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Marc Gasol (left) and his brother, Pau, are two of the 83 players in the NBA this season.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Season opens with record-tying 83 international players

By Official Release
Posted Oct 27 2009 2:43PM

The start of the 2009-10 NBA season will mark 83 international players from 36 countries and territories on official rosters (active and inactive), matching the record of international players on opening night rosters (2006-07). Twenty-seven of the 30 teams have at least one international player.

The Milwaukee Bucks roster features the most international players with seven. The Charlotte Bobcats, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors each feature five international players. Omri Casspi (Israel) of the Sacramento Kings, Jonas Jerebko (Sweden) of the Detroit Pistons, and Hasheem Thabeet (Tanzania) of the Memphis Grizzlies are representing their countries for the first time on an NBA roster. France has the strongest representation with a record ten players. At the end of the 2008-09 regular season, the NBA featured 77 international players from 33 countries and territories on team rosters (both active and inactive). In comparison, the NBA had 36 international players from 24 countries and territories in 1999-2000.

Nationality Birthplace Name Team
Argentina Carlos Delfino Bucks
Manu Ginobili Spurs
Andres Nocioni Kings
Fabricio Oberto Wizards
Luis Scola Rockets
Australia David Andersen Rockets
Andrew Bogut Bucks
Nathan Jawai Timberwolves
Patrick Mills Blazers
Brazil Anderson Varejao Cavaliers
Leandro Barbosa Suns
Brazil Nene Nuggets
Cameroon Luc Mbah A Moute Bucks
Canada Joel Anthony Heat
Haiti Samuel Dalembert (Born in Haiti, raised in Canada and became Canadian citizen in 2007) Sixers
Jamaal Magloire Heat
South Africa Steve Nash (Born in South Africa, raised in Canada) Phoenix Suns
China Yao Ming Rockets
Yi Jianlian Nets
Congo Serge Ibaka Thunder
Croatia Roko Ukic Bucks
Democratic Republic of the Congo Didier "D.J." Ilunga-Mbenga Lakers
Dominican Republic Francisco Garcia Kings
Al Horford Hawks
France Alexis Ajinca Bobcats
Nicolas Batum Blazers
Guadeloupe Rodrigue Beaubois Mavericks
Boris Diaw Bobcats
Yakhouba Diawara Heat
Ian Mahinmi Spurs
Belgium Tony Parker (Born in Belgium) Spurs
Johan Petro Nuggets
Guadeloupe Mickael Pietrus Magic
Martinique Ronny Turiaf Warriors
Georgia Zaza Pachulia Hawks
Germany Dirk Nowitzki Mavericks
Great Britain Kelenna Azubuike Warriors
Sudan Luol Deng (Born in Sudan, became British citizen in 2006) Bulls
Pops Mensah-Bonsu Rockets
Iran Hamed Haddadi Grizzlies
Israel Omri Casspi Kings
Italy Andrea Bargnani Raptors
Marco Belinelli Raptors
Danilo Gallinari Knicks
Latvia Andris Biedrins Warriors
Lithuania Zydrunas Ilgauskas Cavaliers
Darius Songaila Hornets
Mexico Eduardo Najera Nets
Netherlands Francisco Elson Bucks
Dan Gadzuric Bucks
New Zealand Sean Marks Hornets
Poland Marcin Gortat Magic
Puerto Rico Carlos Arroyo Heat
Jose Juan Barea Mavericks
Russia Andrei Kirilenko Jazz
Senegal DeSagana Diop Bobcats
Serbia Marko Jaric Grizzlies
Nenad Krstic Thunder
Darko Milicic Knicks
Montenegro Aleksandar Pavlovic Timberwolves
Bosnia-Herzegovina Vladimir Radmanovic (Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina and raised in Serbia) Bobcats
Croatia Predrag "Peja" Stojakovic Hornets
Slovenia Primoz Brezec Sixers
Goran Dragic Suns
Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic Raptors
Beno Udrih Kings
Sasha Vujacic Lakers
Spain Jose Manuel Calderon Raptors
Rudy Fernandez Blazers
Marc Gasol Grizzlies
Pau Gasol Lakers
Sergio Rodriguez Kings
St. Vincent and Grenadines Adonal Foyle Magic
Sweden Jonas Jerebko Pistons
Switzerland Thabo Sefolosha Thunder
Tanzania Hasheem Thabeet Grizzlies
Turkey Ersan Ilyasova Bucks
Mehmet Okur Jazz
Hidayet "Hedo" Turkoglu Raptors
Ukraine Kyrylo Fesenko Jazz
Oleksiy Pecherov Timberwolves
U.S Virgin Islands Tim Duncan Spurs
Raja Bell Bobcats
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