‍TORONTO (Oct. 21, 2025) – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that a record 135 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents are on opening night rosters for 2025-2026 season.

For the 12th consecutive season, Canada is the most represented country outside of the U.S., boasting a total of 25 players on opening night rosters.

Last season marked a historic milestone for Canada. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) was named the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2024-25 season, becoming just the second Canadian to earn the honour, and the first since Steve Nash in 2005 and 2006.

The 2024-25 season also marked the fourth consecutive season in which three international players finished top three in MVP voting: Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece).  

Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside Montreal native Luguentz Dort, helped lead the Thunder to the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship title — a landmark achievement for both the organization and Canadian basketball.

There are a record 16 international players on opening-night rosters who have been NBA All-Stars, including Gilgeous-Alexander, and Andrew Wiggins (Miami Heat).  

Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort, along with Wiggins and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), are the only active Canadians to have captured the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship trophy. Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and the Indiana Pacers will look to return to the Finals after falling to the Thunder 4-3 this past season.

Will Riley enters his rookie NBA season after being selected 21st overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2025 NBA Draft, with his draft rights later sent to the Washington Wizards as part of a planned trade. The Kitchener, Ont., native capped his collegiate career by earning the 2024-25 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year award with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Ryan Nembhard and Jahmyl Telfort also begin their first professional seasons after signing two-way contracts with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, respectively. Nembhard led the NCAA in assists last season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, averaging 9.8 per game and finishing fifth all-time in single-season assists with 344. Telfort, in his senior year with the Butler Bulldogs, was named to the All-Big East Third Team.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort, along with Jackson Rowe of the Golden State Warriors, will be the only Canadians available on opening night of the NBA season. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT, while the Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers on the road at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

The full list of Canadian players on 2025-2026 opening night rosters are:

‍Nickeil Alexander-Walker – Atlanta Hawks

‍R.J. Barrett – Toronto Raptors

‍Chris Boucher – Boston Celtics

‍Dillon Brooks – Phoenix Suns

‍Brandon Clarke – Memphis Grizzlies

‍Luguentz Dort – Oklahoma City Thunder

‍Zach Edey – Memphis Grizzlies

‍Kyshawn George – Washington Wizards

‍Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder

‍Caleb Houstan – Atlanta Hawks

‍A.J. Lawson – Toronto Raptors

‍Bennedict Mathurin – Indiana Pacers

‍Emanuel Miller – Chicago Bulls

‍Leonard Miller – Minnesota Timberwolves

‍Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets

‍Andrew Nembhard – Indiana Pacers

‍Ryan Nembhard – Dallas Mavericks

‍Kelly Olynyk – San Antonio Spurs

‍Dwight Powell – Dallas Mavericks

‍Olivier-Maxence Prosper – Memphis Grizzlies

‍Will Riley – Washington Wizards

‍Jackson Rowe – Golden State Warriors

‍Shaedon Sharpe – Portland Trail Blazers

‍Jahmyl Telfort – Los Angeles Clippers

‍Andrew Wiggins – Miami Heat