)

    • Congo (1): Dikembe Mutombo, Houston Rockets, Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga, Los Angeles Lakers
    Senegal (3): DeSagana Diop, New Jersey Nets; Mouhammed “Saer” Sene, Seattle SuperSonics; Cheikh Samb, Detroit Pistons

  • ASIA-PACIFIC (4 players)

    • Australia (1): Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee Bucks;
    China (2): Yao Ming, Houston Rockets; Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee Bucks
    New Zealand (1): Sean Marks, Phoenix Suns

  • EUROPE (46 players)

    • Croatia (1): Gordan Giricek, Phoenix Suns
    France (8): Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns; Yakhouba Diawara, Denver Nuggets; Mickael Gelabale, Seattle SuperSonics; Ian Mahinmi, San Antonio Spurs; Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs; Johan Petro, Seattle SuperSonics; Mickael Pietrus, Golden State Warriors; Ronny Turiaf, Los Angeles Lakers
    Georgia (1): Zaza Pachulia, Atlanta Hawks
    Germany (1): Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
    Great Britain (2): Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls; Kelenna Azubuike, Golden State Warriors
    Italy (2): Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors; Marco Belinelli, Golden State Warriors
    Latvia (1): Andris Biedrins, Golden State Warriors
    Lithuania (3): Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers; Linas Kleiza, Denver Nuggets; Darius Songaila, Chicago Bulls
    Netherlands (2): Francisco Elson, Seattle SuperSonics; Dan Gadzuric, Milwaukee Bucks
    Poland (1): Marcin Gortat, Orlando Magic
    Russia (2): Viktor Khryapa, Chicago Bulls; Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
    Serbia (7): Marko Jaric, Minnesota Timberwolves; Nenad Krstic, New Jersey Nets; Darko Milicic, Toronto Raptors; Aleksandar Pavlovic, Cleveland Cavaliers; Kosta Perovic, Golden State Warriors; Vladimir Radmanovic, Los Angeles Lakers; Predrag “Peja” Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets
    Slovenia (5): Primoz Brezec, Toronto Raptors; Bostjan Nachbar, New Jersey Nets; Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic, Toronto Raptors; Beno Udrih, Sacramento Kings; Sasha Vujacic, Los Angeles Lakers
    Spain (5): Jose Manuel Calderon, Toronto Raptors; Jorge Garbajosa, Toronto Raptors; Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers; Juan Carlos Navarro, Memphis Grizzlies; Sergio Rodriguez, Portland Trail Blazers
    Switzerland (1): Thabo Sefolosha, Chicago Bulls
    Turkey (2): Mehmet Okur, Utah Jazz, Hidayet "Hedo" Turkoglu, Orlando Magic
    Ukraine (2): Kyrylo Fesenko, Utah Jazz; Oleksiy Pecherov, Washington Wizards

    As of February 11, 2007, the NBA featured 76 international players from 30 countries and territories NBA rosters (active and inactive) for the 2007-08 NBA season.
    Nationality Birth Place First Name Last Name NBA Team
    Argentina - Carlos Delfino Toronto Raptors
    - - Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili San Antonio Spurs
    - - Walter Herrmann Detroit Pistons
    - - Andres Nocioni Chicago Bulls
    - - Fabricio Oberto San Antonio Spurs
    - - Luis Scola Houston Rockets
    Australia - Andrew Bogut Milwaukee Bucks
    Brazil - Leandro Barbosa Phoenix Suns
    - - Anderson Varejao Cleveland Cavaliers
    - - Marcus Vinicius Memphis Grizzlies
    - - Nene - Denver Nuggets
    Canada - Joel Anthony Miami Heat
    - Haiti Samuel Dalembert1 Philadelphia 76ers
    - South Africa Steve Nash2 Phoenix Suns
    China - Yao Ming - Houston Rockets
    - - Yi Jianlian - Milwaukee Bucks
    Congo - Dikembe Mutombo Houston Rockets
    - Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga Los Angeles Lakers
    Croatia - Gordan Giricek Phoenix Suns
    Dominican Republic - Francisco Garcia Sacramento Kings
    - - Al Horford Atlanta Hawks
    Great Britain - Kelenna Azubuike Golden State Warriors
    - Sudan Luol Deng3 Chicago Bulls
    France - Boris Diaw Phoenix Suns
    - - Yakhouba Diawara Denver Nuggets
    - Guadeloupe Mickael Gelabale Seattle SuperSonics
    - - Ian Mahinmi San Antonio Spurs
    - Belgium Tony Parker4 San Antonio Spurs
    - - Johan Petro Seattle SuperSonics
    - Guadeloupe Mickael Pietrus Golden State Warriors
    - Martinique Ronny Turiaf Los Angeles Lakers
    Georgia - Zaza Pachulia Atlanta Hawks
    Germany - Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks
    Italy - Andrea Bargnani Toronto Raptors
    - - Marco Belinelli Golden State Warriors
    Latvia - Andris Biedrins Golden State Warriors
    Lithuania - Zydrunas Ilgauskas Cleveland Cavaliers
    - - Linas Kleiza Denver Nuggets
    - - Darius Songaila Washington Wizards
    Mexico - Eduardo Najera Denver Nuggets
    Netherlands - Francisco Elson San Antonio Spurs
    - - Dan Gadzuric Milwaukee Bucks
    New Zealand - Sean Marks Phoenix Suns
    Poland - Marcin Gortat Orlando Magic
    Puerto Rico - Carlos Arroyo Orlando Magic
    - - Jose Juan Barea Dallas Mavericks
    Russia Ukraine Viktor Khryapa Chicago Bulls
    - - Andrei Kirilenko Utah Jazz
    Senegal - DeSagana Diop New Jersey Nets
    - - Cheikh Samb Detroit Pistons
    - - Mouhamed “Saer” Sene Seattle SuperSonics
    Serbia - Marko Jaric Minnesota Timberwolves
    - - Nenad Krstic New Jersey Nets
    - - Darko Milicic Memphis Grizzlies
    - Montenegro Aleksandar Pavlovic Cleveland Cavaliers
    - Croatia Kosta Perovic Golden State Warriors
    - Bosnia-Herzegovina Vladimir Radmanovic5 Los Angeles Lakers
    - Croatia Predrag “Peja” Stojakovic New Orleans Hornets
    Slovenia - Primoz Brezec Toronto Raptors
    - - Bostjan Nachbar New Jersey Nets
    - - Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic Toronto Raptors
    - - Beno Udrih Sacramento Kings
    - - Sasha Vujacic Los Angeles Lakers
    Spain - Jose Manuel Calderon Toronto Raptors
    - - Jorge Garbajosa Toronto Raptors
    - - Pau Gasol Los Angeles Lakers
    - - Juan Carlos Navarro Memphis Grizzlies
    - - Sergio Rodriguez Portland Trail Blazers
    St. Vincent and Grenadines - Adonal Foyle Orlando Magic
    Switzerland - Thabo Sefolosha Chicago Bulls
    Turkey - Mehmet Okur Utah Jazz
    - - Hidayet "Hedo" Turkoglu Orlando Magic
    U.S Virgin Islands - Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs
    - - Raja Bell Phoenix Suns
    Ukraine - Kyrylo Fesenko Utah Jazz
    - - Oleksiy Pecherov Washington Wizards

