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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 Dec 9 2009 6:00PM

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