NBA: Record Six Nigerians Make Opening-Night Rosters As African Representation Hits New High

Nigeria will have a record six players on NBA opening-night rosters for the 2026/27 season, as the world’s leading basketball league celebrates an unprecedented level of African representation.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Tuesday that more than 60 players born in Africa or with at least one parent from the continent have been named on opening-night rosters, including more than 25 with Nigerian connections.

The six players listed under Nigeria are Ugonna Onyenso of Detroit Pistons, Charles Bassey of Golden State Warriors, Adem Bona of Philadelphia 76ers, Precious Achiuwa of Sacramento Kings, Josh Okogie of Utah Jazz and Felix Okpara of Washington Wizards.

Onyenso and Okpara are listed as two-way players, while the other four are on their respective teams’ rosters.

Nigeria’s record six players place the country joint fifth with Serbia among nations represented by international players in the NBA, behind France, Canada, Australia and Germany.

The Nigerian contingent forms part of a wider African presence that includes some of the league’s biggest stars, notably three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo of Miami Heat, two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby of New York Knicks and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is also listed with Miami Heat.

All three have Nigerian family connections, further highlighting the country’s growing influence in the world’s premier basketball competition.

Cameroon is also prominently represented by 2022/23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid of Philadelphia 76ers, four-time All-Star Pascal Siakam of Indiana Pacers and Yves Missi of New Orleans Pelicans.

Another player with African roots attracting attention is AJ Dybantsa, the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, who joins Washington Wizards with family ties to the Republic of the Congo.

According to the NBA, opening-night rosters feature 125 international players representing 43 countries across six continents, equalling the record for the number of countries represented.

It is the sixth consecutive season with at least 120 international players and the 13th straight season featuring at least 100.

France leads the international representation with 17 players, ending Canada’s 13-season dominance of the category. Canada follows with 16 players, while Australia has nine and Germany seven.

The French contingent is headlined by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, while Canada’s representation includes Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, winner of the last two NBA MVP awards.

The NBA also revealed that a record 19 international players on opening-night rosters have previously earned All-Star selections, reflecting the growing influence of overseas talent.

International players have dominated the league’s most prestigious individual award in recent seasons, with Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid and Antetokounmpo accounting for the last eight MVP awards.

All 30 NBA franchises have at least one international player, with Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards leading the way with seven each.

The league also confirmed that more than 45 players on opening-night rosters have participated in Basketball Without Borders, its global development programme organised in partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

The 81st NBA regular season tips off with a three-game programme featuring Boston Celtics against Detroit Pistons, defending champions New York Knicks against Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs against Oklahoma City Thunder.