    -

    Key (Back to Top)
    1 = Born in Haiti, raised in Canada and became Canadian citizen in 2007
    2 = Born in South Africa, raised in Canada
    3 = Born in Sudan, became British citizen in 2006
    4 = Born in Belgium
    5 = Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina and raised in Serbia


    Players from around the World Whose Rights are Held by an NBA Team

    COUNTRY FIRST NAME LAST NAME NBA TEAM
    Argentina Federico Kammerichs Portland Trail Blazers
    - Marcelo Nicola Portland Trail Blazers
    Australia David Andersen Atlanta Hawks
    - Ben Pepper Boston Celtics
    - Brad Newley Houston Rockets
    Belarus Vladimir Veremeenko Washington Wizards
    Belgium Alex Hervelle Denver Nuggets
    Bosnia-Herzegovina Stanko Barac Indiana Pacers
    - Edin Bavcic Philadelphia 76ers
    - Nedzad Sinanovic Portland Trail Blazers
    Brazil Tiago Splitter San Antonio Spurs
    China Sun Yue - Los Angeles Lakers
    - Xue Yuyang - Denver Nuggets
    Croatia Josip Sesar Boston Celtics
    - Roko Leni Ukic Toronto Raptors
    Denmark Christian Drejer New Jersey Nets
    Great Britain Andrew Betts Indiana Pacers
    - Joel Freeland Portland Trail Blazers
    France Alain Digbeu Atlanta Hawks
    - Paccelis Morlende Seattle SuperSonics
    - Frederic Weiss New York Knicks
    Georgia Viktor Sanikidze San Antonio Spurs
    Germany Peter Fehse Seattle SuperSonics
    Greece Georgia Printezis Toronto Raptors
    - Sofoklis Schortsanitis Los Angeles Clippers
    Israel Lior Eliyahu Houston Rockets
    - Yotam Halperin Seattle SuperSonics
    - Doron Sheffer Portland Trail Blazers
    Italy Augusto Binelli Atlanta Hawks
    Lithuania Robertas Javtokas San Antonio Spurs
    - Renaldas Seibutis Dallas Mavericks
    - Aurelijius Zukauskas Milwaukee Bucks
    Netherlands Ramon Van de Hare Orlando Magic
    Nigeria Ejike Ugboaja Cleveland Cavaliers
    Poland Szymon Szewczyk Milwaukee Bucks
    Puerto Rico Ricky Sanchez Philadelphia 76ers
    Russia Andrei Festisov Milwaukee Bucks
    - Sergei Karaulov San Antonio Spurs
    Senegal Malick Badiane Memphis Grizzlies
    Serbia Dejan Bodiroga Sacramento Kings
    - Milovan Rakovic Orlando Magic
    - Mladen Sekularac Golden State Warriors
    - Milos Vujanic Phoenix Suns
    Slovenia Sani Becirovic Denver Nuggets
    - Erazem Lorbek Indiana Pacers
    Spain Robert Duenas Miami Heat
    - Rudy Fernandez Portland Trail Blazers
    - Albert Miralles Boston Celtics
    - Fran Vasquez Orlando Magic
    Turkey Cenk Akyol Atlanta Hawks
    Ukraine Sergey Lishok Houston Rockets
    Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili
    Andres Nocioni
    Andrew Bogut
    Leandro Barbosa
    Steve Nash
    Yao Ming
    Luol Deng
    Tony Parker
    Dirk Nowitzki
    Andrei Kirilenko
    Pau Gasol
    Tim Duncan