NBA season 2022-23: the foreign presence in the rosters | Sport24h

The season of great basketball starts again, the NBA one, the most famous and powerful league in the world. On the occasion of the NBA 2022-23 games, the whole world of basketball that matters meets on the USA and Canada fields to give life to an exciting ride that will end next spring. There are many records waiting to be beaten, starting with the one linked to the total number of points, currently in the hands of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and which could be surpassed by Le Bron James (37,062) if the Chosen One keeps the average. points of recent years.

These also include those linked to the foreign presence in the rosters, demonstrating the fact that the league has long since become the center, even physically, of world basketball. The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that 120 international players from 40 countries and six continents are featured on the opening rosters for the 2022-23 season, including a record number of players from Canada (22) and Australia (10). and a record five players from Nigeria. This marks the first time that opening night rosters have included at least 120 international players in two consecutive seasons, as well as the ninth consecutive season in which opening night rosters include at least 100 international players. All 30 NBA teams have at least one international player.

The 2022-23 season began with a doubleheader on TNT. In the first game, the Philadelphia 76ers will visit reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics (7:30 PM ET). In the second game, reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, will receive championship rings before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers (10pm ET).

For the ninth consecutive year, Canada is the most represented country outside the United States, followed by Australia, France (nine players) and Germany (six players). Nigeria, Serbia and Spain each have five players. There are a total of 58 European players on the opening night rosters, including three members of the Kia All-NBA First Team 2021-22: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; draws with Nigeria), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia ) and Kia MVP of the 2021-22 season Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia).

The Toronto Raptors field eight international players, marking the second consecutive season in which the franchise leads this special ranking, followed by the Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings with seven international players each. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz have six each.

Thirty-eight of the players on the opening night rosters attended Basketball Without Borders (BWB) prior to their NBA careers.

As for Italy, the patrol has significantly reduced compared to recent years; only Danilo Gallinari and Simone Fontecchio have found a team willing to put them under contract. Gallinari (certainly our best player, the only one able to permanently enter the rotations and the starting quintets) will try to bring the ring back to Boston. We will see Fontecchio busy with the Utah Jazz.

Below you can find more information and storylines related to the international players of the upcoming NBA season:

• Two international players have won the last four Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Awards: reigning MVP Jokić (2021-22 and 2020-21) and Antetokounmpo (2019-20 and 2018-19). Jokić and the Nuggets will face Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Wednesday 25 January in Milwaukee and Saturday 25 March in Denver.

• Last season was the first time that the top three in the MVP vote were all international players: Jokić, Embiid and Antetokounmpo.

• At least five international players have been part of the Kia All-NBA Team each season since 2018-19.

• In the NBA App GM Survey 2022-23, Dončić, Antetokounmpo and Embiid were voted players no. 1, 2 and 3 most likely to win the 2022-23 Kia NBA MVP Award (48%, 34% and 13% of votes respectively). Antetokounmpo and Dončić were voted players no. 1 and n. 2 with which the general managers would most like to start a franchise (respectively 55% and 45% of the votes).

• Daniels and Mathurin are set to become the second and third NBA Academy graduates to play in the NBA after Giddey became the first last season. Daniels and Giddey, former NBA Global Academy teammates in Australia, will meet on Monday November 28 in New Orleans, Friday December 23 and Monday February 13 in Oklahoma City and Saturday March 11 in New Orleans.

• The matches between Philadelphia and Toronto will feature three former BWB Africa campers from Cameroon: Embiid, Siakam and Christian Koloko (Raptors; BWB Africa 2017; BWB Global 2018). The teams will compete on Wednesday 26 October and Friday 28 October in Toronto, Monday 19 December and Friday 31 March in Philadelphia.

• There are three international sibling groups in the NBA: Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo (Greece; ties to Nigeria; Bucks, Bucks and Chicago Bulls respectively); Juancho and Willy Hernangómez (Spain; Raptors and Pelicans, respectively); and Franz and Moritz Wagner (Germany; Magic).

• There are 14 international players on prime time rosters who have been NBA All-Stars: Antetokounmpo, Dončić, Goran Dragić (Bulls; Slovenia), Embiid, Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves; France), Al Horford (Celtics; Dominican Republic), Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets; Australia), Jokić, Kristaps Porzingis (Wizards; Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Kings; Lithuania), Siakam, Ben Simmons (Nets; Australia), Nikola Vučević (Bulls; Montenegro) and Andrew Wiggins (Warriors; Canada).

Below is the complete list of foreigners who will play this season in the NBA